Tuesday, July 9, 2013

By the Sea: A Post About Shorebirds

When people think of Florida nature photography, several animals come to mind: the vibrant roseate spoonbill, the elegant white egret, and the dangerous american alligator. However, many people forget or neglect the little shorebirds that speed up and down the coastline, trying to keep up with the tides.

Sanderling - Anastasia State Park, FL
They can be hard to photograph because they can be hard to catch. By the same token, they can be a boon to those with less lenspower as they will sometimes dart right in front of you!

Ruddy Turnstone
They tend to travel in small groups and forage right where the ocean meets the shore. They are highly active little animals and can be good subjects to watch if you are hoping to snag some in-flight photos.

Willets - Bowman's Beach - Sanibel Island, FL

What's your favorite animal to photograph?

Equipment: Nikon D70 + Nikkor 70-300mm zoom

Friday, July 5, 2013

Is That How You Behave in Public?

Don't get me wrong - I love static animal portraits. They are some of the best shots for one to appreciate the beauty and intricacy of different organisms. But, these shots can become repetitive or even boring. That's why some of my favorite nature photography shots showcase animal behavior.

Royal Terns - Anastasia State Park - Florida

I really do not know what these two terns were up to (the one on the right was chasing the one on the left around and squawking for at least 30 minutes), but it certainly makes for an entertaining photo!
Of course, the obvious behavior to capture with birds is flight:
Wood Stork - Anastasia State Park
I really like how much space there is in this photo - it gives the bird "room" to fly in the frame.

Finally, feeding is a key behavior - both to respect and to document.
Here, a white ibis forages in the shallows of a salt marsh in Anastasia State Park. To me, this photo is particularly interesting because many environmental elements (the grass, the marsh water) are included in the frame. This gives the viewer a better idea of the animal pictured, as well as provides context.

I hope you enjoyed this post!
PS - if you couldn't tell, Anastasia State Park is one of my top favorite shooting locales in Florida. If you're up in north Florida, you should check it out!

Equipment: Nikon D70 + Nikkor 70-300mm zoom


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

A Flower for Your Thoughts

Here's a little break from the usual six-legged content on my blog:


There was a rather large wasp nest near these passionflowers so I had to be quite careful while photographing them...

Blooming poppy

I really enjoy macro photos of flowers because they allow you to appreciate all the little details on tiny flowers such as this one that you otherwise wouldn't be able to see.

Equipment: Nikon D70 + Sigma 100mm macro lens