Everyone thinks I have an easy job. It is a fun job most days. I love what I do every day. It can be a stressful job. And sometimes it can be easy, and then some pictures you really have to work for.
I really worked for these bird pictures.
I tried shooting from the ground, but the nest was too high, could not see the little birds. I brought a ladder and climbed it. I was shooting with a 300mm f2.8 lens. Kind of a handful from the top of a 12 foot ladder. So I shot some of the fledglings, and waited for Papa to bring a worm. And waited. Seems that Papa saw me and wanted to be sure it was safe. So I stood on the ladder holding the long lens and waited.
After a while, guess I seemed safe and the feedings began. Wrong angle, getting Papa's back. So i climb down and move the ladder, and wait for the next feeding. This time I had the right line so I stood and shot through several feedings.
Sometimes there is no simple way to get a really good image. Wrong time of day, wrong angle, maybe you need a ladder. If you can make it work, take the time. The results are going to be well worth it.
And by the way, this was a team effort. My wife Deborah came along and held the shaky ladder.
Thanks for making the extra effort as these are great. They remind me of a nest of cardinals in my backyard that I video-taped for Channel-13 about 10 years ago. We used the video on air and the next day I watched in horror as an owl swept down and snatched all the babies away. A couple of viewers actually sent sympathy cards! Nature can be beautiful and brutal.
ReplyDeleteThese are stunning images, Danny. I hope you enter them in a contest or two!
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