In The Wind -4545
Great Blue Heron on Watch
Great Blue Heron on Watch
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Jan, 2015Views
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Awards
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Contest Finalist in Feathers Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Foto Digital Volume 4 Photo Contest
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Behind The Lens
Location
This picture was taken at the Merritt Island Wildlife Reserve in Titusville, Florida. We travel over all of the dirt roads searching for the wildlife. This young beautiful Great Blue Heron was standing on top of a bush just posing for us with the wind blowing through his beautiful feathers. I used a Nikon D300S and a Nikor 80 - 400 telephoto lens.Time
This was taken in the afternoon with a nice bright blue sky showing off his beautiful feathers. We usually get there around 11:00 AM and stay right up to the Golden Hour and sunset time. It's a great place to shoot.Lighting
I used the settings in the camera for light. No flash was used.Equipment
The camera I used was a Nikon D300S, a Nikor 80-400, no flash. I use a foam swim tube with a slit to slide down over the window to stabilize the camera and lens. Sometimes I use a tripod.Inspiration
My original inspiration came from traveling down the coast after I retired. We stopped at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm, a natural bird rookery. It was just full of baby birds in all the bushes and trees, Some of them were so close you could touch them. I ha taken picture since I was 10 years old, but those babies got me completely hooked. So cute. The adults were beautiful also. This beautiful bird was in a beautiful pose at just the right time with the wind blowing threw his beautiful feathers.Editing
The colors were adjusted to bring out the highlights. I usually use Photoshop and/or On-1 to adjust the white and black points, and adjust the colors accordingly.In my camera bag
I carry a Nikon D300S camera, an old Nikon D-80 in case of breakdowns. Lenses - 18-200 Nikor, 80-400, Tamron Wide Angle, and the kit lens, cleaning cloths, lenses and filters, extra batteries, camera books, wireless remote.Feedback
If you want to shoot birds, follow the birding guides, and start with the larger species, and aim for the eyes. Make sure you know your camera, read the guides, and practice, practice, practice. I shoot about 1,000 pictures, and then weed them out.
