DSC_7531-Female Northern Cardinal
The striking headdress of the Northern Cardinal leaves many of us in awe. When the sun shines upon her, it can take one's breath away with her unobtrusive...
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The striking headdress of the Northern Cardinal leaves many of us in awe. When the sun shines upon her, it can take one's breath away with her unobtrusive elegance.
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Jul, 2016Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This is a favorite of mine that came from Boomer Lake Park in Stillwater, OK. There are many Northern Cardinals here in the summer, and that year, there were easily six pairs.Time
Morning shots are always best, getting a nice soft glow on the subject. All I needed to do was frame her between the two branches, and the rest is history.Lighting
Light is the key to a passable shot and a great shot. Early morning light is the best for birds, as you want to catch them when they are out feeding or feeding their young. I rarely photograph on cloudy days, but I bring the camera and my setup just in case an animal comes by that I may not see again for quite some time. Then I worry about the rest later. Sometimes I won't have a good opportunity for another shot for years, depending upon the prevalence of the birds.Equipment
This was brought to you by the Nikon D7100 armed with a Sigma 150-500 mm 5-6.3 APM HSM.Inspiration
Knowing where every tree, nook and cranny is located on this lake, I can also tell when something is different. This beautiful girl was positioned in this young tree. All I needed to do was moved three steps to the left, and voila! It was a match made in heaven.Editing
I rarely do much other than crop, unless I am so far off base and forget that I was in a dark spot and very over-exposed. I happened to photograph another bird in the area, so I was dead on.In my camera bag
I always go on my three mile hikes to Boomer lake with the D7100 and attached 150-500 Sigma telephoto. I might have an extra battery if needed, and everything is attached to my Manfrotto 290, so I can gently, yet quickly get down to business.Feedback
When doing wildlife photography, like I do, my best advice is to know your subject(s) intimately and spend a lot of time around them, so you meld into the background. I became so enamoured with my birds, I even got ornithology degrees.
