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Location
I took this picture from inside my log cabin in the woods in Galena, Ohio. I had just gotten my camera for Christmas and I wanted to practice. It was sub-zero weather so I placed a feeder outside the window between 2 pine trees. Cardinals, nuthatches, woodpeckers and blue jays waited in line in the trees for their turn at the feeder. I set up my tripod in a bedroom, opened the window (even though there was a foot of snow on the ground) and snapped away.
Time
I am a self taught photographer. So snapping one photo after another, reflecting on the results and reading a lot have helped me improve my craft. This photo was the result of one of those intense photo shoots.
Lighting
Due to the location between two pine trees and next to our log wall, lighting was always a concern. During the midday, bright light filtered through the trees and reflected off the snow.
Equipment
My favorite camera is my Canon EOS 50D. For this photo I used a Canon fixed 300mm lens and a 1.4 extender. I used a tripod, too.
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Inspiration
When my husband and I moved to the log cabin, he bought me my first "real" camera. I have always loved nature and now we were living in the middle of the woods. Right outside our door we had birds, deer, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits galore! I quickly started snapping everything I saw.
Editing
Since I am a nature photographer, I like to keep my photos as real as possible. I do not do extensive post-processing - but I generally crop my photos to improve the composition and - in poor lighting situations such as this - I adjust the exposure and lighting some to tweak the final outcome.
In my camera bag
This past year we moved to a small fishing lake. Whenever I go out in my kayak I have 1-2 cameras (my Canon EOS 50D and/or my Canon Rebel XT), my fixed 300mm lens and a 1.4 extender, a 75mm-300mm lens, and a 18-55 mm lens, some filters, a sandwich, yogurt and bottled water.
Feedback
I am still learning!!! What has worked for me so far is taking lots of shots and practicing every day! I reflect a lot, read a lot, and expose myself to other photographers' work. Patience is important - sometimes you have sit for a while - or drift in your kayak - or try a shot over and over to perfect it. Continual learning is major and having a wonderful support system in place is critical.
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