Featured Photograph: Angel Wings – Forster’s Tern in Flight
Every once in a while, you just get lucky. Nature photography is no exception, although the nature photographer who just gets lucky won’t have many images on file and none of them will be very good. With nature photography, getting a good shot is more often than not the result of days or weeks or even months worth of research, long hours of waiting in the field, of planning, of timing, of preparation and practice. But when all that comes together, when knowing your subject means being in the right place at the right time with the right equipment and proper ability, sometimes having just a little luck is the icing on the cake and can often make the difference between getting a nice shot and getting the shot of a lifetime.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge seems to be one of those places where I just get lucky. Don’t get me wrong. I go to Chincoteague fully prepared, researching recent sightings on birding lists before my trip, having hotel reservations set up well in advance, and being sure to pack every piece of equipment I could possibly need, along with all of my chargers, extra batteries and memory, external storage, bags of snacks, layers of clothes, and just about anything else I could possibly need. But, often at Chincoteague, after several days of arriving at the refuge for sunrise, hanging out all day until after sunset, repeated scouting and searching and questioning and photographing, magic happens. The elements of photography and the essense of nature fall into place, and I find myself in the right place at the right time, fully prepared, to capture the moment. Maybe it isn’t really luck. Maybe it’s perserverance. But either way, I can’t help but feel a little fortunate for the opportunity.
Last May, Chris and I spent a week on Chincoteague Island, visiting the refuge each day and amassing a large collection of solid photographs of the refuge’s wild fauna and flora. Staying in any place for a length of time gives you a chance to observe the area’s wildlife and learn what patterns and habits the animals have – where they feed, what time of day they are most active, etc. It’s also beneficial to know a bit about the species you are trying to photograph as well. For example, most birds generally prefer to fly into the wind, so the best opportunities for flight photography are generally when both the sun and the wind are at your back. Terns and other birds that fish on the wing often like to hunt near rapids, such as by culverts or dams, where the fast moving water churns up fish and makes them easier targets for these avian predators.
At Chincoteague, there are a few areas along the main drive where culverts on either side pass water from one pool to another. When the culverts are running fast, they are a favorite fishing spot for the refuge’s Forster’s and Least Terns. Chris and I noticed that the Forster’s and Least Terns at the refuge liked to feed near the culverts along the main drive when the water was actively transferring from one pond to another. One afternoon, where there was little else to photograph and the sun was still a bit high, we noticed the terns feeding along the drive and stopped to try to photograph them. The terns quickly became used to our presence and began to congregate in high numbers right near the culvert opening, allowing us to observe and photograph them repeatedly hovering and diving for food. As the sun sank a little lower in the sky, providing more even light for photography, a slight breeze picked up, blowing in the direction of the light, and one after another the terns flew in close, hovered, and then dove downward towards their prey. This situation gave me many opportunities to photograph the birds at close range and I was able to get some fantastic photos.
While luck may have had a bit to do with it, being aware of my surroundings, knowing my subject, and being adequately prepared equipment wise allowed me to make the most of the situation. Had I not seen the terns flying by while touring the wildlife drive or not been aware of the proximity of a culvert and known of the tern’s preference for feeding near them, I might have just passed on by. Having a professional camera with the ability to shoot 8.5 frames per second allowed me to capture many frames of the birds as they hovered and pick one with the best wing position. Shooting high frames per second also means that you eat through memory quickly, so having backup memory cards and an external storage device with me allowed me to keep shooting. The terns actually got so close that I had to remove my 2x converter and shoot with my 300mm lens straight. While sometimes they came close enough to fill the frame, I had better luck when I borrowed Chris’s 1.4x converter (I didn’t have my own at the time). Sometimes the right piece of equipment, even if it’s only a $250 addition to your $6000+ setup, can make a huge difference in your success. While carrying ever piece of equipment you own with you at all times is certainly not the best solution all of the time, having items you are likely to need on your person, especially when shooting from a vehicle where your storage capacity is less limited and you don’t have to physically lug your heavy and expensive gear all over the place, is definately a good idea.
Are good nature photographs sometimes a result of luck? Of course. But being lucky without being ready won’t get you very far. Lucky nature photographers know their stuff. They know where to go, they know what to look for, and they often spend hours in the field waiting for the right conditions to come together. Even when the best opportunities don’t present themselves, they shoot frequently and hone their skills, so when the magical moment comes they have the ability to capture the event with a high level of technical proficiency and produce an image that really shines.
Techs: Canon 1D Mark II N, 300mm f/2.8L IS USM, 1.4x Mark II Extender, 1/2000s. To order this print, purchase stock rights, or view other photos I have for sale, please visit my website at www.karipost.com.
In: Featured Photographs, Tips and Techniques
on March 5, 2008 at 9:06 pm
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This is a very nice image Kari. I really like you work and reading your blog
on March 27, 2010 at 7:45 am
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Awesome shot, Kari! One of my fav sayings related to photography is “You create your own luck!”, which is exactly what you did to get this. Keep up the great shooting!