We had located a bird, not a ‘lifer’, but one that we see so infrequently.
Problem number one, was, it was ensconced in a old dead bush. Probably a melaleuca or a prickly wattle. And there the bird was, happy in its quite secure ‘fortress’.
Take a shot or two, just for the record. Walk about a bit, nope, no clear shot that side either.
Bird flys.
Hey, it’s out in the open with a rolling hill behind for a soft backdrop. Hmmm bird photography is so easy. Approach, secure a nice frame. Now to wait for a lift off for wing details.
The light goes. Deep clouds gather and the shutter speed drops. Deceivingly low.
Oh, of course the Vibration Reduction, (IS or VR), will take up the slack. But, that is never the case.
Maybe crank up the ISO. Well there goes the feather detail.
So I wait, slowing shutter speed, dwindling light, and hoping the bird will fly. Watching. Watching.
Watching.
Light goes to porridge. Shutter speed splutters to a slow crawl.
Time to make some adjustments.
And.
As I pulled the camera down to :
(A) Reset the ISO up a stop,
and
(B) bring the shutter speed up a half stop.
The bird, without warning dropped of the perch and to the frantic warning cries of honeyeaters and thornbills took off along the treeline.
I’d not even rotated the dial yet.
I’ve quoted Ming Thein before, but just in case you missed it.
From Ming Thein
“If you are waiting for something to happen to get a shot, you must be hyper vigilant at all times until you can no longer stand it or have your concentration broken for you: because the minute you turn away, decide to take a pee, sneeze, or pack up for the day…what you’ve been waiting for will happen”
Wise words Ming.
There is so much to be said for having confidence in the camera and the setting I’m using. Not needing to think, “Oh, I’ll try this or that, or perhaps do this.” I rarely chimp, most I’ll do is check that the exposure is close to where I want it. If its a touch on the light side when I glance at the LCD then I’m happy. Any changes are what the sliders in the photo app are for.
For the same reason, I don’t use auto ISO. I just can’t predict where the shutter speed will go. (Aperture is always the one variable I don’t vary)
Yet, I got in the mail the other day another mail about another ‘Artificial Intelligence” (AI) software that will turn my images into
“Stunning views of your subject”. Yep, I was stunned.
Can’t imagine how AI is going to be there at just the right moment when the bird unfurls the sails and floats away.
I waited for this Black-shouldered Kite. No changes of settings.
Just waited.
And eventually, it looked, and lifted off.
Who said Bird Photography was hard.
Birds as Poetry —— Just because I WANDER - --doesn't mean I'm LOST 
G’day David, yes – this Is exactly what I’d have expected from you. Marvellous shot of the Black-shouldered Kite taking off straight into your lens with all the light and shadows on its wings creating this amazing dynamics. Only two days ago I had the same thoughts as your quotation from Ming. My kite did not move and I gave up after some 20 minutes following the call of a striated pardalote.
The cloudy week ahead of us and time to check what’s happening on Flickr. Thanks for blogging!
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Thanks Adam,
Glad you stopped by. I’m occassionally asked by those who aren’t photographers, “Oh, that’s a great shot, how long did it take you do do that!!!!?”
Never sure how to respond, “That would be about 1/3200th of a second, or 25 years”
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G’day David, yes – this Is exactly what I’d have expected from you. Marvellous shot of the Black-shouldered Kite taking off straight into your lens with all the light and shadows on its wings creating this amazing dynamics. Only two days ago I had the same thoughts as your quotation from Ming. My kite did not move and I gave up after some 20 minutes following the call of a striated pardalote.
The cloudy week ahead of us and time to check what’s happening on Flickr. Thanks for blogging!
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Yes, of course it’s so easy to get a shot like that! Just superb, David.
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Hi Eleanor, just finding the kite is the biggest challenge! Heard that Woodlands was a good day, if somewhat quiet.
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Stony silence in the Robin department, BUT we did get a Little Eagle obligingly soaring overhead, so that was pretty satisfying! And in any case it’s such a great place to walk in with those beautiful trees.
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Top shot of the kite Dave. As good as any I’ve seen.
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Hi Rodger, I’ve been hanging on to it for a couple of weeks, trying to find the right place to post. We have been having a little bit of a session with this bird, but the lack of sunlight has been challenging
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It’s all about the waiting. ‘Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can’ – and when you do the magic happens!
A fine capture of the Kite, David.
Not much around the Mansion/River Park yesterday.
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Not so often that they throw forward toward me, but on the occasions it does happen, it can be awesome.
Sorry to hear about the mansion. We’ve not had much luck of late down there, and the Flame Robins have moved away from the riverbank track.
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Amazing clarity David, well worth the wait!
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