Friday, May 24, 2019

Feeding Time


When photographing wildlife, patience is a requirement. You just cannot rush Mother Nature. A pair of Great Egret parents were taking turns feeding their young. The babies look like the proverbial ugly ducklings with their fuzzy spiked head feathers and scrawny semi-naked necks. And I kept waiting for them to get their heads in a good position, as well as the parent.

There were many long twigs to work around, not to mention all the other photographers trying to get good shots as well. But everyone was respectful of each other and of the birds.

Finally everything came into position, but just for a very short time. Then in a heartbeat, the babies heads went lower in the nest and the moment had passed.

That is how it is with wildlife photography. Wait and wait and wait. Then zip into action when the scene comes together with the shutter firing on rapid burst. And as soon as the moment passes you are compelled to hit the playback button on your camera to see if you got what you had been hoping for.

This scene replayed itself several times over the course of the morning, but in all the hundreds of shots I took that day, this is the only one that truly came together as I was hoping. I was lucky and happy to get it.

TECH SPECS
1/1250 sec. at f/5.6, ISO 1600. Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens set at 400mm on Canon 5D Mark III body. Handheld.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."  -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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