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Behind The Lens
Location
i took this photo on a photo trip to Tampa, Florida. I had never been there and did not know what to expect but I was ready for this. I am a self-taught photographer who has taken photos for about 20 years, who enjoys taking bird and waterfowl photos and has taken a lot that I have deleted. This did not disappoint..Time
I take photos at all times of the day as I find shots almost every time I go out. This particular photo was taken in the early afternoon at the beach and good timing was what captured this shot.Lighting
In Florida, in the spring, in Tampa, the light was strong. I was concerned about the bright sun overtaking the picture so I used a lens hood to reduce the glareEquipment
I like to shoot comfortably, with as little extra gear as possible. For this photo, I was shooting with a Canon 70D with a 200 lens. I also used continuous shooting rather than single shot so I could capture what you see in this photo. It made the difference.Inspiration
Taking pictures includes such an individual kaleidoscope of choices. For this shot, I was fortunate in that I was infatuated with the bird so I was following it around. It helped me by being interested in this little fish for dinner.Editing
There are so many opinions on post-processing. I like the photo to speak for itself as much as possible. In this case I cropped it tighter than the shot itself and used a tiny amount of saturation. That was it.In my camera bag
My bag?! What bag?! I usually go out with my camera already to take photos and see what happens. The lens hood is already mounted, extra batteries are in my pocket. It's easier and more productive for me if I am simple.Feedback
Get to know your neighborhood. Scout it for a story, an unusual angle or perspective. Plan a trip where you know you are going, as in this case, to shoot birds and waterfowl. Doing so keeps you focused and ready for what comes up, in this case, an unusual photo worth keeping. And finally just take photos. With digital cameras, it is easy to delete photos you do not want to keep and so easy to keep shooting when a good shot comes around. Stay at a location for hours as it may take that long for "something" to happen that you want to capture. I was probably at this spot for 2 hours. Remember to use continuous shooting with birds and waterfowl. They can move quickly and unexpectedly, giving you the opportunity to capture the unexpected.