Bonaparte's Gull
Thanks to everyone who voted for my image as a finalist in the Photographing Birds in Flight Photo Contest! I'm very honored to be recognized among so many tale...
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Thanks to everyone who voted for my image as a finalist in the Photographing Birds in Flight Photo Contest! I'm very honored to be recognized among so many talented photographers.
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Jan, 2015Views
1108
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Awards
Featured
Featured
Contest Finalist in Photographing Birds in Flight Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
All Star
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 2Top 10 rank week 1Categories
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Behind The Lens
Location
This image was taken at Blue Mountain Lake which is located in the small town of Paris, Arkansas. My husband and I were celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary in a nearby lodge which sits on the top of Mt. Magazine, the highest elevation in Arkansas. Our room overlooked the lake thousands of feet below. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to explore the area so we drove down the mountain to take in the all the beauty.Time
I remember the day well because it was freezing cold and extremely windy as we started out that morning from the top of the mountain. Dew from overnight clung to the trees in the form of icicles but gradually disappeared as we reached the lower elevation.Lighting
When we first arrived at the lake, the cloud cover was so thick it was obscuring our view of the lake. Thankfully, the sun began to burn off some of the clouds and provided great diffuse light... perfect for the subject in the image, ensuring that the highlights weren't blown.Equipment
The image was made using a Canon 7D Mark II and a Sigma 150-500 mm, f/5.6 - 6.3 lens.Inspiration
There's several reasons why I was inspired to make this image. I had just received the 7D Mark II as a Christmas present from my husband and really wanted to test it out on birds in flight. The other reason is that I had not seen this species before, so I wanted to add it to my "life list images".Editing
All of my images require post-processing because I shoot everything in RAW format. The image was converted to a JPEG file using Lightroom 6, with basic adjustments, color correction and slight cropping.In my camera bag
I keep all of my camera equipment in a Canon backpack,which I carry with me all the time. I never know what I will see and like to have a variety of lenses and camera bodies to choose from. I have a Canon 6D (full frame body), Canon 7D Mark II (crop sensor body) and a Canon T2i (entry level, crop-sensor). The lenses are all Canon: 50 mm f/1.8; 100 mm L macro, f/2.8; 24-105 mm L ,f/4; 18-55 mm, f/3.5-5.6; 55-250 mm, f/5-6.3; 400 mm L prime, f/5.6; and a Sigma 150-500 mm f/5-6.3. I also use either a Manfrotto monopod or tripod for capturing sharp details.Feedback
Capturing birds-in-flight takes a lot of practice and a bit of luck! I begin by observing the bird’s behavior, speed and then begin tracking it as it approaches. When it is within range, I press the shutter and take a rapid burst of shots while panning the camera to follow the bird’s flight path. Don't be discouraged by the number of images that have to be deleted... birds are not easy subjects to photograph!
