The Way We See It: Birds

Showing posts with label Birds. Show all posts

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Summer 2013 : Live Your Passion

Suburban Coyote (Canis latrans) - White Bear Lake, MN
Canon 50D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x converter

It’s the annual end of summer post. For years I have blogged my ode to summer as a lament to the loss of freedom and a return to a year of work. At times I’ve eluded to a fabled purgatory or indentured servitude, but each of these references were always intended to be tongue in cheek.

The Singer (Melospiza melody) - Chippewa Preserve
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

I am a conservation photographer and artist, but this is only one of my two passions. My work, “the job,” is to teach. Teaching biology and exploring the working of life’s biodiversity is my other passion. I’ve been playing the role of a teacher since 1992, and am now a seasoned actor. Once a young buck among a sea of future retirees, I am now the old guy. Yet, with 22 years in the bank, I’m not one of those wannabe’s looking to leave the profession.

Northern Saw-whet Ow (Aegolius acadicus) - North Central WI
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

The onset of the school year is as exciting and tense as capturing an ephemeral moment with my camera at the break of dawn. I feel the same pressure and fear of failure during my first week back to work as I do when photographing a fleeting moment. This fear is tempered by the sense of potential that also floods my thoughts. Much like photography, teaching excites me. The unknown product of my efforts and desire to improve what I do each day is a redundancy in these two passions of mine.

Chippewa Prairie State Park - Minnesota
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 17-40 f4.0L

It’s been a good summer. I’ve photographed the prairies of Minnesota, the deep woods of the Midwest, and the jungles of Costa Rica. I’ve explored the details in bird feathers and frog eyes and climbed mountains to catch the start of a new day. This will be a good year too. I will craft rich lessons that will illuminate young minds, and paint a picture of the life found on this Earth. So rather than author yet one more lament, just this once I’ll let the real truth speak for itself... this educator has a nice life ;-)

Sunday, August 25, 2013

What’s in a Blur (In Search of Creativity)

Green violetear hummingbird (Colibri thalassinus) - Savegre, Costa Rica
Canon 5D mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8IS L + Canon 2x mark iii

I recently took a look at my neighbor / wedding photographer’s website (see http://brandonwerth.com) and thought to myself... “man that guy is so damn creative!” Being far removed from the portrait/wedding world, this type of photography seems as foreign to me as working with clay.

Flying Monkey (Cebus capucinus) - Hacienda Baru, Costa Rica

Rather than art, I often describe my work as conservation photography or nature photojournalism. While I always strive to produce the best possible images, I know “creative” is not the first word that comes to mind. At times my work is technical, compelling or emotive, but the word creative is reserved for the artists of the world.

Lapa Lapa Lapa (Ara macao) - Rio Quatro, Costa Rica

To break my current photo-funk, I’ve been on the hunt for creative nature photographs. I know it when I see them, and sadly, this is not what I observe in most of my work. While searching for inspiring photographs of nature, I’ve found many self-described creatives and creativity in post-processing, but the real artists in my discipline seem far and few between. The well-known humanitarian and photo-educator David duChemin is at the precipice of creativity with his portraiture and recent works in nature, but the one I find most compelling is Nick Brandt. Call it retro, but Brandt continues to shoot large negative black & white film while the rest of us toil with our pixels and memory cards. The structure of his images are evocative and expressive in a way that few can extract from their nature and wildlife subjects. There is a depth and emptiness to his images, yet each is filled with the essence of its subject. I call this work creative because Brandt manages to combine the key moment with brilliant technical skills that makes for much more than a journalistic representation of time. I can stare at his pictures for hours.

Flying banana (Ramphastos swainsonii) - Hacienda Baru, Costa Rica

So, what’s with all the burry pics in the blog, you ask?

