![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/northern-harrier-1911-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"northern-harrier-1911-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nThe light colors of the ‘Gray Ghost’ are a huge advantage to the photographer with flight shots in low light.<\/p>\n
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1\/1250, f\/5.6, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n This photo was taken 10 years ago, on November 18, 2010, at Farmington Bay WMA so I don’t remember all of the circumstances in which it was taken. But based on my camera settings, shutter speed and the lack of distinct shadows it was a typical overcast winter day at Farmington. In the low light I wouldn’t have this much detail in the feathers if this adult male had been a much darker female or juvenile male and their dark eyes would have been lifeless photon traps. But the colorful light eye of the adult male largely makes up for the lack of a catch light in the low light.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition, at 1\/1250 I’m at or very near the shutter speed limit for getting sharp flight shots of a bird this size. If the harrier had been a much darker female or juvenile male it would have slowed my shutter speed even more and the bird would almost certainly have been soft. So rather than getting just another mediocre harrier flight shot in low light the colors of the adult male allowed me to get one I like very much.<\/p>\n On mornings like this one I often stay home rather than go out shooting but this shot is a reminder that depending on the circumstances high quality photos are often a distinct possibility even in poor light.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Note:<\/em><\/p>\n The subject of today’s post came to mind because of our recent overcast skies that have kept me from going out shooting and posting new photos. I needed the reminder that poor light doesn’t necessarily preclude getting quality photos of birds. We had a storm move in last night but the forecast for most of next week is a good one for bird photography so hopefully I’ll be posting more new photos soon.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The light colors of the ‘Gray Ghost’ are a huge advantage to the photographer with flight shots in low light.<\/p>\n