Like all bird photographers, as I approach my subject I’m often too close to the bird by the time I can see it clearly through vegetation or by the time I have good light on it. That’s when my two-lens shooting strategy pays off in spades.
1/3200, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 400mm
That’s exactly what happened with this Great Blue Heron three days ago at Bear River MBR. I had to creep forward to have a clear view of ‘him’ through obstructing vegetation, some of which can be seen as out of focus blobs at lower right. By then, while using my 500mm prime lens, I knew I was too close to keep him comfortably in frame when he lifted his wings to take off.
So I quickly grabbed my “baby lens” sitting on the passenger seat next to me. That smaller zoom lens was perfect for the situation so I got quite a few shots without cutting off body parts while he was taking off and in flight.
My two-lens shooting strategy keeps me “covered” from 100mm – 400mm plus I have the 500mm option with my bigger prime lens and the 700mm option with the 1.4 teleconverter attached to it (I could, but I usually don’t use a tc on the smaller zoom lens). Since my 7D Mark II’s are cropped frame (1.6x) cameras, that translates to an effective focal range coverage between 160mm and 1120mm with only a few gaps. That’s about as good as it gets.
I have two 7D II’s and I keep one attached to each lens so I don’t have to fiddle-fart with swapping lenses between camera bodies. All I do is set one combo down and grab the other. I can do that in about 2 seconds which almost eliminates the chances of missing important shots while I’m swapping lenses.
It’s a strategy that works extremely well for me and I highly recommend it if it fits your shooting style. However, it may not if you’re usually hoofing it because hauling two large lenses around on foot has obvious disadvantages.
But because I shoot from my pickup about 98% of the time it was tailor made for me.
Ron
I never get enough of these big water birds,,,thanks.
Jurassic Park’s got nothin’ on Great Blue Herons (and Brown Pelicans) but scale. These guys are just as convincingly primeval.
I’ve always thought so too, Jim. They kinda sound like they belong there too.
First: Love the image!
Second: I do the same as you with having multiple camera bodies nearly always attached to certain lenses so I am not swapping lenses in the field. Works great!
It sure beats swapping lenses between bodies doesn’t it, Rene’.
It most certainly does!
I never get tired of seeing GBHs in the air, in the water, or on land—ice is a new one for me, however! While they are normally very graceful-looking birds, this one seems a bit “shabby-chic” with his somewhat scraggly chest feathers matching the scraggly vegetation just behind him! 😂
Chris, some folks are shocked to see this species on ice or in snow. Around here it’s commonplace.
I enjoy any opportunity to see one of your GBH photos. I have a basic technical question: given the same lighting conditions and the subject is still, do you see a quality difference between the two lenses? I realize the magnification difference will be a minimum of 100mm and f-stop is smaller in the zoom. I always hear that fixed lens glass is superior to zoom lenses. Hope that makes sense.
Yes, there is a quality difference Lyle. It isn’t much of one but it can be noticeable. Everything else being equal, IQ in a prime lens will usually be superior to that of a zoom.
It’s very, very hard to beat the image quality of the Canon 500 f/4.
Almost looks like the GBH was landing a triple axle!
Almost.
What a fantabulous GBH shot! Wing fling plus showing off his fringes! You’ve put a big goofy grin on this old sourpuss today! 😁
You, a sourpuss today’? Sorry to hear that Marty. Wish I could tell you a dirty joke to cheer you up… 🙂
Please do! You have my email! 😉
My reply today has nothing to do with this photo which is beautiful by the way, but I want to tell a story about a sparrow we saved last night to people who will appreciate it. Last night our mini dachshund was trying to get to one of our birds feeders. When I went out to see what was going on, there was a little sparrow with her head totally stuck at the bottom of the feeder. She had somehow got her head all the way through one of the openings where the seed comes out. I brought the whole feeder in the house and frantically called for my husband to come help. We were able to use a crow bar to pry the metal apart and get the bird out. It took some doing. My husband drilled some holes in the top of a plastic box and we put her in there with some seed, water and a towel. This morning she was alive which was amazing. I’ll thank St. Francis for the assist there. My husband took her outside this morning and took the lid off after setting the box on the branches of one of our pine trees. She took off flying right away! We’re pretty happy that she made it!
Thank you and your hubby for saving this little sparrow. And extra treats and belly rubs to your pupper for giving you the alert.❤️🐶❤️
This is a fantastic tale. So glad you were alerted and able to save the creature!
Interesting story, Bobbi. I’ve never heard of such a thing. I doubt any company that makes poorly designed bird feeders like that will stay in business for long.
Add me to those who are thrilled to hear that the sparrow made it. Thank you to you and your husband. Hiss and spit to the designers and manufacturers of the bird feeder.
Great and effective strategy – which is still sometimes outsmarted by the birds. Of all the common phrases ‘bird-brained’ is one of the most inaccurate isn’t it?
Yup, right along with “eats like a bird”!
That is a neat shot. Good strategy with the two cameras. We have so many GBH’s that I often take them for granted and pass them by. Your photo this morning reminds me to not ignore them. Beautiful birds.
I have to be careful not to ignore them too, Everett. I learned that lesson long ago but I still have to fight the tendency sometimes.
Nice! Guessing the Heron had to be a bit careful walking on the ice! 😉 Luv the stretched wings showing the “rose” color and the leading edge. Great to have the 2 separate cameras with lens – trying to swap the lenses out in those circumstances tends not to work too well no matter how much “practice” one has at doing it. Beautiful bird and photo! 🙂
Judy, I didn’t see him slipping but yes, he seemed to be waking carefully. I wish he had slipped a little – I love to photograph birds slipping and sliding on ice.
I love this majestic GBH! Herons, particularly the great blues, are among my favorites. They remind me of ballerinas – tall, slender and graceful. Your camera & lens strategy is a wonderful solution to the problem of switching lenses to accommodate the situation. Another photographic feather in your cap, Ron!
Thanks for the feather, Melanie!
Having two cameras with complementary lenses is especially convenient when shooting from a vehicle. On my long walks with binoculars and long lens the second full size camera was burdensome. Instead I carried pocket camera plus iPhone.
Wow Kenneth, with all that gear on foot you were really loaded down. All we can do is choose the best option for us given our usual shooting style.