Snow Warbler
All puffed up to stay warm.
All puffed up to stay warm.
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Feb, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This cold little warbler was in a snowstorm in Atlanta, Georgia a few years back. I was recuperating from surgery and not able to get out of my home. Always a birder I have feeders on the back deck of my home. Shooting out the window to the feeders was easy and there were many subjects to focus upon. Atlanta is the last place to imagine a snowstorm and the rarity of the event contributed to the beauty of the snow!Time
Midmorning had flooded the television networks with dire warnings of the impending snowfall ( a huge surprise in the deep south) and the need to prepare for an extended stay at home event. The birds of course knew nothing of all this and were just happy to find the feeders loaded with suet and seed! There were many different kinds of birds that morning and this yellow tailed warbler was one of the busiest. There were also many woodpeckers, cardinals, and finches. The snowfall once it began seemed to speed up the activity of the birds as they sought food. As a birdwatcher it was such a delight!Lighting
The lighting of this was a heavily overcast day which kept shadows to a minimum and I was able to capture nice detail in the birds. Their color was bright and contrasty which allowed the detail in the photo image to be good. Because of the larger traffic there was so much to see and to photograph. The snow lasted about an hour and then everything slowed down to the usual group who feed there daily...Equipment
At my age of 74 I am a lifelong user of Nikon products for my camera bodies. For this particular shoot I was using a D7000 camera to get the 1.5 magnification feature from the smaller ccd it uses. Then using a Sigma 150-600 mm telephoto lens with an attached teleconverter I wound up with the possibility of 1200mm at full extension. Zooming in and out as needed really allowed me to capture the activity spontaneously.Inspiration
Being homebound left me little choice as to why I was watching the birds so intensely. Each day it is a joy to me to see them under normal circumstance and to learn new birds and to watch for their eccentricities. However being snowed in led to to be more attuned than usual I suppose. These warblers usually migrate away and are present only in the fall and winter. They are hyperactive and fun to follow as they move about the feeder area.Editing
Most photographers who shoot digital use software to "develop" their imagery. RAW files usually yield dark, flat images without software manipulation. Because of my age I go back in photography to the days of using a view camera. It is fun to know that I have been a photographer through the recent evolution of the industry in that I wound up with strong opinions that normally I keep to myself. Purists, usually younger than myself are continually stating that film is the only way and that digital is too contrived. If an image is manipulated in any way it is fraudulent in their eyes! For many years I have owned professional photo labs and manipulated images for other photographers on a grand scale. What is the difference in burning and dodging a film/paper print and doing so with digital software? Rant over...In my camera bag
I use four lenses that are always with my kitbag. 10-24 wide angle. 16-80 normal/macro, 70-300 for a little reach, and the 150-600 telephoto. At my age I have a bit of a palsy in my grip so if I am unable to use a high shutter speed I always use a tripod. After many years of carrying an aluminum tripod I recently updated to a lighter carbon fiber unit with a gimbal head. It is especially better in the fall and winter to handle as the freeze sensation of gripping cold aluminum is no longer part of the struggle! I spent many years as a news photographer shooting commercials for television and print media so I have an affinity for video. My new D500 Nikon just arrived last week and already I find the video capability to be important to me. I am editing a new video now that is a lot of fun about small birds nesting outside my office window!Feedback
When asked about my thoughts related to ongoing photo processes I usually advise that one be observant, Look around when shooting to see if there may be another or even better opportunity while taking this shot! I recently photographed a great blue heron at a lake in Florida and was totally engrossed with doing so. At some point I looked down at the ground within 4 feet of my position to see a small rabbit eating grass and watching my activity! Lots of fun to photograph him watching me! LOL!! Further, read often about photography and study images made by others. There is so much to learn. I have been doing this professionally since my release from the military in 1966 and still learn new things to feed my photography passion...
