Just a quick bit of fun to cap the week. I was out shooting wildlife a while back at Shoreline Park in Mountain View, CA and came across this curious blacktail jackrabbit.
A blacktail jackrabbit lopes along a path at Shoreline Lake, Mountain View, CA
I was walking down a path photographing birds and turned around and noticed that this guy was following me at a distance. Taking a chance (as they usually spook easily), I turned my lens back toward him and caught this photo.
A blacktail jackrabbit lopes along a path at Shoreline Lake, Mountain View, CA
He didn’t seem too bothered and actually came a bit closer and sat down. This gave me a few moments to get some tighter head portraits. Eventually, he got up and loped off the trail into a nearby field.
A blacktail jackrabbit runs through the grass at Shoreline Lake, Mountain View, CA
He put on speed, running very fast through the short grass. Luckily I was prepared for motion, and had my camera set up with eye-autofocus and a fast shutter speed, allowing me to capture him mid run.
Overall it was a fun little encounter with an animal that usually keeps their distance. You never know what you’ll see unless you get out there.
This is a shot from a couple of years ago when I was in Vancouver, Washington. It showcases the importance of always having a photo scouting mentality, as well as perseverance to get the desired shot, even if it takes multiple visits.
I first spied this scene while on a trail run along the creek. It was midday, with horrible lighting. The wind was blowing ripples all through the water. But in my mind’s eye, I thought, “Hmmm, that might look really nice in early morning with calm water and reflections.” The sun rises behind the mountain, so I figured about 15 minutes before dawn could light up the sky, if the conditions were correct.
So I mentally marked down the spot and continues on my run. Several weeks later the weather conditions looked promising. There were going to be mixed clouds (giving the sky a little texture), and clear skies to the east (allowing the rising sun to light the clouds and the sky without obstruction).
The run rises behind Mt. Hood on a cloudless morning, with Salmon Creek in the foreground, Vancouver, WA.
The image above is what I was able to achieve that morning. The windless morning allowed reflections in the calm waters of the creek. However, the clouds in the sky never materialized, and I believe the atmospheric conditions were diffusing the rising sun, giving a dull yellow cast over everything. Certainly not what I had previsualized on my run.
Time to try again.
Sunrise lights up the clouds behind Mt. Hood, reflected in the still waters of Salmon Creek, Vancouver, WA.
My next try was several weeks later – the weather forecast looked promising once again. This time I was greeted by much more successful weather – lots of high clouds to reflect back the rising sun. Crisp reflections and light pastels painted the surface of the water. I spent about 15 minutes in total, just trying different things. The composition I started with however, (the one I had decided on weeks earlier on my run), was indeed my favorite, and the one I went with here.
After I took this shot and processed it to my liking, I didn’t stop thinking about what else this photo could be. I’d love to go back some day after a winter storm and get light pinks highlighting river banks of freshly fallen snow. Perhaps I will some day, but for now, I’m happy with my efforts.
After a few years hiatus on writing this blog, I’ve decided to throw myself back into it. This is mostly just to share with you what I’m up to lately photographically, and also to post a few “catch up” entries to cover some of the more notable photography I’ve done recently.
In order to warm up a little, here’s a few yard birds that took as much effort as stepping outside my house with my camera. As usual, click the photo to see a larger version.
A Say’s phoebe perches on a pine with colorful flowers in the background, Sacramento, CA.
First up is a Say’s phoebe, a pretty regular visitor around here. I managed to capture this guy with some out of focus flowers in the background adding a little interest to the portrait shot. The last couple of years these phoebes have nested and raised chicks in our back patio area.
A white-crowned sparrow perches on a tree with fall foliage, Sacramento, CA.
The white-crowned sparrow is a winter visitor, and I managed to get this one amongst the fall foliage. While I have many tight portraits of WCSs, I wanted to show a little more of the habitat here, as that was of more interest than just another portrait.
A male California quail perches on a large rock, Sacramento, CA.
Finally, I was happy to capture a California quail on some boulders in the back yard. There is a resident family around the house, and occasionally I see a couple of parents running from bush to bush with a trail of tiny little ones. They are typically hard to catch standing still, as they are very skittish. This male was showing off for his female, allowing me a few brief moments to get some shots off.
The rabbit at the top of the post is a desert cottontail munching on the back lawn. We also have much larger black-tailed jackrabbits here, and it is fun seeing them at the same time to really compare the size difference.
I’m excited to hopefully start posting again on a regular basis. Thanks to all the long time readers and commenters.
As I rounded the bend in a trail in Parc de l’Oreneta in Barcelona, I drew an audible gasp, my eyes widening in surprise. There on the ground about 30 yards in front of me was a hoopoe, digging through dead leaves and tree litter looking for his morning meal. I had been looking for this bird for the last five years, and finally, here it was quite unexpectedly in front of me! Having decorated the cover of a “birds of the world” guide on my bookshelf, the hoopoe’s beautiful feather characteristics caught my eye. Ever since, I have been hoping to photograph one in the wild. I searched for one in both Africa and India, but to no avail. For some reason, it didn’t even make my radar for target birds on this trip to Spain, yet here it was on a quiet Saturday morning in a city park.
A Eurasian hoopoe hunts through the grass for a morning snack, Parc de l’Oreneta, Barcelona, Spain.
Unfortunately, my stalking skills could not overcome this bird’s awareness, and it flew off before I could get better than distant identifying shots. No matter – I was thrilled to know this species was here, and I planned to be back in the park bright and early the next morning.
The next morning, I spent some time in an open clearing, hoping to get a hoopoe perched in the rising sun. After about an hour of searching and waiting (meanwhile photographing the many monk parakeets that dotted the trees), I decided to move into the forested part of the park. Knowing the hoopoe is a ground feeder, I picked a primitive trail, hoping to stay away from morning joggers along the larger gravel and dirt roads. The ground sloped uphill to the left of the trail, and that is where I focused my search. Soon, the rustling of leaves alerted me to a hoopoe poking through forest detritus scattered along the hillside.
A Eurasian hoopoe perches on a stout branch, Parc de l’Oreneta, Barcelona, Spain.
As I moved closer, it flushed to a nearby tree branch. I was able to get some safety shots of the hoopoe, but it was still skittish and constantly scanning its surroundings. I knew I should not get closer, and had to try a completely different approach. I moved further down the trail, then straight up the hill through the forest, lugging my 13 pound camera rig over my shoulder. Now I was able to move down the hill toward the hoopoe from a different direction. It had moved from the first branch, but looked much more relaxed in its second perch.
A Eurasian hoopoe perches on a stout branch, Parc de l’Oreneta, Barcelona, Spain.
I was able to create some wonderful portraits with a relaxed hoopoe in full view. However, I didn’t yet have the iconic hoopoe shot that I was after. With my heart beating in my chest, I slowed my breath and waited. After several minutes, the bird finally stretched out its wing as it prepared for a nap on the branch.
Stretching a wing, a Eurasian hoopoe displays its beautiful crest plumage, Parc de l’Oreneta, Barcelona, Spain.
With the stretch came that amazing crest of feathers along the top of its head. My shutter fired and I knew I had the shot I had spend 5 years hoping for.
