SAM_9776
Jun, 2018Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in my back garden. The wooden structure in the background is my shed and the fledgling was obviously using it as a potential shelter and then calling to the parents occasionally too.Time
This was an early morning shot. British summer means that the sun is already up although it is on the other side of the house in the morning, so there was no additional lighting for this, just ambient light without any direct sunlight.Lighting
Nothing special...natural lighting used.Equipment
I use a Samsung NX100 camera and for this shot I used my zoom 50-200mm lense. I took the shot from below or as close to below that I could get without scaring the bird away and attempted to focus on the 'face'.Inspiration
I'd been watching the parents fly to and from the nest box in our garden for a few weeks and I knew the chicks would be attempting to fledge soon. I was lucky to walk out and find one of the fledglings on the ground calling. If it hadn't have moved I certainly would not have spotted it. Baby birds/animals are always an intriguing subject. They are innocent and learning about the world around them. I used the camera to capture this moment before the chick had become wary of us humans and other big things that moved fast and I would not have got as close before it flew off.Editing
I used two small post processing techniques. I increased the sharpness of the image a little and also lifted the highlight level a little too. This was to help bring out the 'fluffyness' of the feathers and highlight the yellow/blue contrast on his beak and head.In my camera bag
My camera bag is pretty simple. I carry the Samsung NX100 with two interchangable lenses, typically 20-50mm and 50-200mm. Occasionally I also carry a fish eye lense too although this is only when I know I will be taking those shots. I have a portable tripod that is lightweight and mid sized and I've recently invested in a set of light reflectors, although have yet to find an opportunity or subject to use these with. All of this sits in the boot of my car, so that if I'm driving I can 'see' a shot and then stop to take it.Feedback
Be patient but always remember to look in the corners of your shot...you never know what else you might discover.
