Sometimes I get more personal satisfaction out of anticipating and guessing right than I do out of getting the shot(s).
Two days ago, as I was slowly driving north along the last leg of the auto tour route at Bear River MBR, I noticed two pelicans in the canal about 150 yards in front of me and to my left. I could barely see them over the tall phrags that line the canal but I could tell that I was already making them nervous, so they would almost certainly take off as I got closer.
So I stopped my pickup to do some planning and make some preparations.
I knew that heavy-bodied, slow-rising pelicans would essentially be ‘trapped’ by the tall phrags on both sides of the canal so when they took off they’d initially have to follow the canal, north or south. The question was, which way would they go? North would be away from me but south would likely force them to fly right past my open window and allow me the opportunity for up-close flight shots. There wasn’t even a hint of a breeze so the direction they chose to take off wouldn’t be influenced by wind.
So while my pickup was stopped I adjusted the settings on my camera for what I knew would be a difficult exposure (bright white pelicans flying from a relatively dark backgound – first the phrags and then the far away mountains – to a bright blue sky), poked my lens out the window and rested it on my pool noodle, adjusted my window for the best height and then started driving slowly forward.
If they flew north I was screwed. But if they flew south, following the canal toward me, the action would quickly become hot and heavy.
They flew south, right past my open window.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This is the first shot I got. They were already close to me so I had to quickly decide which pelican to focus on. I chose the one in the lead.
Notice how dark the phrags are compared to the pelican. Getting the exposure pretty close to ‘right’ on a bright white bird rendered a darkish background. I could selectively lighten the background but that’s not my style.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Now ‘he’ is rising above the phrags which put…
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
the far away Promontory Mountains in the lower background and blue sky up above.
1/8000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Beginning to rise above the mountains.
1/8000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Every photo after this one had nothing in the background but blue sky, which I don’t like much. And I’ve left some of the previous shots out because I’m not fond of the flight posture or because I clipped or cut off body parts, mostly wings.
Besides, processing that many photos is too much work…
I’m a sucker for detail so I’m including this tightly cropped version of a photo that was taken ten shots after the previous one.
After the pelicans were gone I quickly reviewed my photos of them on my camera screen. I could tell that they were sharp and that I’d like at least some of them and that pleased me. But I surprised myself by being even more pleased that I’d successfully anticipated what might happen and followed through with appropriate strategies that allowed me to succeed.
I wish that happened more often but if it did it wouldn’t be so memorable.
Ron
Oh, what a lucky fellow! Yes, preparation and definitely skill and lots of practice but hey, they flew south so a soupçon of luck too. I would be over the moon with those shots. And yes, detail and the closeups to get it can be a bit of an addiction. But that’s OK. One has to feed the sweet tooth now and then, eh?
There’s no question that there was luck involved, Granny Pat. With birds there nearly always is. Luck of both kinds. Thanks.
A brilliant series – well done!
Thank you, Gary.
Splendid! Soooo sharp! Love to be included in your play-by-play. Really adds another level of appreciation for your excellent photography.
Thanks, Katleen. My “play-by-play” got more than a little verbose so I’m glad you enjoyed it anyway. I suspect it was too much jabbering on my part for many.
These are wonderful images Ron.
Thanks, April.
It seems that you are finally becoming ‘bird brained’ (which is not a criticism)..
Love this series. Pelicans show their dinosaur heritage so well don’t they?
They sure do, EC. And I’ll take your version of bird-brained any old day.
Just WOW! Amazing photos of this pelican. Not a bad one in the bunch you have posted. I am so glad your subject cooperated. I have not noted a previous post where you referred to using a pool noodle. Fun, interesting idea. Does it help support the camera, your arms or both?
Melanie, see this post about my pool noodle. I’ve been using one for about 12 years now and love it. It supports my heavy lens.
https://www.featheredphotography.com/blog/2020/08/16/my-new-mobile-blind/
Great shots! I loved the close-up. Also, the strategy explanation was great and provided some good tips for the rest of us.
“provided some good tips for the rest of us”
Very good to know, Steve. That was one of my primary intentions and it’s why my explanation was so long-winded.
Beautiful! Perfect planning! Thanks for including the closeup, too. What a strange face. Are there actual white streaks on the black primaries, or is it just the light?
Carolyn, it’s just the light reflecting off the feather shafts (quills).
Well don Ron. Just stunning photography.
Thanks very much, Michael.
Congratulations on a great series! Good guessing. The hummers have left Ottawa too, over a week ago.
Thanks, Burrdoo. It’s going to be a long winter without hummers.
WOW! Planning sure paid off big time! 🙂 Left wing “appears” in some shots to have some damage to the primaries but then in others…… Detail in the last shot is amazing. Luv them all! 🙂
Judy, those wing feathers that appear damaged in some photos just look that way because their tips are curled up, so they look broken.
I especially love the close up. An alien!
Thanks, Sallie.
Best I have ever seen. You and that R5 are a great team. Absolutely beautiful and sharp. Can’t imagine anything better. High fives and multiple kudos.
That’s high praise, Everett. Thank you.
A nicely executed educated guess! Probability, opportunity, thoughtful action.
Thanks, Brett.
Bravo! Well-planned and executed. Love seeing the White Pelicans.
Thank you, Dan.
Great shots, Ron! I especially like the 2nd one where he’s rising above the phrags. t’s a perfect photo in my book!
Thank you, Joanne.
“Crafty”, as well as accomplished ! Today’s post is a perfect
explanation as to how you’ve achieved so much in the ( relatively)
short time that you’ve pursued your art…..while reading your text,
in my head I “heard” that old song “Anticipation”–the theme song for this fine series– I especially liked the close-up shot……
Thanks, Kris. I’m not sure if 14 years is a “relatively short time”. I can be a slow learner but once I get it, it sticks.
As my grandmother was wont to say: “So soon old, so late smart.”
Looking at the shutter speed for these photos, I suddenly wondered: what’s the max my camera’s capable of? Turns out it’s f/4000. I happened upon some hummingbirds last weekend, and for the first time tried out f/2000. There was a lot of wing blur, but the bodies came out great. It’s time to do more experimenting, and see what I can do even without higher fps and big lenses!
Beyond that, I love these photos. I always miss the White Pelicans when they leave in spring, and we’re getting close to the time when they’ll arrive here again. With the hummingbird migration in full force, it won’t be that long!
Shoreacres, many of our pelicans have already left. Most of them even. A little over a week ago I was still seeing hundreds of them but on this morning I only saw about a half dozen.
And I haven’t seen a hummer at my feeder for several days now.