Family of Ducks
Aug, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in my father in law's backyard. He lives on protected wetlands in NJ which are home to many different species of birds and wildlife.Time
This photo was captured just before sunset. This family of ducks visits every day around the same time so that we can feed them. Being so close to sunset, the lighting is just beautiful and provides a great natural look to the images.Lighting
I had been watching the way the light fell on the various birds that had come to visit that day. Being that it was the golden hour, there was a beautiful soft gold glow to the family as they came paddling up. The lighting also changes very quickly during this time of day, so being quick is essential.Equipment
This was captured using a Canon EOS 7D (handheld) and an EF 75-300 f/4 set to 300mm. I used a higher ISO of 1600, so that I could use a higher f stop of f11 do get a little more depth to capture the babies in focus as well. Shutter speed was 1/200 to prevent motion blur.Inspiration
There is such an array of birds and wildlife, that I am always sure to have my camera when we go to visit. You never know what you will see. This particular day, we had cats, swans, ducks, ducklings, egrets, osprey and even a blue heron. My father in law had mentioned that there were ducklings, so I had hoped to get lucky and catch them They didn't disappoint!Editing
This image did not need much work in post at all. A slight crop for a more centered image, and I brought down the highlights on the RAW file just slightly to show more detail.In my camera bag
I like a lot of versatility when I shoot, so I always carry my 3 lenses to go with my Canon EOS 7D. The first is the "nifty fifty" Canon 50mm f1.8, then my Canon EF28-135 f3.5, and last my Canon EF75-300 f4. I also carry a backup battery and my Canon Speedlite 430 EX II off camera flash with remote triggers. I also never leave without my chapstick, a pack of gum and a couple of bottles of water.Feedback
The lighting changes fast during the golden hour, so being ready is key. Thinking ahead for things like depth of field and shutter speed will make things go much easier. I knew I was shooting with a longer lens which would automatically create a shallow depth of field, so I chose an aperture of f11 to compensate so the ducklings wouldn't be thrown completely out of focus. I also knew that I would need a slightly faster shutter speed to compensate for hand holding such a long lens, so I bumped the ISO to 1600 to allow that flexibility. I then took a few test shots of the general area to be sure my settings were close. That way I only had to fine tune once the ducks arrived. The animals move quickly and the light is changing just as fast, so being able to just make small, quick adjustments was key.
