General Photography
Don't you YELL at ME, Sonny . . . . I'll Snatch Ya BALD!
That's a juvenile Sandhill Crane on the right, getting some "training" from a parent. The beginning of the fall migration season is a good time observe unique behavior as the adults are finishing up some final lessons with the kids before the big trip. Some species will stay with their parents throughout the first year while most begin to go their separate ways.
Stay in focus,
Mark
Golden Knights Black Team LOVES Soldier's Angels!
I recently had the privilege to accompany the Army's Golden Knights Parachute Team on a jump at the South East Wisconsin AirFest in Janesville Wisconsin. It was a privilege and an honor to hang out with the Black Team. (The Golden Knights have two demonstration teams -- Black and Gold)
You can't help but admire these young men (their average age is 26) when you consider they represent the best of the best, coming from active duty units. They are seasoned parachutists with hundreds or thousands of jumps under their belts and put on one heck of an arial show. (Want to learn a little more about the Golden Knights, checkout this post.)
These guys are a popular attraction, not just for the great arial stunts they perform but for the time and energy they spend on the ground with the general public. After each jump they're always available to meet and greet the public and sign team pictures.
During my brief time with the team, I had the chance to ask about Soldier's Angels - the mere mention of the name brought instant recognition, appreciation and stories about boxes, letters and "goodies".
One young soldier recanted a story about a previous deployment where his unit had so much support from their angels that they were able to use some of the supplies to take with them on good-will missions out to the local villages, greatly enhancing their position and even further easing their jobs.
Soldier's Angels is so respected that one jumper asked to carry the group's flag with him into the air. He placed the flag shown in the opening picture into his suit, close to his heart and jumped with it. That flag returned with them to their operating base - and will continue to serve as a daily reminder of how much we care about them.
While the jump team practices the upcoming maneuvers and synchronization required, the ground crew and pilots ensure the plane and all equipment is ready to go. Safety of the crew and passengers is priority number 1.
The Golden Knights travel to shows and jump from their own aircraft. The jump plane used for appearances away from their main base is usually the C-31A Friendship as seen below.
In-flight photography was a real challenge (that's me below) due primarily to the tough lighting conditions. You're shooting within a dark cabin along with a bright light peaking in from windows - or blasting in from the open doors.
A high ISO was mandatory if there was to be any chance of success. You also have to be quick on your settings as the jumps begin, the exposure settings were night and day different - literally. As with any other shoot, prepare yourself (as much as you can) in advance. Visualize the images you think you'll be making and plan for the settings and conditions. As always, luck is a big part of it - but never forget, "luck favors the prepared".
Take some time and check out the links below. Make sure you catch up with the Golden Knights at a show this summer. And if you're not already a supporter of Solider's Angels, pay them a visit. Being a supporter has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. Some of our "adoptees" have become life long friends we will always cherish.
Golden KnightsSolider's Angels
Stay in focus,
Mark
I mentioned in a previous post to never go back and delete your older work - always save it as a reference of how far your photography skills have come. I still hold firmly to that statement, even though your previous work may be obviously sub-par to your current capabilities - keep it as a timeline of your progression in the hobby. There is another reason, however, why you might want to go back and revisit some of your previous work . . . your editing skills have probably improved significantly.
Go back and take a look at some of your older images - ones that you still feel have pretty solid photographic elements - take an original copy of that photo and reprocess it as you would do it today. You may be very surprised at how far you've come.
The opening image in this set is from an air show three years ago. The image capture is pretty solid, with good exposure - and it demonstrates my processing skills circa 2009. The picture below is the same image, processed with my 2012 skill sets - the difference in skill growth is obvious to me in several areas:
So don't go back into your past albums and delete any of your images - but do go back and revisit some of them. You'll be amazed at your progress - and may just find some hidden gems waiting for your contemporary skills to be applied.
Stay in focus,
Mark
One of the neat benefits about nature photography is the opportunity to observe the creatures you're seeking to capture. We can spend so much time around our subjects that we learn a tremendous amount about their behavior through the long hours of observation. Over time, I've learned (and enjoyed) the courtship rituals of many birds and water fowl. I can usually tell when a fight is going to breakout - or when I fish has been spied by a heron.
In addition to just being plain down right fascinating, you can use this behavioral information to your advantage. I'd been watching a mating pair of Canada Geese as I saw another one looking for a place to land. I knew if he landed too close to the others that he was going to get run off. I prepared for the opportunity and was easily able to get a nice series of shots.
Waiting around for the perfect shot can either be boring or educational - your choice!
Stay in focus,
Mark
Sometimes you just never know what the lens of your camera will find - so take it as it comes!
I've seen others create images with this pose - and have actively tried to get my own for the past several years with no success. While chasing a Wood Duck recently (also with no success) - this little fellow decided to pose right in front of me for a few seconds.
Stay in focus,
Mark
More that once, a simple morning stroll through the local park or afternoon hike has resulted in some "interesting" shots.
I've developed the habit to always have my camera set on "action" when just out walking around or doing landscape shoots. Too many times in the past, something very interesting and action oriented would present itself (like a quiet pond of waterfowl breaking out into the "fight" shot above). I'd swing my camera to sudden action, only realize after it was all over that my settings were all wrong. My new habit is to:
Without following this habit, some of my most treasured shots would have been blurred throw aways. I won't always get the settings just right, but being prepped for a general action shot gives me a fighting chance.
Stay in focus!
Mark
