It remains a lot of fun to photograph birds regularly. Not only that, but it can be quite a challenge at times. Especially when they are flying, it is not easy to get the bird(s) properly into the viewfinder with a fully zoomed telephoto lens and then keep it there. Below are five photos of birds that were relatively easy to photograph.
The first will not be unknown to many, a male pheasant. I live in the countryside and there are certainly plenty of pheasants to hear and see this time of year. When I saw this specimen with its head sticking out just above the tall grass, I thought it was a striking picture. And that bright red on its head of course contrasts wonderfully with the green of the grass. The relatively small depth of field ensures that the grass in the foreground is slightly out of focus and thus creates a pleasant depth in the photo.
The second photo is of a crane. There is currently a pair of these wonderful birds breeding in the German part of the Wooldse Veen. My neighbor is a pretty avid birdwatcher and tipped me off that they regularly forage in a meadow close to the border. There was no lie in that, because the first morning I went there to have a look, it was a hit. A long way from the path, this stately bird walked among some cows looking for food.
Because of the great distance and the crop I made on the computer, the bird itself is not super sharp, but fortunately the backlight of the sun that has just risen creates a beautiful atmosphere and that makes up for a lot for me. I like it when a photo, which is a two-dimensional representation of reality, shows some depth in a certain way. In any case, the various posts contribute significantly to that in this photo.
The third photo is below and is of three wood pigeons in a row. What appeals to me in this photo is first and foremost the beautiful evening light in combination with that dark cloud in the background. Secondly, the position of the pigeons and the way they look at each other give me the feeling that in this case there is one pigeon too many on that branch. If you know what I mean.
The fourth photo I selected was initially quite disappointing. It is a photo of a kestrel perched high in a tree and therefore virtually no details can be seen due to the backlight. At first I thought that was a shame, but every time I looked at it again later, this photo appealed to me more and more. The silhouette of the bird and the tree gives the whole a somewhat mysterious atmosphere. While the few details that can be seen, such as the beak and some tail feathers, are just enough to recognize it as a kestrel.
Finally, there is the photo below of a great egret. I feel like the heron is taking a step forward in exactly the right place. The tall grass in the foreground to his left and right provides a glimpse, which in turn creates a nice depth in the photo. And yes, the fact that you can also see his reflection in the water there, is of course a very nice bonus, which fell into my lap unexpectedly.
There are many fun aspects of photographing animals in the wild. And as mentioned, photographing birds or other animals sometimes poses quite a challenge. But for me, the unpredictability is perhaps the most fun of all. You really don't know in advance what kind of results you will come home with. For example, I took that last photo from the car, when I was on my way back after photographing the crane above. These kinds of unexpected moments are of course fantastic!
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