Wing Check
A Great Egret checks out its wing.
A Great Egret checks out its wing.
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Oct, 2015Views
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luciegagnon
February 08, 2017
OUtstanting image and pose. Love the details on the feathers on the left.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Harris Neck National Wildlife refuge in Georgia.Time
This was taken in the morning just before 10 AMLighting
The day was cloudy and looking like rain. The lighting was very nice since it gave the foliage a deep green appearance. It was bright enough for a good photo but not so bright that it blew out the white in the Great Egret.Equipment
I used a Canon EOS 70D. This shot was taken with a Canon EF 300mm 1:4 L IS lens with a Canon 1.4x extender. With the image stabilizer in the lens I didn't need a tripod.Inspiration
I am a research biologist and was working at Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. My main job was to track the reproductive success of the American Wood Storks that nest in the large colony there. Thousands of wading birds nest there. Along with the Wood Storks are Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Tricolored Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons, Cattle Egrets, White Ibises, Glossy Ibises, Anhingas, Green Herons and Roseate Spoonbills. Secondary to my primary job I looked for Wood Storks that were banded in the past with USGS aluminum bands and recorded the number on the band. This data helped track the storks and aided in identifying them along with their age, reproductive success and other data. One of the bonuses with doing all this research was that my boss allowed me to take my camera with me while I was working in the colony. On this day I was driving along the edge of the colony looking for banded Wood Storks when I noticed this Great Egret on its nest busily preening its wings. The deep green of the leaves was a nice contrast to the white of the bird and the lighting was perfect. I found it amazing how this bird could contort its neck to reach under its wing. Out of thousands of photos I have from my 4 years working at this refuge, this is definitely one of my favorites.Editing
I did minimal post-processing because the light was so nice. I worked with the white balance and deepened up the shadows just a little. Otherwise the photo is pretty much as shot.In my camera bag
I carry 2 cameras. My old reliable Canon T1i and my new Canon 70D. I keep a landscape lens on the T1i and use the 70D for my wildlife shots. My favorite lens is my Canon EF 300mm. It has been the most reliable lens I have ever had. Since I mostly photograph wildlife and birds I also don't leave the house without the Canon 1.4x extender so I can get that little bit more distance. Lately I have started carrying a tablet with a bird ID app on it so I can check on bird species that are in my area. We get frequent thunderstorms in my part of GA so I also make sure I have a camera cover in case of a shower when I am hiking.Feedback
I have been photographing wading birds and other wildlife for 6 years now in GA and FL. The best advice I have for capturing wading birds is to get to know their habits and habitat. When you know where you might see them and how they behave it becomes a little easier to get photos of them. In general, for wildlife photography, invest some time in learning wildlife tracking and also invest in neutral colored clothing. Deer and other wildlife can see you easily if you are dressed in blue jeans (or anything blue for that matter). I have found that patience is absolutely necessary and you can't be worried about getting dirty or wet. I spend a lot of time sitting on the sides of trails waiting for wildlife to appear and love every minute of it!
