Month: July 2024

I do spend a lot of time watching large birds in the air.
Mostly Kites and Falcons.
Each has its own special flight pattern, its own use of the air, wind, and terrain.
The concept of flight has been a fascination of human history, and not without a little envy of these creatures that can spread out their wings and move seemingly effortlessly through the air.

One bird that I find not only fascinating, but truly mesmerising is watching a Gannet working over the water on a strong breeze. Its movements are not just about wingflaps, or wing angle.
They seem to be able to make the most minute of adjustments depending on the wind, one moment skimming close to the water, the next raising high, or rolling over into a near vertical dive.

We occasionally have have them come up to the northern end of Port Phillip.

If there is a low(ish) tide, and the fish run over the sandy reef, and there is strong offshore, northerly wind blowing, we might even, on a good day, get them close enough to watch every detail of their flight. On a really, really good day, we might even get some sunshine for photographs. (Although of late, such a chance is more dreamed than achieved in reality)

The long thin wings seem to be scythe through the air, yet carry the bird’s torpedo shaped body in the right direction. A little tail flick, a weight distribution, one wing pulled in, the other extended, and the bird carries out its magic dance against the strength of the wind, the roll of the waves and the constant search for a meal.

Mesmerising.

This edition of the blog took very little effort to write, you could say it kind of wrote itself.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock this past week, you will at least have noted a reference to an assassination attempt on a US presidential candidate.
I’m not going to begin to explore the rights, wrongs, or political implication of that event.

No doubt also you’ll have seen some photos from that afternoon. Or you may have been doomscrolling to find all the wide-eyed conspiracy theories that suddenly sprung up.

One photo caught my interest. And is the subject of the remainder of the blog.

It is on the cover of TIme Magazine. It was taken by photographer Evan Vucci.

I managed to hear an interview on radio with Mr Vucci, and try as I might I haven’t been able to locate that interview online.
The part that caught me up, was the interviewer asked “Was it a ‘lucky’ shot?”
And he replied…

….“I started thinking, OK, what’s going to happen next? Where is he going to go? Where do I need to be? Where do I need to stand? What is going to happen?”
“The job is all about anticipation,” Vucci says.

“It was a situation where that vast experience absolutely does [prepare you]. To have that experience behind you sort of allows you to remain calm. It wasn’t the first time I was in that situation. So I was able to keep my head, I was able to think. I was able to compose pictures. I think all of us were there and we just stayed in the moment, stayed on the story. In my head, I just kept saying to myself, ‘slow down, slow down. Compose, compose.’ Okay, what’s gonna happen next? What’s going on here? What’s going on there? Just trying to get every angle on it.’

“In the moment it’s weird because your brain is basically shut off. You’re just thinking about, ‘Okay, what’s my composition, or where’s light coming from? Is my exposure good?’ Do I need to move to the right? Do I need to move to the left?’ Because you got to be able to see his face. So when he started pumping his fist, I was surprised. And then I saw the blood on his face. And then I knew once I saw that, I knew I had at least a news storytelling image. I knew I had something. So I felt good. At least something was in the bag.”

“I work for AP. You know, we have a long history of photojournalism. And so I think when you’re at this level, and something like this happens to you, you’re able to react a certain way and expect[ed] to produce. I was just thankful that I was able to hold that standard.”

No doubt you can find many links to the story. Here’s the Time Magazine Cover and some of his other quotes.

Please be aware there are many pictures on the site, and I don’t want to add to the horror.

But hidden in there is the mantra.

• The Mantra.
  • Know your composition
  • Where is the light coming from
  • Is my Exposure good
  • Do I need to move left or right
  • Slow down
  • Keep your head
  • Think. What’s going to happen next.

Something to think about next time I’m out in the field and a great photo opportunity presents itself. Will I be ready?

Now, two Brown Falcons at play rebuilding their pair bond, might never make it to Time magazine. Nor will it fit into the same hall of fame as Evan Vucci. But some of the principles from the Mantra were at work when I made the shot.

The two birds are back together again preparing for next summer’s nesting.
I’d seen them working along the beach, and they had disappeared, when suddenly the raucous call of the female went up, I turned and raced back along the beach to an opening among the trees and she came over the tops of the trees, just as he plummeted down from a display flight.
But if she was happy to see him, I was glad to get one shot of the joyous moment.

Enjoy.

Year ago, I had the chance to work with a Canadian, who, among other things, in the days before the worldwide web, and social media, used to create and present training programmes.
One such, carried the title, “Len’s Love” As his name was, Len, it seemed appropriate.
But, of course, his real intent was on the use of lenses and their impact on the photographic process and result.
Fascinating, as he treated the photo journey as one of his great loves.

I have over the years owned, used and had access to a wide range of lenses. Some, and if you want a list, the Nikkor 43-86mm f/3.5 would be at the top of the very ordinary, bordering on not particularly good. Funnily enough, my dear Dad, had a fondness for that particular lens and its ‘soft’ peculiarities. ( I acquired one, some years back, simply for sentimental reasons)

When I began bird photography seriously, I did manage to track down and purchase, a Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens. This lens was sharp. Well balanced and although manual focus, such a pleasure to use. I made a whole Nankeen Kestrel nesting series with that lens. Another lens that I’d like to refind. Just for sentimental reasons.
Here’s one from that series with the lens. (Camera for the interested was a Nikon D200)

Of more recent times many will know, from Flickr, that my workhorse has been a Nikkor 500mm, f/5.6 PF. I published a blog on my experiences with that lens here.

And all was going well until the other day, when for some reason, the lens began to have focusing problems. It would work ok on closeups like Robins on a post, but could not focus at more distant subject. (Manually it did work, so I struggled through the day)
I’ve owned the lens since 2019, and as it has been used, hard, a couple of times a week, and has worn out a D810 and a D500, I guess it has had a good run.
Can’t tell how many 100s of thousands of frames, but my boy-scout math would suggest between 200,500 to 300,000.

So I guess it does deserve a bit of a break. The kind lens doctors at Digicam in Adelaide took it into their lens hospital, and I look forward to its return. The report was the lens was in excellent condition, other than the need to replace a couple of electrical components that had failed.
Just gotta wait for parts.

Gave me a chance to immerse myself in the wide world of mirrorless cameras and lenses. However the end result of that is I’ll be looking forward to the return of the 500 PF as it’s rapid focus on the D500 is not matched in my experience by the mirrorless system. Perhaps I’m just biased.

Here are several of my fav images from the Lens.
Chosen because they were all ‘grab’ shots, where I pointed the lens and hoped for the best. The speed of focus, and the D500 ‘terrier-like’ af did the rest.

Enjoy.