Little_Black_Cormorant
Aug, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This image was taken at a small bird breeding reserve on the Gold Coast (Australia) for migratory and native bird life. The small island in the middle of a lake provides a natural habitat and protection from land predators. I pass it regularly and have always thought I should stop and capture a few images of the wildlife.Time
This was captured in late afternoon light in mid winter. I was on my way home from another shoot at the time and had actually driven passed the reserve and then thought that the light and time was too good to let pass, so I turned around and went back to take advantage of it. The air was cold and clear and the sun was about to drop below the horizon. This image was taken on the 10th July, 2016 at 4:36 pm.Lighting
The setting sun was low in sky with sunlight still directly illuminating the area. The low angle and ‘golden’ light provided all the illumination. My aim was to capture a sense of the time and use the light to bring out the texture of the weathered post and feathers. I love shooting in this light, however because of the geographical location, it rarely last more than 30-40 minutes a day in our winter months.Equipment
The image was captured with a Nikon D500 and Nikkor 200-500mm F5.6 VR shot wide open mounted on a Manfrotto 682B monopod.Inspiration
Wildlife is a genre I have not previously spent much time on so I made a conscious decision earlier this year to attempt it. I have really enjoyed it (and the frustration), especially bird photography which I'm actually finding therapeutic as it calms me down. I’m really inspired by the challenge to blend classic portraiture with wildlife photography.Editing
Very little post processing was done on this image. The raw file was developed in ACR and a minimal amount of lens correction also applied. The final cropping, colour space & jpeg conversion and bevel edge were done in PS CC. Simple is often the best.In my camera bag
Too much!! For wildlife the D500 & Nikon 200-500 5.6 VR combination is my ‘go to’ set up. Then a Nikkor 70-200 VRII for shorter working distances. There’s a D810 with a Nikkor 60mm Macro 2.8D (for its amazing tonality, micro-contrast and sharpness) and a Tokina 100mm Macro should a portrait scenario arise. A Nikkor 20mm 1.8 G for the wide end, polarizers, a Lee Big Stopper, SB910 and radio triggers. A blower brush, plastic bag(s) and paracetamol tablets (you did ask :) )Feedback
Photography is about light so shooting in early morning light or late afternoon light can give a real lift to your images. The low angle of light helps fill shadow areas and also provides ‘modelling’ to define the textures. Be prepared by knowing you and your equipment’s strengths and weaknesses. Try different things from the ‘accepted norms’. For example I rarely ‘machine gun’ on continuous shooting and get a much higher percentage of quality images thru observation and anticipation. Be mindful of your aperture, depth of field and working distance to isolate the subject from the background. Remember to practise, slow down, be patient, and enjoy the experience of actually taking the image.
