Cedar Waxwing
Apr, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This shot of a visiting Cedar Waxwing was taken one morning in the winter in my back yard in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. These winter visitors are usually a rare sight here in South Carolina if you do not know where to look. For several years I have been lucky enough to have them return to my yard to strip my berry bush clean.Time
They say "The early bird gets the worm ". And in this case it does. Most birds are looking for food at the crack of dawn, so in order to get this shot I had to get up around 6:00 am and hope the visiting Cedar Waxwings were eating the berries from my Privette bush in the backyard. Before to long the whole flock of about 100 descended on my berry bush.Lighting
I knew that in order to get the best shot of these beauties, I needed to shoot them in the early morning light. This insures that you can get great detail in those beautiful feathers.Equipment
This was shot with my first DSLR a Nikon d3100 with a Nikon 70-300mm lens.Inspiration
The beauty and color of the Cedar Waxwing is inspiring in and of itself.Editing
I did only minimal post processing to this photo. Just adjusted the saturation and sharpened it a bit.In my camera bag
I have upgraded my camera from a Nikon d3100 to a Nikon d7200. But they are both a part of my equipment in my bag. Along with a 50mm, a 18-55mm wide angle and my 70-300mm. Along with a tripod and various filters.Feedback
Always take advantage of the early morning light when photographing birds. It is also a great idea to study their habits in order to catch a special moment. Spend time in an area you know to be especially appealing to birds so you can capture them in their element.
