I find that large birds can be very graceful when they fly. This was the case with this graceful Egret. I photographed this Great Egret in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge during a recent trip to the area. The wind and light were perfect. We were able to see the birds taking off and landing into the wind (which was right to left) and the light was coming from behind us. These are ideal conditions for photographing birds in flight.
Photographing birds in flight can be tricky. There are many things to consider in addition to the right conditions, equipment and camera settings. Most experienced bird photographers will tell you that after camera settings composition is #1. Second is to attempt to be on the same vertical level as the bird. Third, shoot in short bursts to increase your chances of a good result. Fourth, pay attention to the background to avoid having distracting elements (e.g. other birds). Fifth, keep both eyes open. One eye needs to be surveying the area while the other focuses on the bird once you’ve acquired the one you want to photograph. All of this requires a lot of practice.
This image was taken with my Canon EOS 5DS using my Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 II Lens set on 400 mm. The camera was set on Manual mode with the aperture set at f/8, shutter speed at 1/2000th of a second and the ISO set on Auto (ISO 640). As I mentioned in previous posts, these are the right settings. The bird is very sharp and in focus and the background is just right.
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© 2016 T. Kahler Photography
