bryanlwilliams

Sunbathing

A bird drying its feathers in the morning sun

A bird drying its feathers in the morning sun
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Canon EOS 5D Mark III

settings

Aperture f/11 ISO 800 Shutter 1/500 Focal Length 400/1

upload_date

Jul, 2017

Views

373

Likes

+94

Awards

Winner in Reflections in Water Photo Challenge

Peer Award

+36

Absolute Masterpiece

Top Choice

Magnificent Capture

Superb Composition

Superior Skill

Virtuoso

Genius

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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this photo at a small lake within walking distance from the office. I like to do a "mini photowalk" in the morning now and then. I find it's a great way to start my day.

Time

This was in the morning, right at the beginning of the golden hour. This is my favorite time of day to shoot, for several reasons. First, the light can be amazing. Second, since this shot was taken in Florida, in July, it's the coolest part of the day. I also love shooting sunset photos, but the temperature can still be in the upper 80s or low 90s (Fahrenheit) in the late afternoon.

Lighting

Most of my favorite shots are during blue or golden hour. This is all natural light, no flash or reflectors. The sun was to the right, so there was a beautiful side light going on, where you could see the transition from light to shadow. The low angle of the sun from the side produced some great contrast and adds both depth and "mood" to the photo.

Equipment

I shot handheld, with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Sigma's new 100-400 telephoto zoom. The Sigma lens is great for this type of shot. It is super sharp and also light enough to use handheld.

Inspiration

It was golden hour, the birds were singing and it was a beautiful start to the day. As I was walking down the boardwalk, I spotted this bird in the boat. The light was awesome, it was a peaceful moment, and the bird was "posing". How could I not take this shot? I would have been kicking myself in the butt if I hadn't.

Editing

I post processed the image in Lightroom, and then Photoshop. I imported the RAW photo into Lightroom, did some lens correction using the profile for the Sigma 100-400, dropped the highlights a bit and boosted the shadows. I also adjusted the tint to add a bit of magenta. I then imported the image into Photoshop to do a bit of dodging and burning. I finished with a high pass filter in overlay blending mode to add some sharpening. I masked that layer to add the sharpening effect only to the bird and boat.

In my camera bag

I carry my trusty Canon 5D III, a Canon 24-105 f4L, which is a great all purpose "walk around" lens. I carry a Canon 16-35mm f2.8L II, for landscapes and other wide angle needs. I bought that lens on recommendation and I'm glad I did. I saved a few hundred dollars by buying a refurbished lens directly from Canon, during a Black Friday sale. It has the same warranty as a brand new lens and it was refurbished by the manufacturer, not a third party. It's probably the best gear purchased I've made. I have a Sigma 70-200 f2.8, which is a great lens for about half the cost of the Canon version. It's great for portraits and even some landscape when you're going for a different look. And finally, my latest gear purchase is the Sigma 100-400 f5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C. It's about half the size and weight of the 70-200 and great for "slow" wildlife and nature shots or anywhere you need a telephoto and you don't need low light performance. It's crazy sharp and it currently my favorite walkaround lens. What? A 100-400 as a walkaround lens? It's true. It forces me to see things differently and from a different perspective. I can get shots with it that I simply could not get with a wide angle or the typical 24-105mm walkaround lens. It has twice the reach of the 70-200m and I don't get tired carrying it around. I also have the usual collection of lens cleaning cloths, a remote shutter release for long exposures, a Pulse trigger for time lapse and extreme long exposure shots, and a MeFoto Backpacker tripod. I plan to upgrade to a carbon fiber tripod when I have a few hundred spare dollars laying around...

Feedback

I've shot this same location many times over the past few years. Don't ignore a place once you've shot it. Go back at different times of day, different seasons, different weather conditions. You'll be amazed at how much a difference a few minutes can make at sunrise, or how much a scene can change from one season to the next. Even in Florida where we the seasons are "Tourist season, Summer (there is no spring), OMG It's HOT (summer) and snowbird season (Fall). You may notice something you never saw before. Shoot early, shoot often! And most of all, have fun with it.

See more amazing photos, follow bryanlwilliams

bryanlwilliams

bryanlwilliams

Sunbathing

A bird drying its feathers in the morning sun

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow bryanlwilliams

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