Cornwall and Whatcom Falls are two local parks in Bellingham that provide this wildlife photographer with a wonderful summer opportunity. Great Horned and Barred Owls are local raptors who are surprisingly tolerant of my presence in their world. With these handheld photos, I hope to not only offer you excellent images, but also to impart the feeling of being in their rich forest environment.
Lastly, my sincere gratitude to Ren Schreuder whose eyes and ears made this possible.
Creating excellent photographs of Birds In Flight (BIF) is considered to be among the most difficult achievements in wildlife photography. Recently, camera manufacturers have incorporated extraordinary autofocus tracking and subject detection capabilities into the latest mirrorless cameras. While this technology has made BIF capture far easier to achieve, it is not a substitute for good photographic technique. Subject knowledge, proper frame rates, and accurate panning are all still necessary. Flickers, Wood Peckers, and Jays are drawn to the feeders at my home where I practice and strive for that BIF success almost daily from my dining room and deck.
For the wildlife photographer, the African experience is unlike any other. The sensory impact of being in intimate proximity to some of the world’s iconic wildlife cannot be overstated. It gets under my skin and fills my heart. The beauty, the power, and the intensity of Africa’s wildlife is forever on display. Then comes the understanding of just how difficult it is to make a living as a wild animal. I hope these photos offer you a glimpse into the unforgettable African experience.
Separating the subject from the background is often one of this wildlife photographer’s primary goals. Perhaps nothing is more effective in creating this result than an extremely low point of view. With a long lens virtually parallel to and only inches above the surface of the water, only the subject is in focus. The water, any reflection, and any background are all rendered as a soft, smooth mix of tone and color. Sometimes the duck’s disturbance of the water’s surface will add a reflection of blue sky…I’m loving it.
