Florida sandhill cranes courting at McKethan Lake Park
Florida sandhill cranes courting at McKethan Lake Park
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the McKethan Lake Recreation Area in the Withlacoochee State Forest.Time
It was mid afternoon on a very bright sunlit day in Florida in November.Lighting
Florida's winter sunlight is very intense and directional. Fortunately for this photo, the sun was more or less behind me and directly on the Sandhill cranes.Equipment
I was using my iPhone 11 Pro without a tripod.Inspiration
These are Florida Sandhill Cranes who live and nest here year round. Because this is a popular recreation area, the cranes are used to having people around them. I was able to walk through the grass to get very near to them. One of the pair would look up and the other would put its head down to eat. Not a very exciting photo. After about 15 minutes, I decided to wave a red hat that I was wearing. This didn't scare them away, but stimulated them enough to start their courtship dance. They did their dance long enough for me to get a very nice series of shots of them cavorting. When they were done, they went back to putting their heads down and eating in the grass.Editing
This picture required very minimal post processing.In my camera bag
My iPhone in my pocket is the equipment that I carried.Feedback
Florida Sandhill Cranes are commonly seen along road sides and neighborhoods and are not particularly afraid of people. To capture this picture, I walked slowly toward the pair through the grass, stopping frequently as I got closer. My advice is to be patient and non-threatening.