Tag: reflection

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Snowy Egret Reflection (Photo of the week)

A Snowy Egret is reflected in shallow water in early morning

This photo was take this week just after sunrise. When I got to the area in which I wanted to shoot, I looked for a spot next to a pond where lots of birds were congregating. As I approached that area, they all moved to the opposite side of the pond (as expected). However, I just sat down and waited, knowing they’d be back.

By lowering my tripod close to the ground and sitting behind it, I accomplished two things. First, I knew by my low profile and by keeping very still, the birds would stop perceiving me as a threat and move back to their original locations. Second, by getting down to their eye level, I could create more intimate images of the various species.

This egret actually showed up to the pond just after I did, apparently unaware (or uncaring) that I was hunkered down beside the shoreline.

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Creativity tip #1 – Shoot close to home

Turning orange and yellow at sunset, clouds are reflected in the still waters of the San Francisco Bay. The sky has been cleansed by a passing storm. Foster City, California.

Don’t wait for the weekend or vacations to get out the camera. Take one along with you as you go about your every day life. You never know when you might have an opportunity to capture something unexpected.

Even when I don’t have my camera with me (which isn’t TOO often!), I’m constantly on the lookout for interesting ideas for photographs. I get especially excited when I see opportunities for shots that are outside of the subject I normally shoot (nature, landscape, wildlife, etc). This helps keep my creativity going, especially when I’m stuck close to home for long stretches of time.

The moon rises over the San Francisco Bay at sunset.

While working one afternoon last week I could see out my window that there were some pretty interesting looking clouds lining up over the bay after a particularly wet winter storm had passed through. I quickly checked my tide chart and saw that it would be low tide right around sunset. It was a quick 5 minute drive out to the edge of the bay, and only 30-40 minutes out of my day. By being on the lookout for something that caught my eye during my day-to-day life, I was able to capture some beautiful colors in the heart of an urban environment of over six million people.

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Great Egret At Dawn (Photo of the week)

A great egret searching for food is reflected in early morning light
A great egret searching for food is reflected in early morning light

Usually, capturing dynamic interesting light requires getting up very early in the morning. Luckily, this is also the time of day where birds tend to be very active. This week’s photo was taken near my house, in a slough extending from the San Francisco Bay. The calm water of the early morning was perfect for great reflections, and I was rewarded with lots of feeding and preening activity.

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Emigrant Lake Reflection (Photo of the week)

Mountains south of Emigrant Lake are reflected in the early morning light, Emigrant Wilderness, California
Mountains south of Emigrant Lake are reflected in the early morning light, Emigrant Wilderness, California

This week’s photo comes from a backpacking trip I did this summer with a friend. Emigrant Wilderness is a backpacker’s gem, especially once you get out of range of day hikers. Easily accessible from the San Francisco Bay Area, it is often overlooked due to Yosemite’s popularity. Once in the southern part of the wilderness which borders Yosemite’s northern boundary, it is not uncommon to go days without seeing another person.

This morning we had gotten up early and were on the trail by 6:30. We had situated our camp so that we would cross Emigrant Lake’s northern side just as the rising sun was cutting across the water at a low angle, bathing the southern mountains in beautiful light, and giving me a nice reflection in the lake. The lush grass along the shore was a bonus – the long shadows across the grass give a real sense of early morning stillness.

Here are some other shots from the same trip:

Granite stone and green grasses lead to Emigrant Lake, Emigrant Wilderness, California
Granite stone and green grasses lead to Emigrant Lake, Emigrant Wilderness, California
Yellow wildflowers dominate the grasses of Upper Relief Valley, Emigrant Wilderness, California
Yellow wildflowers dominate the grasses of Upper Relief Valley, Emigrant Wilderness, California
Jagged stump overlooks the western end of Emigrant Lake, Emigrant Wilderness, California
Jagged stump overlooks the western end of Emigrant Lake, Emigrant Wilderness, California

Copyright 2017 Hank Christensen