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Tern Fishing in Lower Klamath Lake (1 of 1)



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1 Comment | Report
catherinethompson PRO+
 
catherinethompson October 19, 2016
Beautiful. Well done.
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Behind The Lens

Location

Lower Klamath Wildlife Refuge, California (northern).

Time

I saw several terns making a circuit just before sunset. They would fly down the edge of the dike and dive for small fish near the surface of the lake. Once they had completed a dive, they would circle around for another flyby. They seemed to be getting that last meal of the day. I had seen this behavior before, but not at this time of day.

Lighting

I did not use any artificial lighting for this photo. Given the time of day, however, the lighting was an important ingredient.. The warm light of the fading sun and the angle of the light helped to create the quality of the final product. I was aware of how the light enhanced the reflection of the tern in the lake as well.

Equipment

I was using a Canon 1Dx on an Induro tripod and ball head. The lens I used for this photo was a Canon 600 mm, f/4.0 prime lens.

Inspiration

Making the turn (no pun intended) around a curve in the dike road in Lower Klamath Lake refuge, I was suddenly aware of a group of terns flying near the dike. I halted the car I was driving and watched them fly, knowing it would be a challenge to photograph these birds. But I love the challenge of capturing birds in flight. So it wasn't long before I was out of the car and setting up my camera, lens, and tripod. Fortunately for me, the terns were not just passing by one time, but circling back for another go at fishing after a pass near my photographic position. After several attempts at capturing the birds diving for fish, I finally developed a technique of approximating their dive pattern by dropping the camera toward the lake surface. So, I guess it was a combination of soft, warm evening light, the behavior of the terns and the challenge of capturing a special moment in the action of birdlife that inspired me to take this photo.

Editing

I almost always do some post-processing using Adobe Lightroom. I try to keep it simple, and make a little adjustment as possible. I used the sliders to adjust exposure, contrast, highlights, white balance, blacks and clarity. I used the crop tool to eliminate distracting aspects of the photo.

In my camera bag

My equipment has evolved over the years, but I have a set list of equipment I carry now. I have two cameras, both Canons. I use the 1Dx and the 5D Mark iii. I carry a Canon 70-200 mm f/2.8, a Canon 600 mm, f/4, a Canon 16-35, f/2.8 and two extenders, 1.4x and 2x.

Feedback

To capture a photo like this is a challenge. It helps if you have had some experience taking photos of birds in flight. If you are capable of panning and following a bird in flight, you can take the next step. It's important to have your camera settings determined before you attempt this. I like to use manual setting and adjust the shutter speed and aperture and leave the ISO on automatic. I also use automatic focus and image stabilizer for tripods. My settings for this photo were 1/1600 of a second at f/11 and that resulted in an ISO of 1000. I had several missed photos or photos that were poor due to missing the dive or getting only a portion of the bird. Remember, I am using a 600 mm prime lens. I can imagine that using a zoom lens might help in obtaining a photo quicker, but I am wedded to my prime. My solution, was to follow the tern until it began a stationary flutter of its wings. I knew that the next behavior was likely a dive. I waited until I saw it drop toward the water and followed it down as best I could. I am fortunate to have a cameral that takes multiple exposures, up to 10-12 raw plus jpeg, in a second. I began pushing the shutter release and did not stop until I was convinced the dive was complete and the tern was leaving the area of the dive. In summary, it is important to observe the subject, learning the behavior and the sequences leading to the desired photograph, before shooting, prepare the camera settings, then practice. Most important, however, I believe is serendipity. With wildlife you never know when you will have the opportunity, but I have been amazed with the frequency that persistent effort to photograph wildlife is rewarded with opportunity.

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