Great Egret Mating Display
May, 2018Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took the original photo in the breeding marsh at Gatorland Orlando. I have been going there for several seasons now, attempting to capture the beautiful display that the Great Egrets put on in order to attract mates. Its a matter of patience and then anticipation of the movement to be able to photograph this. The other challenge is the often busy and distracting backgrounds.Time
This was the perfect morning with a light fog lifting as I took advantage of the early (7 AM) entrance opportunity Gatorland offers photographers each spring.Lighting
The fog had lifted just enough that there was a clear view to the nesting birds, while it still covered the sun. Pure sunlight, even morning light, in Florida can be quite harsh and makes it difficult to photograph these pure white birds and still maintain feather detail.Equipment
I photographed this with a Canon EOS 80D with Tamron 150-600mm zoom lens at 428mm, 1/1000 sec at f/6.3. As typical in situations like this, I was using a monopod. It helps support and steady the weight of the camera without taking up too much room on the boardwalk. I can set up and keep the lens trained on a particular bird or nest and watch for an expanded period of time to get the photograph that I'm looking for.Inspiration
I love birds and these elegant Egrets are particularly stunning in springtime when they get the wispy feathers that are on display in this photograph. I have many friends that have the attitude, been there/done that. So, they no longer photograph common birds in our area such as the Great Egret. But like all other action, you never get the same thing twice. A cock of the head, a flight pattern, an interaction, etc... each is a unique opportunity for a new and creative photograph.Editing
The editing was inspired by an older photography book by William Mortensen "The Command to Look: A Master Photographer's Method for Controlling the Human Gaze." By cropping to the vertical and muting the background, the s-curve of the Egret stood out and engaged the viewer even stronger than the original, unedited, version.In my camera bag
My essential gear includes my Canon EOS 80D, a second body (for emergency backup or second lens if I am shooting at the beach and trying to avoid salt spray getting in my camera), Tamron 150-600mm G2 for wildlife with a 1.4x extender when needed, a Sigma 18-250 Macro Zoom as the all-around lens for travel (and a backup), Canon 100mm Macro, Canon 40mm, Macro Twin Lite MT-24ex flash, polarizing filters, extra batteries with chargers, lots of memory cards, monopod, tripod, and Plamp.Feedback
To capture an image like this takes experience, patience, and quick reflexes. Like taking photographs of young children, you have to anticipate action of wildlife. If you've seen what you want to capture, the action is already past. That tiny delay in pushing the shutter release is the difference between success and failure. We are blessed to be shooting in an age of digital photography. We are not limited by the numbers of frames on a role of film or the cost of processing. But who wants to go through 1000 random images for that 1 special shot? By taking the time to observe your subject and learning about their behavior, it is possible be catch signs of what the next action will be. I highly recommend searching out your local Audubon chapter and going on a few of their outings to learn about the birds, their identification, their behaviors, and habitats. The time invested will pay off with successful photo shoots down the road.
