Saturday Evening Post: Sitting Pretty

Posted in Nankeen Kestrel, Saturday Evening PostTagged ,

“Life,” said Helen Keller, “is either a daring adventure, or it is nothing.”

Picasso is reported to have said, when asked if he knew what his painting would look like before he even put paint on the canvas, replied, “No, of course not. If I knew, then I wouldn’t bother doing it.”

David DuChemin, recently wrote, “You don’t have to photograph bears, or climb mountains, or hang out of helicopters. You don’t have to go, “On on an adventure”, to make great photographs. But, I think, making great photographs should be an adventure.”

Winnie the Pooh says, “Going on an Expotition?” said Pooh eagerly. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on one of those. Where are we going to on this Expotition?” and 

Sing Ho! for the life of a Bear!
Sing Ho! for the life of a Bear!
I don't much mind if it rains or snows

Tis a known fact this blog does not do, ‘Tips and Tricks’, ‘How-to tutorials’, attention grabbing product reviews, nor influencer opinions for more hits and ‘followers’.

We just do photography, and the enjoyment of both birds and the act of photographing them.
The journey is never-ending and nor would I, and I’m guessing, you, want it to be.
If you’re battling with shutter or aperture priority, or should I use manual (wait for next week’s blog) or what is Auto ISO, or does EV really do anything, then join in with the rest of us. We all struggle with Light, with Composition, with Camera Settings and with finding the right bird—or subject— just to show I’m not biased :-).

Did you ever walk out and say, “Oh, Wow, this light is so nice!” It takes more than appreciation to be able to understand what you like about it. The angle, the intensity, the direction, the overall quality, and how it might add, or not to the subject.
I might lament on the days when the sky is porridge and the exposure drops by 5 stops to normal days, and the grey birds become lost in the grey surrounds, but, by looking, experimenting and exploring, there may be a mood to capture.

A word that has come up recently to be a catchall for those varying elements is “Amplify”. The mood, the choices we make for camera, angle and framing all bring their own special character to our photos.

We don’t want people to view the end result, and think about what ISO, Shutter, Aperture, Focal length, or camera brand we used. Nor to spend time interpreting the way the light works, the emphasis on texture, or tone, or shape, or any of the other language of light principles.
Nor do we want them pondering the hours spent in the Digital Darkroom enhancing the pixel values.
Hopefully, they see the result and connect with the subject.

I love Kestrels. Of all the raptors, Kestrels are my heart-tugging favourite. They seem to have such ‘sweet faces’ compared to other raptors. We are photographers of the open paddocks and plains. We rarely venture these days into the amazing rich forests, to explore and search among the myriad bushes, ferns and overhanging branches.
And
Because of that, we see many of the great birds of the wide open areas. Kestrels, Kites, Harriers, Eagles, Goshawks, and occasionally on the beach areas, Sea-eagles.

But of all of them, my heart is set on Kestrels.
So it was a great delight to drive down a farm paddock track, and find this lass sitting enjoying the morning sunshine. She was in no hurry to leave and nor was I. Lost were the technicalities of photography. Found was the enjoyment of experiencing a small moment in this bird’s life.

Enjoy

10 thoughts on “Saturday Evening Post: Sitting Pretty”

  1. So true, David (Helen, Pablo et al.). The Kestrel lady did not intend this effect but your beautiful capture emanates serenity and confidence. Thanks for sharing this image together with your thoughts. I only „beg to differ” concerting the educational value of your blog – I’ve learned a lot from it.

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    1. Hi Adam, thanks for the vote of confidence. I guess I really meant that I don’t do weekly tech tips on this blog, as one of my early mentors used to say, it just comes by osmosis. He used to give me a weekly creative assigment and I had to work out the details of the whole project. Learn stuff you don’t forget.

      All good

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  2. I have to agree with Adam, I have learned much from your blog over time!

