Today I made my own luck to get a photograph. Intending to prowl the local cliff tops in search of the local kestrel, I arm myself with a big lens and go out. The timing of my arrival at first seems to be perfect, with said bird hanging motionless on the wind not 50 yards away, but by the time I have unpacked a 300mm lens she has decided to fly to a different location to hunt. Sometimes that can be it for many hours, especially is she makes a catch in the mean time, but like the surfer mentioned in last Monday's post... I wait.
And wait. I pass the time photographing passing gulls, whilst all the time keeping a watchful eye for that signature stationary speck in the distance. I deliberately avoid any conversation with passers-by so as be not distracted and miss my quarry, and after an hour or so of watching the sky I am rewarded.
Still over a hundred yards away, I hope she will oblige and fly to me, but sensing it will be last opportunity today I elect to chance it and close in; something that not always works. However, this time I am lucky and get a good number of useable frames before the light goes and she moves off on the wind again.
300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/500 second at f/5. + 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 320
© 2014
2 comments:
You have got to be kidding me! This looks almost too good to be true. Have I used the word breathtaking to characterize your work before?
There are times when I am in disbelief myself, Tim. When an elusive subject appears large enough in the viewfinder there is a real feel of excitement, and you just hope and pray that the shots are sharp and correctly exposed.
Although it is much quicker to see the results nowadays than it was in the days of film, I never really know what I have until I open the files on my computer. Only then do I know whether to celebrate or not.
Thank you for your kind comment.. :-)
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