There are many of them of course and this is only one but it’s an important one. Every bird photographer worth his/her salt already knows this on some level but we all need to be reminded, including me. What you’re about to see is ample proof that I’m included on that sad list of those who occasionally forget.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
While I was approaching this Mourning Dove in my pickup I had high hopes for some very nice shots because I had excellent light on the bird, I loved the lichen-encrusted rock perch (I count 3, possibly 4 varieties of lichens) and the green background was far enough away to provide some pleasing bokeh. But in the end I didn’t like them as well as I hoped because the feet, wingtips and part of the tail are hidden from view.
I’ve left this version of the image full frame so I can make my point more effectively. As you can see the dove fills a fairly large portion of the uncropped frame even while perched.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
So as you may have anticipated I cut off both wings when it eventually took off.
I think this photo had the potential to be an awfully nice image (even bordering on superb) but I butchered the wings. Looking back on it I wasn’t thinking when I approached the bird. So the question becomes, what should I have done differently if I had been thinking?
- Best option: When I was approaching the dove I should have realized that it was partly hidden behind the rock and it was unlikely to come to the top of the perch where I could see it better because if felt safer back there with me so close. So I should have stopped further away from the dove to allow for my best chance for excellent photos – takeoff and flight shots with the wings deployed. Further away the perched bird would have been smaller in the frame so there likely would have been enough room for its open wings when/if it took off.
- 2nd best option: Once I was already too close for the takeoff I could have removed my teleconverter to give me less focal length (effectively 800mm instead of 1120mm) and more room in the frame for the open wings. The problem with that option is that swapping out the extender takes time (for me about 5 seconds) and birds always seem to take off right in the middle of the process. I chose not to take that chance and I paid the price.
This is something I already knew when I was approaching the bird of course but in the excitement of the moment I either misjudged the distance or, more likely, just spaced it out. Now I have many fairly nice shots of a perched dove and one butchered photo of the bird in flight that could/should have been eye-popping. I sure wish it was the other way around…
So my point with this post is to remind myself as much as it is to remind other bird photographers to consider the size of the bird in the frame for the type of shot we’re after when approaching our subject.
It’s a simple principle but easily forgotten in the heat of the moment.
Ron
PS – It seems that many novice bird photographers are hard-wired to get as close to their subjects as possible – after all, birds tend to be shy and skittish so on those relatively rare occasions when they allow a close approach it’s an exciting experience for us. But close is not always best for photography and besides, we should try to avoid flushing birds whenever possible because it’s a waste of their precious energy.
Yep, have had this lesson many times. This and not checking my first two photos to make sure my camera settings are correct for the scene. I let my ecitment get the best of me and at times I’m not really focused on the best composition, distance and settings for each situation.
There’s lots of things to remember in the field, James. We all forget some of them some of the time but it really hurts when it messes up a potentially great shot.
Great post, Ron! I recently went from a zoom lens to a fixed lens and am having to “re-learn” how to frame a shot. The good news is I’m trying hard to include more of the bird’s environment in each image and that gives me a little wiggle room on birds suddenly taking flight or doing a wing stretch.
As Ken S. said, that exposure to people factor definitely makes a difference. A case in point is my recent post of a coyote that I likely never would have even seen if she hadn’t been within a heavily used refuge.
One other, kinda-sorta related item about your post, which you have addressed before. It’s very easy to overlook “common” birds but, as your images so startlingly demonstrate, that’s a mistake. The iridescence of the dove is like witnessing multiple rainbows reflected by nature’s light. Gorgeous!
“I recently went from a zoom lens to a fixed lens and am having to “re-learn” how to frame a shot”
That’s a steep and unforgiving learning curve, Wally. Both types of glass have their advantages but I sure prefer a prime lens overall.
I know you’re frustrated about clipping those wings, but I see it as a trade-off. Even though the tips of the wings are clipped, you have an amazing shot of the tail feathers and that lovely little bit of iridescence on the neck. There are times when I actually prefer not seeing the whole bird as long as the bird fills the frame like it does in the takeoff shot. This kind of shot makes me feel like I’m actually there on the rock with the Mourning Dove!
Well, I’m glad you like it, Marty. I agree, it has some serious charm but…
I KNEW you were going to say “but…” 😉
Found another 2-boy-1-girl Mallard trio near my house today. Looks like there’s a lot of “menage a duck” going on in my neighborhood.
I’m becoming too predictable…
“Menage a duck” – you crack me up, Marty.
You get it right more often than most of us. And how I love learning that my slow-learning (not just on the photography front)self is not alone.
How is your head today?
And while I love the mourning dove, the lichen colours blew me away. Ours is predominantly a soft grey green.
No headache last night, EC. I woke up at 3 AM worrying about it but it didn’t happen.
We have lots of lichen colors on the western US – many of them are quite bright.
Glad no headache last night, but sorry about the “anticipatory wake-up.” That happens to me a lot and I’m not sure which is more frustrating at times! 😉
Photographer of not, keeping your distance is good advice. I see people with their dogs, kids, bicycles, boats, ORVs, etc. blissfully ignorant or uncaring about their effect on wildlife. There oughta be a law….
I agree, Lyle.
Great advice, and great post!
I have to admit, even though I knew not to get too close, I had a devil of a time getting any kind of decent shots until I started shooting from my truck. Must have been influenced by some photographer out in Utah whose first name is Ron! VBG!!
One of the reasons I love this blog!
Thanks for the vote of confidence in the “mobile blind”, Dick. For me it’s the best way to go, most of the time.
I hope your advice spreads. The last time I was out photographing birds in areas I seldom see anyone, there were more people who have recently discovered birding in the area. They were not seasoned photographers, I judge this by the camera types they were using and the way they approached the birds. They rushed to every bird jumped out of the car and flushed everything within 500 yards. They followed me the entire morning ruining my shots. When I am out shooting and a car drives by I usually pull in my camera so people don’t stop to see what I am looking at. The couple of times I have run into you and Mia in the field I don’t like to approach your truck and spook off birds. I wait a bit and see where your camera is aimed. You will have to wave an all clear sign to me next time (if I knew how to add a smiley face here I would) The funny thing is many locals frequently stop and ask if I need help. I guess that is reassuring when I am alone in the outback.
I think some of the same locals have stopped me for the same reason. And I often pull my lens in for the same reason you do.
If I recognized your car I’d always wave you in, April – as long as I didn’t have a bird in my viewfinder. After all, there are priorities… 🙂
Every animal has a fight or flight zone. Every pair or family has a fight or flight zone and a scout or sentinel, sometimes of a different species, sometimes a different species and a family member. (Around here, scrub jays are the sentinels and “shriers” – they sound the alarm whenever a hawk in the air or a creature on the ground is approaching.) If you live near an area with a lot of wildlife, you can become familiar and less threatening to the creatures if you show up same time, same place every day. This will let you get better photos – of the animals going about their lives, and not spending precious time evading you. We humans need to realize that every single day is filled with mortal peril for wildlife. They must drink, eat, protect young, evade predators, and we Homo saps ought to be sentient and keep out of the scene. When you feel that excitement, immediately tell yourself to move slowly and do not rise to the bait. As previously noted, people who spend big bucks travelling to wildlife sites (Triple D Ranch, African safaris, trips down the Amazon come to mind) where they don’t know the creatures and will not return will always mess things up for the animals and for the respectful photographers. I can recommend a book entitled “What The Robin Knows” by Jon Wright for a lot more detail.
I agree with everything you’ve said, Martha.
Good book, I read it. Growing up as a wild child I learned most of this by being outside observing.
This very thing happened to me last week photographing a Bald Eagle. I shoot them often so I am aware of their habits and large wingspan. Baldy flew in with his lunch and landed within close proximity to me, essentially filling the frame of my shot. Terrific right? Maybe. I captured my shots at the dinner table and knew I was too close for the lift off. After his feathery dinner, he let fly a PS (Poop shoot) which is typically when you can expect them to lift. And he did. Leaving me with an all but useless, tack sharp, properly exposed photo of a Bald Eagle with a large portion of his wings cut off. I didn’t move while he was eating for fear of frightening him so there I was, handcuffed to my tripod. Baldy can shoulder 50% of the blame on this one. Next time, don’t land so close! 🙂
That’s a funny story, Thomas. Similar things have happened to most of us I’m sure.
I was once savagely and mercilessly berated by a woman from Michigan because I posted a head shot of an avocet that landed very close to me. I had explained when I posted it that the bird approached me rather than the other way around but it made no difference to her. I didn’t lose any sleep over it though, for two reasons: I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong and this woman has a national reputation for being a classic bitch…
Ron – excellent advice. I too have learned this lesson (more than once) while photographing owls. Their wingspan is deceiving long compared to their body shape while sitting still.
I liked the “more than once” part of your comment, Zaph. Me too!