During every prolonged shoot, I will break from my tendency towards technical perfection and try to escape from my self-imposed constraints. While I won’t be so bold to call any of these images creative, I might describe each as a purposeful attempt at making art from a bit of nature.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Costa Rica 2013 : Pre-trip Post #3

Hognose Viper (Porthidium nasutum) - Selva Verde, Costa Rica 2011
Canon 40D + Canon 100-400 f4.5-5.6L IS

It's summer in North America and we're heading to the tropics. Constrained by a pre-defined school schedule, we rarely travel during spring and holiday breaks. In Costa Rica, these are the peak travel periods, and we can't afford peak rates, nor do we wish to endure peak tourist traffic. In the end, this winter retreat has become our summertime oasis. With relatively few travelers competing for access to prime photographic locations, July and August is both affordable and productive months for those seeking some solitude in the tropics.

Not Stuttering... Two Toucans (Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii) - Selva Verde, Costa Rica 2011
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

Our batteries are charged and we've got memories to make and memory to burn. Follow us throughout the next few weeks as we explore the unimagined diversity of Costa Rica.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Chasing Chickens

Chicken Dance (Tympanuchus cupido) - Bluestem Prairie, MN
Canon 5D mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x Converter

I tend to be a minimalist when compared to most wildlife photographers. My ego might claim that this constraint is by design, a way to force creativity, but reality is less kind than the fiction. I am a minimalist because I live within a restricted budget. Teaching offers great flexibility to a creative, but financial success is not one its perks. Were it not for the budget limitations of being a public school educator, I’d probably be a walking camera store rather than a minimalist. So whenever I plan a wildlife shoot, I’ve learned to dwell on the details... details are the difference between producing something good and making something great.

Head On (Tympanuchus cupido) - Bluestem Prairie, MN
Canon 5D mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x Converter

Prior to leaving for Moorhead MN, I studied the maps of the Bluestem Prairie SNA and searched the web for photographers who have worked these blinds in the past. Since my dates at the lek were scheduled well beyond the peak mating period, I was less than confident that this experience would be much better than my shoot at the grouse blind in 2008 (See: I Laughed in the Face of Chaos Theory).

Truce (Tympanuchus cupido) - Bluestem Prairie, MN
Canon 5D mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x Converter

Climatic chaos (the late Minnesota spring) was my only consolation. Historically, the prairie chicken lek is most active in mid-April, and the interesting territorial behaviors diminish as daylight hours grow and the temperature warms. It turns out that this year’s unseasonably late snow might have been an unexpected bonus. The cool weather delayed the hens, so the males were forced to maintain their territories until the females were in the mood. By the time I was able to get to the blinds, the males were out in full force booming, hooting and fighting for a piece of turf. If these males intended on propagating their genes, they had better stick around to strut their stuff. In the end, it was the combo-platter of preparation and luck that conspired to create an unprecedented opportunity to capture the drama so late in the season. Lucky or good, I don’t care... May 4, 2013 was a great day to photograph prairie chickens in Northwest Minnesota.

Get Out! (Tympanuchus cupido) - Bluestem Prairie, MN
Canon 5D mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x Converter

In the next post, I’ll focus on the gear and techniques I used to get the shots.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

I Laughed in the Face of Chaos Theory

After the Dance (Tympanuchus cupido) - Bluestem Prairie, MN
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x Converter

I spent the pre-dawn hours of April 20, 2008 in an observation blind at Crex Meadows Wildlife Management Area. It was predictably cold, and as daylight approached, I feared that we were in for a tough shoot. A heavy sky blanketed the prairie with gray, and the grouse we hoped to photograph appeared to have all but abandon their lek. Four cloistered hours later, we managed to produce a few “keepers” (see Tip #63), but I was far from satiated.

Booming(Tympanuchus cupido) - Bluestem Prairie, MN
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x Converter

Expectation is the wildlife photographer’s curse. While there have been occasions that I have happened upon an interesting nature event, most of my good work is the result of research and repetition. Pre-planning a trip and documenting annual ephemeral patterns is the only way I can manage to shoot with some degree of predictability. However, as pessimistic as it sounds, it is important to prepare for the disappointment. While animal behavior can be defined by statistics, and climate data can suggest a trend, chaos (“the butterfly affect”) influences the patterns we see on any given day.

