Sometimes the background and/or setting in my photos appeals to me as much or even more than the bird.
This edition of Feathered Photography will be brief. My last four posts have been long ones and I think both author and readers need a break.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This was a grab shot taken at Farmington Bay WMA five days ago. It was the only sharp and unclipped photo I managed to get with a flight posture I like as the heron passed by.
I think it would be a pretty run-of-the-mill photo if the background were blue sky or anything else homogenous but for me this background sets it apart. I like the layers of horizontal banding in the marsh and the blue water provides a large splash of color that tickles my fancy.
Much of the standing water in this area of the refuge is fairly new and we owe it to the flexible management practices of refuge manager Jason Jones and his crew. It attracts a lot of birds but they’re always too far away for close up bird photography.
So this bird photographer appreciates being able to make some practical use of it in my photos.
Ron
Catching up on your post today. I have been so busy and harried at work I ran my self down to exhaustion, so I took a day off to recoup. I like your new format.
Seems to me there are more Great Blue Herons this year and less of everything else at Farmington.
Wonderful image! Maybe my favorite. I love Great Blue Herons and I am lucky enough to live where we see many. That would look great on the wall.
Thank you, Phyllis.
No GBH shot is run-of-the-mill in my book, grab shot or not. 😉 I’m with Lyle on this one — noticed the occipital plume and those languid legs right away.
Definitely a modern Pterodactyl. 🙂
BTW, you ended up in my spam folder today — not sure if others are having that difficulty, but wanted to give you a “heads up,” just in case. 🙂
Marty, we’re trying the convert the “sender” of the subscription emails back to Feathered Photography. Time will tell if we can do it. It’s trickier than you might think.
If anyone can figure it out, it’s Team Ron and Mia! 🙂
Marty, this kind of thing is Mia’s bailiwick. I’m out of my league.
Hooray for flexible water management. Water management which for a change doesn’t just benefit business (and if I sound bitter there it is because I am).
Love this shot. Herons always struck me as a bird whose dinosaur ancestors are very evident.
EC, a Facebook friend mentioned this birds resemblance to dinosaurs too. Primitive looking birds indeed.
Perfectly timed photo showing the left wing following the contours of the neck on down along the right wing. The occipital plume (got that from you and the Night Heron blog) laying neatly on his back; the feet languidly trailing. Not run-of-the-mill at all.
Lyle, I’m delighted you noticed the plume. I put extra work into my sharpening mask for the specific purpose of making sure that plume was sharpened just enough but not too much. I think it’s position laying on the back like that deserved the extra effort.
Beautiful heron and background. The wing detail shows well and the horizontal “striped” background REALLY sets it off! 🙂
Thank you, Judy.
I say a damn good photo for a grab shot, and that layered background is very nice. Appreciate the short post this morning too.
“Appreciate the short post this morning too”
I thought some readers might. Thanks, Everett.
Elegant, lovely bird beautifully expressed by your photo! Thanks for this and so many. I rarely write but so enjoy your art work. Mary
Thank you, Mary. I enjoy your comments, “rare” or not.
I love the stripes.
Thanks, Arwen.