Great Blue Heron Golden Silhouette
My first trip to Bolivar Flats along the Texas gulf coast in 2020 was magical. One of the rare times when the Gulf of Mexico was very calm and the pre-dawn light was amazing. Caught this great blue heron coming in for a landing and was able to get some decent shots with very slow shutter speeds @ 1/100 & 1/80 sec. Had to crank my ISO up to 6400 and use 1 2/3 exposure compensation as it was before the sun came up. Wish that I would have used ISO 10,000.
Taken with Canon 1DX and Canon 500mm F4 IS II with 1.4X III teleconverter mounted on Skimmer ground pod with Wilberley II gimbal head
1/100 sec @ F5.6, ISO 6400, evaluative metering, + 1 2/3 exposure compensation, from ground pod
1/80 sec @ F5.6, ISO 6400, evaluative metering, + 1 2/3 exposure compensation, from ground pod
Great Egret Mating Dance Silhouette
It’s always fun to watch and photograph great egrets in mating season when they put on a display of their breeding plumage. Caught this mating dance at High Island’s rookery at sunrise.
Taken with Canon 1DX and Canon 500mm F4 IS II lens mounted on tripod with Wimberley II gimbal head.
1/60 sec @ F4, ISO 3200, evaluative metering, +1 exposure compensation, aperture priority
Avocet Silhouette
About 3 minuets after the brown pelican sunrise photo per my last post, caught this group of American Avocets passing under the sunrise. Made for a cool silhouette shot.
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
Aperture priority, 1/8000 sec @ F5.6, ISO 1600, evaluative metering, -1/3 exposure compensation
The Making of a Bird Silhouette
Spent last Sunday at sunrise hanging out at the Texas City Dike with tons of birds including Avocets, Black Skimmers, Black Crowned Night Herons and some very cooperative American Oystercatchers. More on the Oystercatchers later.
While trying to find the Oystercatchers, came upon this Great Blue Heron standing on some rocks. Thought that I could turn this into a decent shot but knew that the sun reflecting off of the water behind him was going to be a challenge. From instinct, bumped up the exposure compensation to +1 as the camera’s light meter was going to automatically darken the scene due to the bright background. Checked the histogram and saw that the bird still wasn’t properly exposed per the first photo below. It was going to take a lot more positive exposure compensation to be the Heron looking good, which would have really blown out the background.
Instead, decided to turn this into a silhouette shot. Backed my car up so that the sun reflection was directly behind him. Lowered the ISO to 100, removed all exposure compensation and let the light meter in my camera automatically darken the scene as it was very bright. Was very pleased with the result on the first try. Checked my histogram expecting that a little negative exposure compensation could be needed but it wasn’t. Another silhouette for my portfolio.
Used the back focus button on my camera to set the focus on the bird and then reframed the shot to get him in the right third of the photo.
Taken with Canon 1DX and Canon 500mm F4 IS II with 1.4x III teleconverter, hand-held out the car window using a camera bean bag
Original photo: Aperture priority, 1/3200 sec @ F8, ISO 1600, evaluative metering, +1 exposure compensation
Silhouette photo: Aperture priority, 1/1000 sec @ F10, ISO 100, evaluative metering, no exposure compensation
Long Billed Silhouettes
Another quick trip to the Gulf coast yesterday found several Long Billed Curlews at sunrise that were prime time for some silhouette shots. Was hoping for some more Skimmers but didn’t see any on this trip. The randomness keeps me going back as you never know what you are going to see.
Taken with Canon 1DX and Canon 500 F4 IS II with 1.4X III teleconverter mounted on Skimmer ground pod with Wimberley II gimbal head
1/1000 Sec @ F8, ISO 1600, evaluative metering, +1 exposure compensation
1/2500 Sec @ F11, ISO 1600, evaluative metering, +1 exposure compensation
Long Billed Curlew in Silhouette
Here are a couple more silhouette shots from Bolivar Flats. This time, Long Billed Curlew’s. Just can’t resist silhouette shots before the sun comes up. A guilty pleasure of mine.
Taken with Canon 7D and Canon 500mm F4 IS II lens with 1.4x III teleconverter mounted on Skimmer ground pod with Wimberley II gimbal head.
1/125 sec @ F5.6, ISO 800, evaluative metering, + 2/3 exposure compensation
1/125 sec @ F5.6, ISO 800, evaluative metering, + 2/3 exposure compensation
Willet Silhouette
I just can’t resist taking silhouette shots at sunrise. I was walking along the beach at Bolivar before sunrise with Avocets off to my right and Willets to my left. My goal is always to get Avocet shots but my gut told me to go for the Willets in silhouette as the sun was getting ready to come up. Glad that I made that decision as the Avocets ended up flying away as I was shooting the Willets.
This silhouette shows a good example of the narrow depth of field with a 500mm lens with the blurred foreground and background and a little strip in between that’s in focus.
Taken with Canon 7D and Canon 500mm F4 IS II with a 1.4x III teleconverter, mounted on Skimmer ground pod with a Wimberley II gimbal head.
1/640 sec @ F5.6, ISO 500, evaluative metering, +2/3 exposure compensation, 700mm
Blurred BIF Silhouette
There always seems to be flocks of small shorebirds flying around near sunrise. Caught this group doing a fly by while I was walking down the beach. Made for an interesting blurred silhouette shot. Cranked up the ISO to keep the shot from being a total blur.
Taken with Canon 7D and Canon 500mm F4 IS II lens with 1.4x III teleconverter, hand-held
1/40 sec @ F 5.6, ISO 800, evaluative metering, + 1/3 exposure compensation
Tim Timmis Photography 