Blue Heron Face
Mar, 2018Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is an amazing place to get some unique photos.Time
Late morning is a fun time to get great lighting without it being too much. This guy had just finished eating breakfast of a large garter snake. He had to work hard to get that snake to cooperate.Lighting
Natural lighting from the late morning sun.Equipment
I used my Nikon D5600 and 300mm lens.Inspiration
I came across this guy eating breakfast and took too many of his struggle to get that snake down the hatch. After about a 30-minute struggle, he walked right up to me. I was afraid to move because he just kept getting close and closer. As he walked closer, he looked me right in the eye and I just kept snapping. Usually, people want to get the whole bird when it is a Blue Heron, but his face was just so beautiful all on its own. Plus, he had walked too close for me to get all of him by that time. He got within about 8 feet of me and stood there for the longest time before walking off on his own. I could finally breathe after that.Editing
Only minor cropping and contrast.In my camera bag
My bag currently has my Nikon D5600, the 18-55 kit lens and a 70-300 Nikon lens. I have various filters but haven't been able to expand my lens collection yet.Feedback
Be patient. Keep your eyes open. And wait. When I first saw this guy, a crowd of about 30 people had gathered to watch him fight the snake. After a while, people got bored and wandered off. Patience paid off - by the time he got the snake down, nobody was watching but me. Otherwise, he would have never ventured so close if I'd still been surrounded by a crowd. Only I got to see him this close.