    And yes, while some who view my images are photographers, most of whom have more and varied experience than I, many viewers are not and they wouldn’t know a pixel from an f-stop, but they do know when they like an image. Ergo I try to take images I like and then perhaps others will too. And sometimes that means breaking the rules of photography as decreed by ‘those who know’, yes the ‘rules’ are important and we need to know them so we know when to ignore them!

    I agree that each photo shoot/walk/session is an adventure in itself so no need to create an adventure to get the images!

    A fine and pleasing Kestrel portrait, they are wonderful birds.

    Dave N

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    1. Ha, thanks for that. I guess the communication model includes things like Information and Instruction, and calls to action, but I hope this blog is built around Entertainment. 🙂

      We do, I believe learn from one-another in a supportive environment, and part of the fun of it all is working out the seemingly complicated on our own

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  3. Interesting musings thanks David…! Whilst selecting the appropriate camera settings are important, if we focus solely on those settings, it seems to me that we risk missing a shot that might not have those perfect settings, but the results – though different – might actually surprise us (in a positive way). And of course: if we don’t like the initial results, we can always change the settings…! But nothing – whether finding the perfect settings or trying to cope with noisy people standing nearby – should distract us from enjoying the challenge of capturing “that” photo…!

    The latest photo on my Site (at the time of writing) is a photo of a female Blackbird. The bird was beneath the spreading branches of several large trees; she was also standing in the middle of a dark carpet of leaves. The first 4 or 5 shots were too dark, but it didn’t matter. I was enjoying watching the bird as much as I was enjoying trying to take its photo. After 10 minutes however, the Blackbird hopped closer to me, and for the first time she realized that I was present.

    I held my breath; would she stay, or would she fly? She stayed…!

    I slowly adjusted a camera setting and clicked two further photos… Bingo…! I finally got ‘that’ photo that I had hoped for. It wasn’t a great photo when compared with photos taken by more experienced photographers perhaps, but that didn’t matter! It was one of the better photos that I’ve taken of a female Blackbird – and with that, the bird turned and began to make its way back into the carpet of leaves. The Photo Shoot was over, and we both went on our way…

    I mention this experience now because ‘shooting’ that blackbird was (for me) a special moment – one that I will remember for a long time to come. It was a moment which the Blackbird allowed me to share with her, and whilst the end result might never win a prize, or reach Flickr’s “Explore”, it doesn’t matter. I enjoyed the 15 or so minutes that I spent with her, and I eventually went home – happy with the afternoon’s efforts …!

    I’m rabbiting on; time to sign off, but thanks again for your writings and have an enjoyable weekend…!

    Cheers,

    Lance

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    1. All Good Lance,
      I did enjoy your explantion of the Blackbird. That 10 minutes is really priceless. She would be pretty relaxed at this time of the season I suspect. I have a pair that own our backyard, the female is quite approachable.

      Keep takin’ photos. We do

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    1. Hello Eleanor, thatnks for that. I guess I enjoy the challenge of putting fingers to keyboard and finding both and image and a visual idea to talk about. In times gone by we used to have a monthy lunch with a bunch of photographers. Lots of what gets to the blog, would have been shared with them, and be challenged and refined.
      Times change and now I’m blog-bound. 🙂

      So good to find such a lovely bird in the sunshine and relaxed in her own world

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  5. A lovely heartfelt post David. You are the master of Raptor photography which is dear to your heart as you not only photograph them but have become their friends which is the hope of any birder. It was also lovely sharing your soft side of your personal delight in the Kestrel our smallest raptor, your photo captures her resting pose. True about all the technical jargon many throw up about their photos, when it is really about the subject and the moment caught and shared in the birds life and your own. Of the raptors I have found great variety in the expressions on Kestrel faces. We are in recovery from another deluge.

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    1. G’day Ashley, I did see the weather map, and thought of you. Hope you missed any damage.

      You’d laugh, but I got swooped this morning by a Black-shouldered Kite. I think it was frustrated that the wet and cold morning meant the mice were not out in numbers and they had to really work for their meal.
      I’ll need to be a bit more careful around this one from now on.

      Stay warm

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