Thank you! This can be a good time of year at that location, on days when the morning does not begin with overcast or fog. When there's sun, the light travels right down the creek for me :-)
Also I should add, the black background arises because the white birds are in direct sun. And while it is very soft, early morning light, it’s still super bright. To get the exposure correct for the white feathers, the mid tones and darker tones automatically go to near black or full black. The challenge in that situation is getting the birds right, unless you have experienced this before. Auto settings will fail, they need to be overridden.
Yes 🙌🏻 I look for that darker foliage background with the bright studio style light of day coming in. Full professional manual shooter over 22 years ☺️
Thank you Susanne. Now that’s the opposite case from last week, where I agree and the first image is among my favorites, as a scene-setter and also as a standalone image, but the broader population sort of skips past it (in limited sample size, admittedly)
What people like (or don’t) continues to fascinate me!!!!
Stunning and beautiful (the bird and the photographs). This has become my favorite bird over the past four years, as there is a family of them that lives on the grounds where I work. They often fly over the pond, which is always so beautiful… it’s like watching two birds fly in unison (because of the reflection). I could watch them fly all day.
I discovered it because another Substack photographer who I follow here and who follows me restacked your post, so it showed up in my Notes feed. I usually don’t have time to look at all of the things others share, but this post caught my eye because of the image of the egret.
Thank you for explaining. There is so much good stuff here that a person could spend all day… which interferes with actually creating things! But I love it. I wondered partly because I think about the keywords for each post, but I’m not sure if it matters. Anyway I’m glad you showed up and enjoyed it!
Agreed. I just saw someone else’s post today titled something like “more creating, less scrolling.” It’s easy to get pulled in many directions with so many inspiring artists out there. But then, subsequently, spend our valuable time elsewhere only to find there isn’t enough leftover for our own work. It’s all about finding the right balance. Your work is beautiful. I’m glad I happened upon it.
That one was shot in California, in the middle of Silicon Valley, actually. Next to a municipal airport in Palo Alto, there's a little stand of palms that the birds like for nesting.
Definitely would like to see your tidal egrets. My first experience of them, as a kid, was in tidal environments around Humboldt Bay.
Beautiful photos, Donn. They’re such elegant birds.
Thank you Mark!
I love these photos. They are gorgeous!!
Thank you Shital
Stunning light!
Thank you! This can be a good time of year at that location, on days when the morning does not begin with overcast or fog. When there's sun, the light travels right down the creek for me :-)
I adore these beautiful birds. Your photographs in gorgeous light with the dark background are my favorite mood. Just lovely!
Thank you Deborah, you are most kind!
Also I should add, the black background arises because the white birds are in direct sun. And while it is very soft, early morning light, it’s still super bright. To get the exposure correct for the white feathers, the mid tones and darker tones automatically go to near black or full black. The challenge in that situation is getting the birds right, unless you have experienced this before. Auto settings will fail, they need to be overridden.
Yes 🙌🏻 I look for that darker foliage background with the bright studio style light of day coming in. Full professional manual shooter over 22 years ☺️
Great set of images Donn!
I should have looked and known!!! Congrats on being pro for so long. Doing this professionally is not for the timid, that's for sure.
Thank you Deborah!
Beautiful!
Such majestic and beautiful birds. The first image is stunning!
Thank you Susanne. Now that’s the opposite case from last week, where I agree and the first image is among my favorites, as a scene-setter and also as a standalone image, but the broader population sort of skips past it (in limited sample size, admittedly)
What people like (or don’t) continues to fascinate me!!!!
Beautiful series.
Thank you, I appreciate it
Stunning and beautiful (the bird and the photographs). This has become my favorite bird over the past four years, as there is a family of them that lives on the grounds where I work. They often fly over the pond, which is always so beautiful… it’s like watching two birds fly in unison (because of the reflection). I could watch them fly all day.
Welcome to the egret administration society! How did you discover this post? Were you searching for egrets?
I discovered it because another Substack photographer who I follow here and who follows me restacked your post, so it showed up in my Notes feed. I usually don’t have time to look at all of the things others share, but this post caught my eye because of the image of the egret.
Thank you for explaining. There is so much good stuff here that a person could spend all day… which interferes with actually creating things! But I love it. I wondered partly because I think about the keywords for each post, but I’m not sure if it matters. Anyway I’m glad you showed up and enjoyed it!
Agreed. I just saw someone else’s post today titled something like “more creating, less scrolling.” It’s easy to get pulled in many directions with so many inspiring artists out there. But then, subsequently, spend our valuable time elsewhere only to find there isn’t enough leftover for our own work. It’s all about finding the right balance. Your work is beautiful. I’m glad I happened upon it.
Beautiful!
I share your love and fascination with the egrets...thanks for that !
lovin these.. i ‘regard them in an Audubon sense.. of ‘naturalism documentary
Was unaware re the ‘wing difference .. presumably ‘etiology may help illuminate me !
Am certain you’ve seen the ‘Fisherman images from the Mexican Architect / Photographer
Moises Levy .. I don’t ’remember the fishermen.. just the stunning egrets !
.. but his is a completely different ‘approach..
& was delighted recently re word of Irish egret fledglings
& restacked accordingly - plus built a Post
to complement the authors @davidknowles ..
Will be including sub tidal egrets in my current Story Outline ‘Turks Grift
They’re ’Apex Predators of course .. but i ‘soft peddle such aspects..
Thank you Thomas! Moises' work is stunning, I haven't looked at it in a while. Yes, his are backlit and also wonderful. This isn't the same, but it's my own favorite backlit egret image (so far!) https://www.dobkinphoto.com/portfolio/fine-art-wild-things?itemId=6n2ynoasnagidcrsmbi2aregoj5hjl
That one was shot in California, in the middle of Silicon Valley, actually. Next to a municipal airport in Palo Alto, there's a little stand of palms that the birds like for nesting.
Definitely would like to see your tidal egrets. My first experience of them, as a kid, was in tidal environments around Humboldt Bay.
oh ! Have yet to dream of attempting such shots .. am far better served simply utilizing the work of others such as yerself.. for my purposes.. !
Have spotted & even shot local Great Blues.. Sandhill & the Turks & Caicos tribe.. but just as everyday docu - Toronto, Point Pelee & Turks & Caicos
.. hadn’t seen that full screen.. had me thinking Ernst Haas !