Stories, reflections, and observations from time spent photographing birds and the natural world.
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Bird Photography Backgrounds: How I Find a Cleaner View
An artist starts with a blank canvas. A bird photographer chooses the canvas—and hopes the bird cooperates.Do I want a smooth wash of color behind the bird, an open blue sky, or a wider view showing its habitat? I’m learning that the background deserves as much attention as the subject. Here are a few things…
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Bird Photography Exposure: How I Handle Bright Skies and Dark Backgrounds
Camera settings: 1/1600s at f/6.3, ISO 10000, 600mm, +2 EC
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Bird Photography at 600mm: How I Find Birds and Get Them in Focus
Have you purchased—or are you considering—a 600mm lens for bird photography? A few techniques can help you find birds faster and bring home more keepers. Here are three considerations that have helped me in the field.
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Two Bald Eagles Over Cool Spring
A quiet morning at Cool Spring changed in an instant when two Bald Eagles appeared overhead in near-perfect formation.
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Bird Photography at Stauffer’s Marsh: A Lesson in Patience
Nearly three hours of waiting at Stauffer’s Marsh led to Gray Catbirds, a Green Heron, and a lesson in patience behind the camera.
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A Morning with a Great Blue Heron on the Shenandoah
Before sunrise on the Shenandoah River, I settle onto a familiar boulder and wait. A Great Blue Heron arrives, offering a quiet lesson in patience, routine, and the pleasure of simply being there.