Sandhill Cranes (3)
Sandhill Cranes (Hazlet, Sk. area - 2020 October 10)
Sandhill Cranes (Hazlet, Sk. area - 2020 October 10)
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Oct, 2020Views
507
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Awards
Winter Award 2020
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
Superb Composition
Emotions
Impressed
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PRO
bobtoye
January 09, 2021
This is just fantastic — so much going on. Wanted to thank you for the great feedback you provided on many sphoto
Platinum
Maadhatter
January 09, 2021
Thank you so much. I am happy you enjoyed this shot. I wish I could capture the sound ... it was absolutely moving!!!
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Behind The Lens
Location
My husband and I went for a drive in the country hoping to see some Sandhill Cranes migrating through. A little over an hour from home, we found a nice flock in and beside a slough in the Hazlet, Saskatchewan Canada area. From the side of the road, with our vehicle serving as ma partial blind, I was able to capture this photo.Time
I shot this photo at 3:16PM CST (2020 October 10).Lighting
It was a windy mid-afternoon autumn day with a mix of sun and clouds. Because of the wind and dry conditions, there was a lot of dust in the air.Equipment
I shot this photo hand-held with my Nikon D200 Camera and a Sigma 150 - 600mm F5 - 6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens at 600mm at 350mm. The camera was set in Manual mode f/7.1 1/5000 ISO 800 White Balance set at "Sunny". Spot Metering mode. Handheld.Inspiration
Every year on or near the Thanksgiving weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving) my husband and I try to get out for a drive in the country looking for Sandhill Cranes as they migrate through the area. Some years we do not see many, some years we see a few thousand. Usually they are not close enough to the road to get a half decent shot, but this year they were in and near a slough beside the road. We stopped the vehicle and quietly watched them for awhile so they would not get spooked. Even with the strong wind blowing and gusting, I knew I had to try to get a couple shots in with them so close to the road. I quietly got out of the vehicle. Because of where they were, I could not position myself to use the vehicle to steady the camera in the strong wind, but I was able to stand in front of the vehicle using it as a partial blind. I was inspired to capture this photo because I have never had the opportunity to have Sandhill Cranes so close to the road in previous years.Editing
This photo was shot in JPEG. I used ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2020 to apply lens correction and to make adjustments to the exposure and lighting as well as to adjust the clarity.In my camera bag
I have my Nikon D750, D200 and D5100 cameras in my bags along with my Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II,a Tamron SP 24-70MM F/2.8 Di VC USD, a Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD Lens, Nikon f/2.8 105mm Micro f/2.8 lens, and a Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens. I also always have my Samsung S8+ SM-6955W cellular phone with me (I like to use it when I want or need a wider angle photo.)Feedback
My advice for others is to keep all your batteries charged up, have extra memory cards, keep your camera(s) handy (you never know when an opportunity to shoot will arise), and to appreciate everything around you and to always look for photo opportunities. Then shoot, shoot, shoot.... shoot as often as you can and get off the main roads. This photograph was taken along a quiet gravel road giving me the opportunity to stop the vehicle , turn on the emergency flashers and take the time to compose and shoot. If you are shooting wildlife of any kind, before you lift the camera to shoot, ensure you are giving the animal(s) the respect it deserves. Keep your distance and use a long lens, and do not stay longer than a few minutes. Learn the habits of the animals you are shooting.... that way you can anticipate their moves to get a better shot and to recognize the animal's reaction to your presence. Take advantage of the lighting - when it is sunny or when it is cloudy or if rain or any other weather system is moving in, and play with your f stops. My advice is to also try different camera settings as well. Also, take the opportunity to use all or most of your photographic equipment including your cellular phone.... Always take more than one photo... you can always delete them if they do not turn out. When you download your photos, don't immediately discard the photo because the colour isn't what you had wanted it to be or the horizon isn't straight. I believe one of my legs must be shorter than the other because I rarely have a perfectly straight horizon. Using an editing program of your choice, straighten the horizons, and try adjusting the lighting, exposure, etc. Also convert the photo to sepia or black and white... sometimes even just one of these is the only adjustment you need to make to the photo in post-processing. Most important of all... always have fun!!!!
