Taking Flight (slow motion experiment)

 

This is an experiment in time as much as capturing the geese in flight. Except for the last clip everything was slowed to either half or quarter speed. In most cases the eye accepts half speed as real but quarter speed has very limited uses if the illusion of reality is to be maintained.

Snow Geese at 16K

I just returned from Loess Bluffs NWR at Mound City, MO. and was surprised to learn yesterday's count was about 750,000 geese. However, the biggest surprise was quality of images shot at an ISO of 16,000, almost literally shots in the dark. I moved back to Canon after an experiment with Sony and this was its shakedown visit. Both shots recorded using auto focus.

ISO 16,000, 1/8 sec @ f5.6

ISO 16,000, 1/60 sec @ f4.0

Slow Motion Flight

 

There are plenty opportunities for birds in Yellowstone and I could not pass up this chance to film flight in slow motion. I started doing slow motion last summer on my iPhone getting hooked on it. Recorded at 1/8 normal speed using a Sony RX10ii.

A morning with the cranes

I recorded this one morning a couple weeks ago. I like to watch the cranes wake up routine and listen to their raucous calling as they leave the roost each morning. As the season progresses they spend more time warming up making for even more interesting dancing and stretching routines.

Spring Pelicans

The recent cool weather not only reminded me of the upcoming season but also of an afternoon in May that was spent watching pelicans in western Minnesota. The usual location at the LacQuiParle Dam was filled with fisherman and therefore very few pelicans. I went up river to the Marsh Lake Dam where the pelicans were alone except for a couple fishermen and myself.

Technical: Recorded with a Canon C100 using a 100-400 mm lens.

Migration Moon

This was the scene over Squaw Creek NWR as the moon was setting as snow geese were heading out for the morning. It was hard to keep the camera on the moon when thousands of geese were lifting off behind me. 

Technical: 500 mm lens, WB at 4000

The Rhythm of Nature

I like to add background music to enhance the rhythms of nature but the the rhythm of these snow geese speaks for itself and needs no improvement. I was mesmerized by their motion and rhythm as thousands of birds flew in unison. The flight took place in near darkness one morning at Squaw Creek NWR. ISO sensitivity ranged from 8000-16000, yes 16,000! Recorded with a Canon C100 using a 100-400 lens. White balance at 6000k.

Bald Eagle Dinner

I spent the the entire afternoon watching a flock of ducks and several bald eagles with no action. Suddenly about 15 minutes before sunset an eagle swooped down and grabbed a mallard. I missed the grab but hit the record button a second later to get this footage. This might be amazing to me but the background sound reminds me that is a normal day in the lives of ducks and eagles.

Technical: slight cropping of birds on ice

Morning Blastoff

I see several possible titles for this image. "Waiting for my turn." and "Waiting for breakfast." along with a couple others. About 200 eagles were at the refuge and dining well on injured ducks and geese. I like the layers showing the different stages of flight in the morning blastoff. Shutter speed: 1/20 second at f22.

Leader of the Flock

I often wonder who goes first and why. The decision seems to be made a few seconds before lift off when there is near silence followed by an organized explosion of thousands of birds taking to the air. After lift off there seems to be confusion as the birds circle repeatedly looking for a place to land.

Technical: 1/15 second, ISO 1250. WB@5500

Elegant Pelicans

A flock of pelicans soaring is a complete contradiction to their ungainly appearance in the water. Other birds may soar but as a flock pelicans are one of the most graceful birds I have seen.

The Sky is Full

My wife has been telling me about the number of birds in the fields she sees on the way to work. This weekend I had a chance to see them and take a couple shots. I am amazed at the organization of flocks.  Who leads? Who gives the fly and land signals? 

Technical: 200 mm focal length on Canon 7D, cloudy white balance. Image chosen from several because corners of frame were filled more than other choices.

Fire and Snow Geese Video

Fire and Snow Geese at Squaw Creek NWR from Dale Bohlke on Vimeo.
Last Thursday I went Squaw Creek to photograph a few hundred thousand snow geese with a blue sky as background. The drama of smoke and fire coupled with birds in the air was much more interesting than the blue sky I was expecting.

Fire and Snow Geese

My trip to Squaw Creek NWR in Missouri was short but unique.  I arrived Thursday afternoon and found a controlled burn in progress.  The birds were quiet but otherwise unaffected.  Cinders were falling from the air as I was torn between watching the fire and the birds.  The blue sky and 62 degree temperature were a welcome relief to our Minnesota March.

The Subject

Continuing my musings from Monticello. We have all seen the iconic swan flap, what else are the swans doing?  Overhead flight against a blue sky, maybe worth a shot or two.  How about making flight the subject, not the birds?  This image is about flight, speed, motion, movement, and direction.  Technical: 1/5 second shutter speed.

Flight in B & W

One of the goals I have is taking shots that I have not seen before.  This can be frustrating at times with common subjects.  Canada geese are everywhere and to tell the truth I don't find them visually interesting.  Nonetheless, if it is in the viewfinder I'll shoot it.

Time Flies

I taught a class on Saturday and afterward it was time for reflection.  The class is a basic DSLR class which has been given at least a dozen times.  Of all the classes I have given since 2006, this is my favorite.  Many classes are a struggle with the students never really grasping the joy of using their camera.  This class is different, each time there is a "lightbulb" moment for at least one of the students which makes it all worthwhile.