Great Blue Heron
This is the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) and is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae.
This is the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) and is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae.
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Dec, 2014Views
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Contest Finalist in 1000 Waterbirds Photo Contest
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken from the boardwalk overlooking a Heron Rookery at Wildwing Lake in the Kensington Metropark, near Brighton, MichiganTime
I took this photo about an hour and a half after sunrise, around 07:45 AMLighting
This image was taken an hour or so after sunrise so the light had a warm, gold "bloom" to it. Since it wasn't too bright, I was able to get a nice exposure without harsh shadows.Equipment
This image was taken with a Canon EOS Rebel T5i fitted with a Sigma DG 150-500mm 1:5-6.3 APO HSM lens. My camera was mounted on a BushHawk™ shoulder mount with a trigger fired shutter release.Inspiration
I love anything to do with nature and wildlife and love being able to show the beauty of nature to others through the medium of photography. Waking up in the morning knowing that there is a natural world out there for me to document with my camera is all the inspiration I need.Editing
I did very little post processing work on this image... just a little exposure correction using Adobe LightroomIn my camera bag
I always go out way overloaded with gear... I carry a huge pack with all of my lenses (all Sigma's at this point: I have the "Bugma" Sigma 150mm 1:2.8 APO Macro DG HSM, the Sigma DC 17-50mm 1:2.8 EX HSM, Sigma DC 18-250mm 1:3.5-6.3 Macro HSM and the Sigma DG 150-500mm 1:5-6.3 APO HSM), a Sigma APO Teleconverter 2x EX DG, Vanguard Auctus Plus 284AT Tripod fitted with a Wimberly type Gimbal head, a Manfrotto monopod, Speedlight type flash unit, Safari on-camera flash extender, various filters, BushHawk shoulder mount system, intervalometer, spare batteries, plus my survival kit, bivvi bag, water bottles, JetBoil™ stove with spare fuel cell, dehydrated food and anything else I can fit into my pack that I think I may need (I always go prepared for every eventuality).Feedback
Get up early - especially if visiting a popular spot - sometimes it can be hard to get a decent shot when every other photographer and his dog beat you to it. Always use a decent tripod/monopod or shoulder mount system. A telephoto/super telephoto lens is a must. Be patient. Keep your eyes open - sometimes we get a bit bored and while our minds start to drift, if not paying attention we tend to miss opportunities for great photos. Perseverance is the key... keep trying - it may take dozens of shots until you get a really good one.... I know as I am still trying.
