My new toy works! And I love pelicans!
Awhile back I posted about learning to shoot birds on the wing. It just ain't easy. Using a 600mm (eq) lens and acquiring the bird for auto focus and framing is like looking through a straw at a basketball moving 35 miles per hour 70 feet away. If you recall my solution was to adapt a red dot rifle sight to my hot shoe. I'm happy to report that my first in-the-field experience was very positive.
Not all bird shots are a challenge. Paddling around the bayou in a leisurely fashion allows a lot of time for focus and framing.
On the other hand at 30-40 mph on the same bayou is a bit more challenging.
I could track them all the way through final approach to touch down.
Hard to believe that such an ungainly bird can be so poetically beautiful in motion.
The keeper rate is about one of a hundred but from what I hear from others that's about average. Really good shots are one of 20 of them.
Will be going to Feather Fest in Galveston this April and have several field trips booked with pros. You'll see a few more from that trip.
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Your new toy really works. Beautiful birds too.
I'm looking forward to your field trip photos as well!
Keep up the great work.
Years ago and there was a pelican sitting on the edge of the dock, he was clearly alive but not moving away from us. Poor thing was all tangled up in fishing line, my husband and his friend tried to free the poor guy, but they were afraid they would hurt him. We ended up getting in touch with Harbor Branch(marine research facility) they came out checked him out and freed him.😊
We ended up with their private contact info, due to different incidents with manatees and sea turtles.
Very beautiful photos.