Choose Me! (Tympanuchus cupido) - Bluestem Prairie, MN
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x Converter

Preparing for a shoot requires a plan to cope with the unexpected. Just when a pattern becomes evident, you’ll find that predictable events of the past may not be easily predicted in the future. Unlike a studio shoot where light can be controlled and a model can be posed, ecological systems dictate nature’s events. One perturbation to life’s chaotic web often results in an unintended consequences. It is the unpredictability that draws me to this craft. If it were easy, I’d be bored and the pursuit of my art would relegated to someone else.

I Dare You to Cross the Line (Tympanuchus cupido) - Bluestem Prairie, MN
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x Converter

So it was with my prior experience in the blinds at Crex Meadows and the recognition that there is no “sure thing,” that I embarked on my weekend adventure. A rain/sleet mix accompanied me as I traveled towards the northwest. Arriving near sunset, I had enough time to check-in at the lodge, but lost the opportunity to check-out the blind. I set my alarm for 3:45 a.m., and laughed in the face of chaos theory.

Deflated (Tympanuchus cupido) - Bluestem Prairie, MN
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 1.4x Converter

Watch the blog for future posts about the ecology of the Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) and discussions about the making the images.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

An April Diary

April 28, 2005
Canon 1D + Canon 200mm f2.8L @ f2.8Average Temperature 45 ℉, No Precipitation

As winter yields to spring, the vernal equinox foreshadows an inevitable change. The long nights become long days, and the repressed are free to bask in the warmth of spring.

April 5, 2008
Canon 1D mark ii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS @ f2.8
Average Temperature 45 ℉, .1" mixed Precipitation

Having spent my adolescence on the west coast, I was not prepared for the schizophrenia that is April. In California, April is just another month of warm days and cool nights. The equinox was an irrelevant date on the calendar, and spring was cooler than summer. In contrast, the oppressor, winter, punishes the plebeians who reside in the middle of the continent. April is our reward for endurance, but we mid-continentals, are nothing more than April fools.

April 16, 2011
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS @ f2.8
Average Temperature 35.8 ℉, .11" Precipitation

Today is April 14th, it snowed, hailed and rained all day. My income taxes are due tomorrow, and the high school prom I coordinate is on April 27th. My students now behave like caged rats, and the drive to work has more pocks, cracks and shifts than the San Andreas Fault. I hate April! April is the greatest fallacy there ever was. Spring is not relief from winter, spring is just winter after winter.

April 7, 2012
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS @ f3.2
Average Temperature 50.3 ℉, No Precipitation

April is as schizophrenic as my rant; it is unpredictable, unforgiving and a wild ride. Every year I look forward to April’s migrations, buds and renewal and each time I am bewildered by its unpredictability. Who is this deviant we call April?... your guess is as good as mine.

April 14, 2013
Canon 5D mark iii + Canon 17-40mm f4.0L @ f14
34 ℉, Rain, Sleet Snow

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Impressionism III

The Drake and The Swan (Anas platyrhyncos & Cygnus buccinator)
Canon 5D mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

Friday, March 8, 2013

Winter Diary (Post V)

Mallard Roost (Anas platyrhynchos)
Disappointed after an eagle spooked two otters, I wondered where the waterfowl went.
Found Them!
Canon 5D Mark III + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Grus canadensis

It isn't often that I choose to do a photo essay without words to accompany the imagery. I often use this blog as platform to educate readers about evolution, ecology, image-making or Minnesota. In breaking with my traditional pattern, I'll let the photos speak for themselves and hope that you enjoy this migration story.

Grus canadensis - Crex Meadows, WI
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Fowl Weather....

Winter Wood duck (Aix sponsa) - Vadnais Heights, MN
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 300 f2.8L IS on a 5 deg F Day

Just a few promised images produced on February 3, 2013. The product of "The Hammers," these pics were definitely worth the pain!

