Yesterday morning at Bear River MBR I found a group of Forster’s Terns that were fishing a small section of one of the canals but they presented a problem for the photographer, I was on the west portion of the auto tour loop traveling south and they were on the passenger’s side of my pickup, so they were in good light but they were on the ‘wrong’ side of the road. It’s a one-way road so I didn’t feel like I should turn my pickup around but I really didn’t want to miss the opportunity.
So I spent the next ten minutes taking 1017 photos of Forster’s Terns in flight while standing on the road and using the back of my pickup as a lens rest. I was encouraged because it’s been a long time (3+ years) since I’ve been able to stand in one place for that long without aggravating my bad back and this time there were no nasty aftereffects. I’m still making progress, exactly nine months after my last back surgery.
It was a proverbial shooting gallery and I had an absolute blast.
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I got quite a few photos I like and this was one of my favorites, in part because of the bird’s asymmetrical flight posture and the colorfully layered background.
Usually when terns are fishing they’re flying high enough that I get only sky in the background. But for some reason, all of these terns were flying very low (6-10′) over the water so I nearly always got the vegetation growing on the far side of the canal in the background. I much prefer backgrounds like this over blue or nearly white sky.
I have more photos from my Montana camping trip that I plan to post but I needed a break from processing JPEGS. This photo was taken from a RAW file and if I ever take another photo as a JPEG, it’ll be way too soon.
Ron
I am glad you were so successful with “out of the truck photography” and didn’t have bad effects on your back. Nothing stops you!
Beautiful photo.
Thanks, April.
WOW is what I said when I first saw this image, and how wonderful was what I added as I continued through the text.
Definitely happy dance material.
I’m glad you like it, EC. Thanks.
Gorgeous photo, Ron, all the elements come together so beautifully — this bird is poetry in motion. Like a dancer in Swan Lake, but Tern Lake. 😊
And great news about your back, especially after everything you put it through a week ago, cleaning up after your trip!
“Like a dancer in Swan Lake, but Tern Lake.”
Made me smile, Chris. Thanks.
So glad your back allowed you to photograph without pain!
There is something special about this one – the curve of the belly ending in the orange of the feet and bill, the black cap, the balance of the wings. My mom used to have a mobile with silvery hummingbirds hanging over our reading chair – this reminds me of that 🤍
“this reminds me of that”
I can see why, Carolyn. I remember some similar mobiles.
That’s aerial ballet! Wonderful shot! I’m so glad you were able to stand and ‘have a blast’ with the birds, the lighting, and the ballet. Nine months of careful healing (read baby steps) is paying dividends. Thanks, Ron.
Thank you, Kathryn. It’s been a long haul so I’m very grateful for how far I’ve finally come. Still a ways to go though…
Fabulous photo! So much to this one, in particular the extension of the left wing to the point where you can see the primary feather shafts; almost like the bird is hanging from the sky by that distal primary. The form and composition of the whole thing makes it that ONE in 1017.
Happy to hear that you are enjoying improvement with your back.
“almost like the bird is hanging from the sky”
Interesting that you mention that, Michael.
My first thought when I saw this photo was how much the “pose” looks like both the Barn Owl and the Short-eared Owl (Galileo) I cut out of barbed wire, when they were still hanging from the wire.
Thankfully, the circumstances of this photo are very different from that of the owls.
Oh boy! What an elegant pose! Excellent capture Ron!
Thanks, Kathleen.
Absolutely beautiful photo! I love the position of the Tern, the catchlight and the wonderful soft green and yellow background.
Thanks very much, Steve.
This shot got a reflexive, “Oh wow!” — out loud — from me. Something really special about this one, Ron! Great news about your back after shooting over your pickup too! 🙂
Much appreciated, Marty. On both counts.
Far more beautiful and colorful photo of the Forster’s than ones I have taken of them picking worms from the golf course in the rain.
And good news that you were able to stand out there for that much time without any serious aftereffects.
Thanks, Everett.
VBG! Neat shot and even happier that you were able to stand for that length of time without problems!
“Maximum healing” is pretty relative. After reaching “maximum healing” from a push stick going most of the way through his hand (idiot boss made it) Joe continued to work on it and got quite a bit more improvement over time.
“Push stick” – that sounds like a table saw incident. I’ve had a couple of very close calls with my table saw. I’m glad I gave up building furniture before I lost a finger or two. My shutter finger especially…
Yep – repairing campers – idiot boss put a point on the handle end of it. 🙁 Could have been a whole lot worse as you well no being a woodworker……
What a stunning capture– You’re right– the yellow-green background
really punches up the red-orange coloring of the beak and feet, and that
vertically extended wing is elegant and unusual…..I’m happy for you that
your spine has improved so much !
Thanks, Kris. I still have a way to go with my back but my surgeon told me that “full recovery” (whatever that turns out to be) could take up to a year.
With a photo like that my heart would be doing triple time. Wow! I’m glad to hear too that you had a pain free experience and are seeing more improvement.
No question, my heart stood up and took notice. Thanks, Granny Pat.
Congratulations Ron! I’m glad you’re doing better and able to get these great shots.
Me too. Thanks, Stephanie.
I love this pic for its sense of movement and fluidity. Thanks for sharing it. There is such a sense of accomplishment when I get a good shot of these mercurial fishers.
Thanks, Suzanne. They’re a tough subject in flight but these terns were always flying upwind in a moderate breeze over that section of the canal, which slowed them down and made it a little easier to lock focus on them.