Snowy Egret and the Sunrise
Nov, 2019Views
913
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Awards
Honorable Mention in Morning Glow Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Sunlight Shine Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
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Impressed
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Platinum
Eddieuuu071
November 26, 2019
Thank you for submitting you wonderful photo to my Best Nature Photo challenge! Best of luck!
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I love going to wildlife refuges for photography and one of my favorite ones is the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area in NorCal. There's almost always *something* to photograph there and I wasn't disappointed. The Egrets and Hawks were awake with the sunrise.Time
Mornings at the refuges are my favorite time to go. The sunrises can be amazing at times and the Egret was cooperating fully with the rising sun. I had to shoot fast before the sun got too high.Lighting
This was all natural light as the sun rose. There's been many mornings when the air was so clear that the orange and yellows were minimal. This particular morning that wasn't the case and I was able to get the wonderful golden sunrise I had hoped for!Equipment
This was shot using my Canon 5Dm2 with my Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens @ 400mm. This combination has been my go to set up for wildlife and photography in general. No other equipment was used as I prefer to hand hold the gear for wildlife as I can react to whatever the situation is in any direction.Inspiration
Inspiration for this photo was in the peacefulness and beauty of the moment. I was having a tough year as I had lost a brother (who was also into photography) way too soon just a few months prior and hunted out moments like this to help remind me of the beauty and peace that still surrounded me if I took the time to look.Editing
I try to keep my post processing to a minimum. This was done using my usual tweaks of exposure, contrast, hightlights/shadows. I try to get as close to the desired outcome as possible in the camera though there's generally some tweaking still to do to maximize the final image.In my camera bag
Whenever I'm out I try to have a camera with me. I will always have one of my 5Ds (the m2 that's over 12 years old now or the newer m4) and a zoom telephoto lens at least. I also like to make sure I have either a Macro or my 24-105mm as well if I'm carrying my main bag. I'll often have a 2nd camera body as well in case the shooting conditions are ideal for 2 lenses. No matter what I'll have spare batteries and memory cards as well as snacks and a raincoat for the gear in case weather gets bad.Feedback
One thing I've learned with doing wildlife photography is to always be ready. If your camera battery will allow, leave the camera on for those sudden moments when seconds make the difference between getting the shot and not. Also, always look everywhere: up, down, front, back, and all sides. There's been many times I've been focused on one scene only to turn around for some reason to find a better scene! Also, don't be afraid to shoot into the sun but be careful with the camera settings so you don't damage the gear. Shots like this I like to underexpose so the sun isn't too bright/blown out.