Agitated Drake (Anas platyrhynchos) - Vadnais Heights, MN
Canon 5D Mark iii + Canon 300 f2.8L IS on a 5 deg F Day

Friday, December 28, 2012

Reflections...

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) - Bolsa Chica Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon 5D mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS w/ Canon 1.4x converter

No words... just an metaphor in the form of an image as one year comes to a close and another begins.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Tip #88: Fill Flash

Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) & Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
Snake River Conservation Area - MN
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS + Canon 320EX Flash

Caveat emptor... I am not an authority (or even a reliable source) on this topic. I love ambient light and will do nearly anything to avoid a flash. To be clear, I’m not anti-flash... I’m a flash ignoramus, a neophyte who lacks the hours of repetition that defines experience. Thus, I suggest you take my thoughts about flash with a bit of skepticism and consult the following links to inform your flash technique:

Balanced fill flash, when applied properly, can produce natural images that appear as if they were made in ambient light. Small birds are an ideal subject for a bit of artificial light; a little pop of flash will define feathers, illuminate eyes and add dimensionality to an otherwise flat image. My fill-flash technique works best when the subject is in shadow and at a distance from its background. To consistently produce nice images under these conditions, I do the following:

Set the aperture near its maximum (in the posted shot I set the lens to f3.2)
Select the corresponding shutter speed that will allow you to produce a natural and “correct (see prior blog post about correct exposures)” exposure. When photographing fast and unpredictable subjects, strive to shoot at 1/100 second or faster (in the posted shot I set the shutter to 1/200 second).
Use an off-camera flash cord, radio trigger or infrared trigger to move the flash off the body. Long lenses and their hoods will obstruct the flash and create a distracting shadow. Additionally, images produced with on-camera flash often appear flat. By moving the flash off the camera, you can add light from an oblique angle and thus control the shadows.
Set your flash to E-TTL (Canon), i-TTL (NIkon), or P-TTL (Sony). These are the “smart” flash settings that rely on the in-camera computer to balance the output of your flash with the subject, exposure and focus.
Final Key Step... you must reduce the output of the flash by 1/3 to 2/3 stops (-1/3 to -2/3). With some cameras you set flash exposure compensation in the camera while other systems require that you do this on the flash. By reducing the output of the flash, the burst of light will only fill some shadows and add a highlight to the eyes. The retention of these shadows adds detail and dimensionality to the image without overpowering the ambient light.

Give it a try and good luck as you begin to use fill flash where natural light won’t cut it.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Tip #83: Tools (Part #1: Camera for a Nature Photographer)

Misty Morning (Cygnus buccinator) - Minnesota
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

The Camara

Like many experienced photographers, I have become the Google™ search engine for all things photography. When my non-photog colleagues, friends and family solicit input prior to making their purchase, I always respond with the same two questions:

What are your goals?
How much can you spend?

As a reader of this blog, I’ll assume that your photographic goals include travel and nature. While I make no assumptions about your budget, I’d like to suggest 5 key features to consider prior to making your purchase. The absence of one or more feature should not inhibit the pursuit of your art, however I have found that each of my suggestions have been invaluable in my own photography.

Statue (Cygnus buccinator) - Minnesota
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

First and foremost, I am brand agnostic. I am not a “fanboy” for any one manufacturer and often ponder a move between systems. Were it not for my costly investment in expensive optics, it is likely that I would have switched brands many times throughout the past 25 years. Furthermore, my own brand complacency has facilitated a type of mechanical memory. Years of use with the same basic cameras now make the movement of switches and dials automatic, and allows me to capture images that I would have otherwise lost.

Each of the features I suggest can be found in a variety of Canon, Nikon, and Sony cameras. Please note, I have purposely omitted Fuji, Leica, Olympus, Panasonic and Pentax from my list. While each of these manufacturers produce compelling cameras at a variety of price points, they do not support the needs of wildlife photographers. If you plan to restrict yourself to landscape, macro or travel, then all of the major manufacturers will meet your needs. However, if you plan to photograph wildlife and hope to acquire a long fast telephoto lens in the future, then it would be best for you to stick with Canon, Nikon or Sony.

