Skimmer Flight
Apr, 2016Views
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Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at the beach on Sanibel Island, Florida.Time
This photo was taken right before golden hour that day which was around 6pm.Lighting
I think the fact that I took the shot closer to golden hour cast a nice warm glow on the birds faces and wings as they flew past me.Equipment
I used a Canon EOS 60D with a Tamron SP 150?600mm F/5?6.3.Inspiration
The thing that most inspired me to take this photo was my lifelong interest in birds and nature. Ever since I was little, I have always enjoyed exploring creeks and woods looking for critters with my brother and best friend. About 7 years ago I decided to pick up a camera and record the animals I was finding. Living in Missouri, I did not see many coastal birds such Skimmers so when I found out that we would be taking a trip to Florida for Spring break I was immediately excited to be able to photograph these birds finally. Once there I was overjoyed to find them on almost all the less crowded beaches we visited.Editing
Most of the time when I photograph wildlife, I try to make the photograph look as intriguing but natural as possible. In this case the only post-processing I did was brighten it up, at some saturation, and sharpen it. I felt there was no need for a crop because the skimmers were in such a pristine position in the frame (at 150mm).In my camera bag
The equipment I normally have in my bag is a Canon EOS 60D with a Canon Battery Grip, 4 extra batteries, a Tamron SP 150?600mm F/5?6.3, a Tamron AF 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 (IF) Macro, and a Canon 18-55mm.Feedback
Advice I would give to others trying to capture something similar is to keep your camera steady, have a high shutter speed, and stay patient. I would also recommend using a camera with a frame rate of least 7 or 8 fps so that you can get a full series of images where you can pick the best one with the best positioning and sharpness.