Yes, owls in particular have very long wings that almost beg to be clipped or cut off in our shots. And what’s really frustrating is that it’s the most dramatic and appealing wing positions where it most often happens.
Just recently there was a kayaker paddling closer and closer trying to get a picture of a Bald eagle taking a bath along the waters edge 😠 Not sure if we were more annoying to the BE by our yelling at the guy or the guy himself ❗️
Today’s my Dad’s 85th birthday surprise party. Going to be a fun day❗️
You have a great day too❗️
I hope the photographer responded appropriately to your reaction to him, Diana – not holding my breath though.
Happy Birthday to your dad. I wish mine was still around…
Great post and very useful information Ron! You are correct in that the light on the dove and the lichen is beautiful.
“It seems that many novice bird photographers are hard-wired to get as close to their subjects as possible…” – So true !!!
This last week I was photographing wild horses and I ended up getting pretty disappointed, upset, and cranky as I watched photographers walk directly at bands of wild horses, with big lenses in their hands. I ended up pissing them off since they were so determined to get closer, closer, closer — and I was pretty vocal in discouraging this behavior. Not only were they screwing up their own photographs, but also disturbing the wildlife and the other photographers patiently setup at a distance.
The horses were disturbed by the “let me get a little closer” photographers and left the area. I know some of these photographers were instructed in workshops not to do this, and yet our innate sense is to walk like a predator directly towards the wildlife. When the horses would rear up, they would clip the image.
What I have started to find useful is to utilize my trusty Canon 7D2 + EF 100-400mm /f4-5.6 II and keep it handy, next to the Canon 1DX + EF 6000mm f/4L II + 1.4x III extender. Interestingly, the number of quality images is now from the smaller, zoom, lens. Intentionally zooming out, instead of in.
On a photo critique site I setup for my workshop students I keep trying to reinforce this “zoom out”, stay back, approach. You can really notice the less experienced photographers images versus the pros. Tight crop, birds in nests that look freaked out, and overall unnatural-uneasy behavior of the wildlife.
Thanks, your post today was very timely for me.
Ed, as you can imagine I’ve had some of the same experiences with photographers getting far too close to wild critters as you have. It’s so damned maddening, for a variety of reasons.
And like you I always keep my 100-400 attached to another camera right next to me in my pickup and I use it often. It comes in handy far more often than many might think.
Excellent guidance Ron and a reminder I shall not forget. Will pin it to my forehead. 🙂 Hope your headache is long gone and your weekend will be enjoyable.
Thanks, Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
“Will pin it to my forehead”
Ha, be careful Everett or you’ll get a headache yourself! Thank goodness I didn’t have a cluster headache last night. I feel like I won the lottery!
So many “variables” 😉 In the heat of the moment it’s certainly easy to get “locked in” on the bird and not consider what it might do! Yes, even tho some birds are acclimated to “people” it depends on their experience WITH people/vehicles etc. The magpies here tend to be quite skittish even tho protected….. Thx for the reminders!
Judy, most of our magpies are tricky to approach too but some of them on Antelope Island are an exception, especially those that hang out near the campgrounds.
Thanks for the reminder. I attribute my failed shots mostly due to my love & excitement of seeing the bird in its pure beauty behind the lens which results in half or most of my photography “rules” evaporating in a split-second. Love of photography seems to always come second.
You’ve hit that “love and excitement” nail on the head, Elmer. Almost by definition bird photographers love birds and being allowed an intimate look at them and their behaviors (either through our long lenses or just because they let us get close, or both) sure can distract from photography at times.
I say “ALMOST by definition” because to some photographers the photo is the most important thing by far, instead of the welfare of their subjects (baiting of raptors comes to mind but there are many other unethical techniques practiced out there.)
Much depends upon the bird’s history of exposure to people. I usually can’t get within 30-50 yards of the Great Egrets in my local south Florida wetlands where there are few human visitors. Yet when I visit popular spots such as Green Cay in Palm Beach County they forage right next to a boardwalk full of people. Soras can be very elusive but they walk nonchalantly along and pose so closely that you only get a top view. Yet, this week in Illinois I had a Sora emerge from a marsh and it remained exposed to view for only the time it took for me to begin raising the camera. Of course, all generalizations are false, including this one!
“Much depends upon the bird’s history of exposure to people”
That’s right, Ken and some species tend to be more approachable than others. Out west, in general, birds tend to be more shy than they are in some other areas of the country where they get more exposure to people and vehicles. Lots of variables…