Take Off (Cygnus buccinator) - Minnesota
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

Five Essential Features in a Camera for the Nature Generalist:

Single Lens Reflex (SLR)

Nikon and Canon produce single lens reflex cameras with a reflex mirror that allows you to see the image as the lens “sees” it. Light traveling through the lens is reflected to the photographer via a reflex mirror and glass prism. This traditional design enables you to see how the light is focused and magnified by your optics. In contrast to Nikon and Canon, Sony makes SLR-like cameras have an electronic viewfinder (EVF). Light traveling through the lens strikes a sensor, producing an electronic image that is viewed through an eyepiece. The new EVF technology facilitates fast autofocus and high frame rates, but the need to electronically refresh the image produces a slight delay between what you see and reality. While the Sony cameras are fast and well suited for wildlife subjects, I have not adapted to the “TV-type” viewing experience.

Complete System Approach

Purchase a camera that is supported by a broad system of lenses and flashes. While you may not want or be able to afford a 500mm f4 lens today, you may find that this is an essential focal length the future. Good cameras are supported by good systems that include fisheye lenses, fast zooms, ultra-telephoto optics, and tools for macro photography. Before selecting your camera, make certain that you check out the supporting cast.

Four or more frames per second (fps)

Wildlife moves fast and you will want to capture the decisive moment, flit of a wing, or strike of a predator. I have found that four frames per second will produce a burst that is just fast enough to nail the unpredictable moment. When considering the frame rate, also consider the size of the camera’s buffer. There is no point in buying a camera that can shoot 10 frames per second when the buffer can only hold 20 pictures... if you’ve made 20 shots in two seconds and must wait a minute for the buffer to clear, then you might as well be shooting at 1 frame per second!

Live View

When LiveView was initially introduced, I could not predict how it might influence my photography. The Canon 1D mark iii was my first body with LiveView. Lacking the ability to magnify the electronic image, I errantly disregarded this feature as little more than a novelty. Lack of foresight now makes me seem ignorant, as the current iteration of cameras include LiveView technologies that I could not imagine. When using LiveView an electronic image is projected on your LCD screen. This “Live” scene allows you to magnify the image ten times (10x) and permits accurate manual focus. Today, I use LiveView for 90% of my landscape and macro subjects. The ability to magnify the image, focus carefully and study the whole composition, helps me to “slow time” and produce more compelling images.

Mirror Lock Up

I have written about mirror lock-up on multiple occasions in this blog. To me, using this feature is the simplest way to maximize the quality of your optics. By manually moving the reflex mirror into the up position, you are free to trigger the shutter without introducing additional vibration. When accompanied with a tripod and cable release, it is easy to make vibration-free images with 30 second or longer exposures. Mirror lock-up is not a feature that you will find in any current (2012) Sony camera. This feature is not necessary because Sony uses a partially translucent mirror that allows light to travel through the lens and “reflex” mirror. As a result, there is no need for the mirror to move and thus no additional vibration... Advantage Sony!

(5 + 1) Weather Sealing

I know I said 5 key features, but I feel compelled to add one more to your wish list. A weather sealed camera will allow you to be less inhibited with your gear. Nature happens in the rain, snow, heat and cold. If fear of failure or damage inhibits your pursuit, then add weather sealing to your must-have list. I have found that even the least expensive SLR’s can survive some pretty rough weather. Try not to treat your gear as if it were something precious. See it for what it is... a conduit for sharing your vision.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Tip #78: You Are

Killdeer at Sunrise (Charadrius vociferus) - Stillwater, MN
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8IS L @ f3.2

There is nothing “New” about “New Age” philosophies. The view which suggests humans are natural beings, subject to the same forces that have shaped the planet, is central to the traditions of Zen Buddhism. Practiced since 6th century China, “Zen Philosophy,” is anything but new. To suggest that you are nature and nature is you, might seem heretical to those that endorse a Judeo-Christian world view; yet the Zen view that we are all connected to nature offers valuable insight to the nature photographer.

