Philippines' Carabao and Egret
The Filipino carabao is a swamp-type domestic water buffalo native to the Philippines. Males can exceed 1000 lbs. The bird is a cattle egret also indigenous to ...
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The Filipino carabao is a swamp-type domestic water buffalo native to the Philippines. Males can exceed 1000 lbs. The bird is a cattle egret also indigenous to the Philippine Islands They live a symbiotic relationship, the birds eat the flies and ticks from the animals as well as other small creatures disturbed by the large carabao. Shot handheld with a Tamron 150-600 lens and a Nikon D810 in natural overcast sky light. Photo is cropped.
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Jul, 2018Views
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People's Choice in Wildlife in a Landscape Photo Challenge
People's Choice in Nature's Food Chain Photo Challenge
Peer Award
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was captured while driving between two cities on the island of Bohol in the Philippine Islands. The carabao is resting in the mud of a rice paddy. I asked my guide/driver to pull over so I could get this shot of the cattle egret standing on the carabao.Time
It was mid-afternoon in the Philippines when I saw this scene out in the rice paddy. I was traveling in a rented vehicle with a driver to the next destination of my 30 days in the Philippine IslandsLighting
The lighting for this shot was sunlight through hazy clouds. I was visiting the Philippines at the end of the monsoon season so many of the days were overcast and the skies often offered rain at least part of every day. Because the animals were so far away I could not have lit them even had I wanted to do so. There was no way to walk to get closer without wading through rice paddies and mud and who knows what else. I did not have the right clothing for such a walk eitherEquipment
Not much was needed for this shot except a long lens. I used the Tamron 150-600mm f5-6.3 zoom lens and a Nikon D810. I kept this set-up next to me whenever we were driving between locations. I never knew what I would see in the distance so I stayed prepared to shoot anything far away. I had missed a few shots earlier because I had a shorter lens mounted to the camera.Inspiration
The scene itself was the inspiration for stopping to capture the bird standing on the carabao. It was a little comical to me to see that a bird chose to use an animal as a place to wait for food and to watch the area for possible threats.Editing
The only post- processing here is to crop the photo. The subject being quite some distance from my vantage point made it impossible to fill the sensor any better than this.In my camera bag
My kit contains a Nikon D810, which has been my goto setup with a Nikkor 105 mm f2.8 lens. Recently I upgraded my second body to a Nikon D500. I bought this body for it's lowlight capabilities. Normally the Nikkor 16-80mm f2.8-4 lens resides on the D500 and is the setup I carry when I want to travel light. For those special occasions where I need a wide view the Tamron 10-24mm f3.5-4.5 fills the void and a Tamron 150-600mm f5-6.3 helps me reach out long and far for those subjects that don't like us getting close or the animals that might cause severe bodily harm. The Nikon speedlight system works wonders for all my supplemental lighting. I have a collapsible reflector I carry frequently because it fits in my pocket and I use a Manfrotto tripod when needed.Feedback
I would advise a person wanting such an image to pay attention while driving. I have been on many tours with other people in the vehicle. Most of them either sleep or play on their electronic devices. Watch the world as you travel. if it is in y our budget, don't ride in a bus or van with many people, hire a private vehicle and a driver. Then make it clear to your driver that you wish to make photos along the way. I have done this as often as possible and I have never found a driver unwilling to help me meet my wishes. I give them a good tip and buy all their meals while they are working with me.
