Tag Archives: bif

Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Birds in Motion

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Birds in Motion
Long-exposure motion blur photograph of geese in flight over winter fields.

Birds in Motion. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Long-exposure motion blur photograph of geese in flight over winter fields.

This is another long-exposure, late-day bird photograph, in which I lower the ISO and use longer exposures in order to allow motion blur. A flock of (mostly) snow geese was turning into a strong crosswind and the brighter western sky — so the light was interesting and the birds were moving a bit slower that usual. The latter is a distinct advantage when trying to track the birds during longer exposures.

This way of shooting is fun and challenging. The idea is to end up with an image that has some kind of compositional integrity and which suggests the wild motion of the flock. A shutter speed up to about a second can work, and this variable will, of course, control how much blur there is. One challenge is that I can only estimate what the composition will look like since I’m shooting handheld and tracking the birds. Including a bit of the landscape in this photograph helps “ground” the blur of the flock.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Flight, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

An Eruption of Geese

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An Eruption of Geese
A large flock of migratory geese takes flight in early evening light.

An Eruption of Geese. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A large flock of migratory geese takes flight in early evening light.

The first time I witnessed one of these mass lift-offs, quite a few years ago, I could not. believe what I was seeing — the density of the flock, the sound of their wings and their calls, the tumult. I’ve seen hundreds of these events since then —sometimes many on a single day. But the thrill and astonishment remains. This group of (mostly) snow geese was settled in a field very close to us, and they would periodically take off in groups ranging from a few hundred individuals up to nearly the entire flock.

The light was fortuitous. Due to where the geese had settled, late afternoon and early evening light came from the right. (Full front or back light can be quite challenging with this subject.) Although rain had threatened earlier in the day, it cleared in the afternoon… and tremendous winds arrived. In nearby locations they were sweeping up large dust clouds, but not here — yet the slightly milky atmosphere softened the light just a bit.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Great Egret Over Water

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Great Egret Over Water
A great egret in flight about a wetland pond, Central Valley, California.

Great Egret Over Water. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A great egret in flight about a wetland pond, Central Valley, California.

Great egrets are all over the place in California. Years ago when I used to do long bicycle commutes to work, one of my routes took me along a drainage ditch in an area transitioning from rural to urban. Almost every time I passed I would see at least one of these beautiful birds near the water. They are found all over the Central Valley and elsewhere in the state, even along the ocean shoreline.

For being so common, they can be difficult to photograph. Typically they depart if you get too close, and then they fly away from you. So it is easy to make pictures of… the rear end of great egrets! Every so often one gives a side view. Much rarer is a direct frontal approach. This one took off and almost did a half circle around me.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

Scroll down to leave a comment or question. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Cranes in Silhouette

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Cranes in Silhouette
Sandhill cranes in flight, silhouetted against the sky and sunrise clouds.

Cranes in Silhouette. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Sandhill cranes in flight, silhouetted against the sky and sunrise clouds.

Sandhill cranes seem to be among the more wary birds in the locations where I usually do my bird photography this time of year. On occasion, geese will not be uncomfortable within a few dozen feet of humans, especially later in the season. But I don’t think I’ve ever been that close to cranes. They even avoid us when flying, and I’ve often watched a group heading straight toward my position only to divert to one side.

I photographed this small flock around sunrise on a day when various kinds of clouds were in the sky — high, thin clouds that had been brilliantly illuminated by pre-sunrise light, and these thinner, wispier clouds that glowed with more subtle colors. Since I wanted the cloud colors in the photograph, I exposed for them, letting the birds go nearly black.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

Scroll down to leave a comment or question. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.