Two Sandhill Cranes in Flight. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
Two sandhill cranes in synchonized flight against blue sky
Photographing birds in flight can be rewarding in a number of ways. Careful attention to the birds may reveal a species you haven’t seen before or an interesting variation on a familiar bird. I have developed a greater awareness of the infinite variations of wing position and motion and the relative positioning of birds in groups. And, to be honest, there is the technical challenge of trying to keep the critters in the viewfinder, get focus, and produce a decent image.
Other than the fact that they tend to not come as close as I might like, sandhill cranes aren’t among the most difficult birds to photograph in flight. There are the usual issues of light (it tends to leave the bottom of the birds in shadow except early and late in the day) and distractions from extraneous subjects. But they move fairly slowly and steadily. The pair flew above me, uncharacteristically close to my position, and I made the photograph as their wings were almost perfectly synchronized.
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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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