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Bolivar Flats Trip

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Hope that you have a great day and get plenty of food to eat.

Had a great couple of days taking shorebird photos this week at Bolivar Flats on the Texas gulf coast.  Went with Lisa and Catherine on Sunday and by myself on Monday with sunshine and low winds.

On Sunday,  we found a good spot to lay down with our ground pods and a huge flock of avocets made their way in our direction.  Was able to turn to my left to get some back-lit shots, which if always my goal with bird photography.

1/2500 sec @ F8, ISO 800, evaluative metering, +2/3 exposure compensation

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We moved locations and the avocets were walking right in front of us.  They were so close that I couldn’t get some of them in the frame.  A very good problem to have.  This is one of the main advantages of using a ground pod as the birds don’t recognize you as a person when you are laying down.  They will walk right up to you.

1/2500 sec @ F10, ISO 800, evaluative metering, no exposure compensation

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Also got this shot that I really like of a dowitcher as he fed in front of us.  It pays to watch all of the birds as the small ones can provide some great photo op’s.

1/1600 sec @ F6.3, ISO 800, evaluative metering, + 1 1/3 exposure compensation

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A highlight on this trip was this lone black-necked stilt that was walking amongst the hundred of avocets.  It was a challenge to get him isolated from the rest of the birds but was able to get a few shots.  Love their long legs, tux looking feathers and red eyes.

1/2000 sec @ F10, ISO 800, evaluative metering, no exposure compensation

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Posted by  |  November 28, 2019 | Categories: Birds | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Caracara in Flight

Got buzzed by this Caracara while walking back to my car along the shoreline at Bolivar Flats on the Texas Gulf Coast last weekend.  Picked up my camera with the ground pod/gimbal head still attached and started shooting away.  Had to eventually take the camera off so that it was lighter to handhold.

It’s fun to see the migrating raptors back in SE Texas.  Lots of photo op’s this time of year.

Taken with Canon 1DX and Canon 500MM F4 IS II with 1.4X III teleconverter mounted on Skimmer ground pod with Wimberley II gimbal head.

1/4000 sec @ F 5.6, ISO 800, evaluative metering, + 1 2/3 exposure compensation

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Posted by  |  November 16, 2019 | Categories: Birds | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Burrowing Owl Sleeping

Sleeping burring owl and it’s all about the eye lashes.

This burrowing owl kept winking at me and I was wondering what was going on.  When getting the photos on my computer realized that he was falling asleep.  Haven’t seen a sleeping burrowing owl before so this was a treat, especially after seeing those eye lashes.  Adorable.

Taken with Canon 1DX and Canon 500mm F4 IS II with 1.4X III teleconverter, handheld out my car window.

1/2000 sec @ F5.6, ISO 800, evaluative metering, + 2/3 exposure compensation, 700mm

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Posted by  |  August 24, 2019 | Categories: Birds | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Jackrabbits

While on a recent business trip to Lubbock TX, took my camera along to check out the local wildlife.  It has been a few years since I’ve taken any photos in Lubbock so it was good to get back out there.  Got some great tips on where to shoot and hit the ground running after work on my first day there and found several jackrabbits about 4 miles from my hotel.

This one took off accross the field away from me so I drove over to the other side and got him as he was running towards me in some decent light.

1/2000 sec @ F8, ISO 800, evaluative metering, + 2/3 exposure compensation, 700mm

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My favorite way to photograph jackrabbits is with back lighting.  It’s all about the ears. Caught three of the jackrabbits hanging out right in front of me with the sun starting to set behind them.  A perfect opportunity to get the sun coming through their ears.

1/1000 sec @ F8, ISO 800, evaluative metering, + 2/3 exposure compensation, 700mm

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Posted by  |  August 18, 2019 | Categories: Jackrabbit, Mammal | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Reddish Egret Scores!

This reddish egret scored after going after this fish.  This is why I’m always telling my classes at FeatherFest to start shooting when their head starts to go down towards the water as you never know what they may come up with and it happens very fast.  Had to crank up the ISO to get a decent shutter speed on this one.

1/1000 sec @ F7.1, ISO 3200, evaluative metering, +2 exposure compensation

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Posted by  |  August 3, 2019 | Categories: Birds | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

My Photo on BBC News Video

My Audubon top 100 photo showed up on a video on BBC News yesterday.  Found two e-mails this morning from the UK asking about buying my photo.  Another very good day.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-49187301/audubon-photography-awards-is-this-the-perfect-wildlife-picture

Posted by  |  August 2, 2019 | Categories: Birds | Tags: , , , , | 12 Comments

Made Audubon Top 100

A good day….

My day was made yesterday when receiving an e-mail from the Audubon Director of Photography that confirmed that I made it into the top 100 for the 2019 Audubon photo contest.  Love those e-mails!

Audubon contacted me back in mid-May requesting a raw file to confirm the photo wasn’t manipulated beyond the contest rules.  Hoped that I made the top 100 but you never know.  Had a similar experience last year with a request for my raw file but did not make it to the top 100.

Taken with Canon 1DX and Canon 500mm F4 IS II mounted on tripod with Wimberley II gimbal head

1/1600 sec @ F8, ISO 400, evaluative metering, +1/3 exposure compensation

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Posted by  |  July 19, 2019 | Categories: Birds | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments