Getting Close Enough

One of the most difficult things about creating bird portraits is getting close enough.

I spent yesterday in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve with the specific goal of photographing birds.  Even though it is the middle of winter, the amount of this water in this picturesque reserve makes for amazing bird watching and therefore, bird photography.  Didn’t get workable shots of all of them but I saw Greater Flamingoes, Capped Wheatear and quite a few yellow-morph Crimson Breasted Shrikes.  Great viewing.

Overall I am very pleased with the resulting images even though the images I had in mind did not quite materialize.   It helps, when you head out for a day of photography, to have a goal.  An idea of what you want to photograph.  And how.

A lot of the time things don’t work out exactly like you were hoping for which means you need to still keep your eyes open for other photo opportunities.

Either way, prepare yourself for a serious dose of frustration!  Especially when you are photographing birds.

They never sit still or exactly where you want them.  They take flight too soon or too late.  They fly in the wrong direction.

But you gotta love it!

Here are a few of the images I got of a small Malachite Kingfisher.  Found this little guy early in the morning and even though he was busy hunting, did everything he could to not sit in the sunny spots I was hoping for.

Eventually I had to play with some fill flash as he favored a little cove nest to the road and right in the shade.  Took a few attempts, as he did not sit still for too long, but so far I quite like the results.  Looking forward to checking out the rest of the photographs when I have a moment.

Anyway, tomorrow is Worldwide Photowalk day so if you are walking somewhere in the world, enjoy!!  If you are joining me for the Melville walk, I’ll see you nice and early in the morning! (I will send out a message confirming meeting time and place.)  Looking forward to a fun morning of photography!

I’ll be back next week with more images from the Pilanesberg and, hopefully, a few new ones from Madikwe as well!

Been a helluva week but some sense of normality should return next week! Have a good one!

Gerry