A shooting angle that provides an unusually good look at the brilliant turquoise blues of the male Lazuli Bunting in breeding plumage.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Three days ago in the mountains I caught this adult male Lazuli Bunting as he was leaning into takeoff. An instant after this photo was taken his wings were spread spectacularly but in that photo I clipped a wingtip and his face was soft. Because of his leaning and angled posture it may look like I was shooting almost straight down on him but my shooting angle wasn’t steep at all. The vertical grass seed head at lower left provides some perspective on my actual shooting angle.
During my initial preview of the photos I took that day I didn’t give this one much thought but the more I look at it the more I like it because I notice things that hadn’t registered previously.
This shooting angle provides a fairly unique look at almost all of the turquoise blues of the adult male of the species from the base of his bill to the tip of his tail, including the most brilliant ones on his rump between his wing primaries. With his head closer to the viewer than any other part of him the intense eye contact is almost soul-drilling. The soft bokeh and colors of the natural background which I adore are the proverbial icing on the cake.
Viewers may or may not agree with what I see as the strengths of the image but I’m glad I gave this one a second chance.
Ron
POETRY KIND OF GRATES ON ME
The Lazuli Bunting’s TURQUOISE BLUES:
THE MOST BRILLIANT ONES ON HIS RUMP are a cue,
to the strengths of the image we are privileged to view.
THE INTENSE EYE CONTACT is also quite thrilling,
one can’t think IT’S ALMOST SOUL-DRILLING.
I don’t think I could torture your words any worse, but you had to know I couldn’t resist the opportunity for a dig.
Lyle, consider your dig…dug. I’ll never be a poetry fan. Good poetry or bad.
So very glad you gave this shot a second look. It is a truly special one for the uniqueness of the pose and angle that reveals all those gorgeous turquoise feathers.
I’m really sorry about your family’s farm and the others affected this season. I’m grateful to all the farmers out there who grapple with Mother Nature every day in order to make a living.
Thanks, Marty. When I was in high school I remember my folks sitting me down for a serious conversation where they asked me if I eventually wanted to take over the farm. My answer was a resounding and immediate “no”, in part for that very reason. I knew I didn’t have the constitution to deal with the vagaries of farming including hailstorms, drought, and unstable grain prices. But hail is probably at the top of the list.
If I’d said yes I’d probably have been dead long ago. I don’t deal well with stress.
Thumbs up! The photo is great and the color is one of my favorite.
Thanks, Betty.
You’ll get no argument from me about the appeal of this image. I’m very glad you decided to post it, such an unusual view of a truly beautiful bird. That brilliant color is to die for!
“That brilliant color is to die for”
It’s really something isn’t it, Chris.
Amazing. Pint-sized perfection.
I am so glad that you gave this a second and subsequent looks. So very glad.
Thank you, EC.
Love the poetry (i.e., “soul-drilling”) as well as the superb photography.
BTW, I’ve been using my 500mm lens for macro photography for many years and totally agree with your comments. I love the depth of field and the opportunities to shoot from a distance without disturbing the subjects.
Burrdoo, that’s about as close as I’ll ever come to writing poetry. For some reason most poetry kind of grates on me, similar to the reaction I have to opera.
The exception is Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. For some reason I love that one. Go figure…
Excellent point on the “non-ideal” views actually providing more info on a bird. I appreciate these shots!
Thanks, Sam. I’m glad you agree.
Spectacular, Ron. Simply spectacular. Like others have noted, I’ve never seen a Lazuli from this angle. Nicely done!
Thank you, Diane. I believe this was the first time I’ve photographed a male at this angle.
Beautiful shot!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.
What a beautiful photo and bird. Those colors are remarkable. Thanks for mentioning turquoise. I thought the last photo was so beautiful and colorful, but I could not think of the name of the color I was seeing.
Kudos and a high five to April Olson for working at rehabilitating birds. Years ago I saved a roadrunner who crashed into our back window and had a broken wing. Took me over an hour to capture it without causing further damage and then got it to a rehab person locally. That was before I knew about Liberty Wildlife in Phoenix who do a fantastic job of rehabilitating birds and wildlife.
If I ever took a Lazuli Bunting photo anywhere even close to yours I would be proudly sending to all my birding friends. It is a special one.
Thanks very much, Everett. April and other rehabbers are heroes in my book.
Yes it is lovely! That soul-drilling look I’ve felt often with rehabbing. I think that is why we try so hard to save birds we shouldn’t try with and they break our heart and sometimes our spirit when we fail them.
“I’ve felt often with rehabbing”
I think about that often with rehabbers, April. You’re tougher than I could ever be.
Your shot today gave me my first appreciation of the brilliance of his
coloration on the lower back between the primaries—doubt I would
seen it in my lifetime, otherwise.. More beautiful to me than any jewel -thanks !
I hadn’t appreciated the brilliance of those particular colors before either, Kris. Stop-action photography to the rescue again.
Beautiful capture of the stunning turquoise coloring. The eye contact is great – glad you gave it a 2nd look! 🙂 Neon red sun this morning – smoke not ridiculous yet – it’s getting real old being so dreary on top of the smoke….. 😉
Thanks, Judy.
I found out last night that our family farm and many other nearby farms were completely wiped out by an unusually vicious hailstorm recently. My cousin said they’re “done for this year”.
Wondered about that area – they got the hail while we got the vicious wind. Always discouraging when that happens even knowing it comes with the territory. Crops here are NOT going to be great due to heat and lack of moisture – spring crop more so that winter but none are good. No “Great White Combine” – yet. 🙁
Because of the position of the catch light it appears he is looking directly at the viewer.
Good point, Brett. That’s because I was almost directly between the bird and the rising sun.
Such a beautiful way to start my day…thank you!
Good morning, Patty. Thanks.