Consider the following from the the graphic text “Zen Speaks (by Tsai Chih Chung):”

A Baby fish asks an Elder fish, “I hear people talk about this thing called the sea. Just what is the sea?”

The Elder replies, “The sea is what surrounds you.”

The Baby thinks and exclaims with wide eyes, “But why can’t I see it?”

The Elder, with an air of authority explains, “The sea is within you and around you. You were born in the sea and will die in the sea. The sea envelops you, just like your own skin.”

Here Zen suggests that you - the person - are of this place, from this place and by this place. The same can be said for you, the nature photographer. We are all part of the planet, givers and takers and subject to the whims of natural processes. We are not voyeaurs, we are participants. Being one of us makes us one of them. This is my approach to wildlife and nature. I will not disrupt the life process of my subjects; I will not interfere with their survival. I see myself as a part of the world that I try to capture on my sensor, and I respect the place from which I was born.

Just a little something to think about when you’re hoping to capture some of life's magic.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Tip #75: Be Prepared with a Backup Plan

Mallard Drake at Sunset - Vadnais Heights, MN
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS @ f2.8

I'm prepping for my upcoming "The Way We See It - Vision Quest" Workshop, so I only have time for a quick one today. As I pack the gear bag, dig out the projector and check my documents, I can't help but think about all of the things that have gone wrong in the past.

I've brought the wrong cable
I've left the memory home
I've forgotten the flash manual
I've broken a charger
I've had a camera melt down
I've busted a ball head in baggage
I've broken the camera-bag zipper
I've forgotten my film (a long time ago)
I've lost the cable release
... and the list goes on.

Today's tip... Have a backup plan...!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Tip #68: You Can Never Be Too Close

Young Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)
Canon 7D + 300mm f2.8L IS

The title says it all.

If you have enough money, you can buy your proximity for about $14,000, ...the cost of a 600mm f4.0 lens, converters and pro-body. Alternatively, brilliant feather detail is the reward for your patience during a sunrise in the hide (blind). Sadly, I am neither rich nor patient, thus I rely on my skills as a naturalist and the serendipity that accompanies my persistence. Whatever your method, move in and capture those mesmerizing avian patterns.

Preening (Cygnus buccinator)
Canon 7D + 300mm f2.8L IS

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Tip #66: Birdscapes that Captivate

Lesser Flamingos in a Row (Phoenicopterus minor) - Lake Navaisha, Kenya
Canon 7D + 300mm f2.8IS L

Bird photography is one subset of the broader nature genre I pursue. In keeping with the philosophy of a nature generalist... “take what you can get when you can get it,” I am always looking to make serendipity happen. For many, the wildlife landscape is the pre-shoot or safety image. It is the picture to get before the picture you want. A healthy fear of predation makes our subjects skittish, even during a patient approach. As such, experienced photographers have learned to shoot a “safety” first, make the “I got it shot,”...and then move in for a “best.”

My approach to the wildlife landscape is dramatically different. A bird in its environment tells an ecological story about a niche, interactions, and biology. The interesting “Birdscape” is not a safety, it is a thoughtful photograph created with the intent to illustrate a sense of place and time.

Sandhill Cranes at Dusk (Grus canadensis) - Crex Meadows, WI
Canon 7D + 300mm f2.8IS L with a 15 second exposure

To make a birdscape consider the following suggestions...

Use a tripod to lock down the camera and reduce vibration.
Level your horizon before you begin to shoot.
Scan the edges of your frame as you consider the final composition. This prevents the inclusion distracting elements that seem to appear from nowhere.
Consider the whole landscape and the story you want to tell.
Seek dramatic and flattering light by shooting your wildlife landscapes during sunrise and sunset.
Plan ahead. Make your bird landscapes a viable choice rather than the safety shot.
Make this an opportunity to experiment with long exposures or telephoto landscapes.