Photo of the Week

April 12, 2010January 14, 2013

Snowy Egret Reflection (Photo of the week)

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.

April 5, 2010January 14, 2013

Deception Pass Sunset (Photo of the week)

At the northern tip of Whidbey Island sits Deception Pass. Whidbey Island sits just off the coast of Washington State, one of several islands comprising Island County. In the late 1800’s the Deception Pass area was used for smuggling Chinese immigrants into Washington.

I had hoped to catch a nice sunset over the open water to the east of Deception Pass, however, I was met with dense cloud cover about 30 minutes before sunset. Just as the sun hit the horizon, the clouds started to break up, allowing a little of the sunset’s dramatic light to escape. Silhouetted fir trees and the shoreline help to frame the scene.

March 27, 2010January 14, 2013

Trumpeter Swan (Photo of the week)

Trumpeter Swan and Juvenile — A trumpeter swan spreads its wings in a green, wetland field.

On a recent trip up to Seattle, my wife and I came across a large green field full of resting trumpeter swans on their way up north during spring migration. With around 200 swans, their honking created quite a din.

Reaching a wing span of 8 feet and weighing as much as 30 pounds, these are North America’s largest native bird. Like many large birds, trumpeter swans were hunted close to extinction in the 1920’s, primarily used for their feathers with which to decorate women’s hats. At one point, the world’s known population had fallen to 69 birds. Due to conservation efforts, the species population as grown to about 34,000 birds today.

March 22, 2010January 14, 2013

Ocean Dawn (Photo of the week)

Winter and early spring is a great time to shoot sunrise out at the coast – there are fewer mornings of the dense fog common in the summer. It can be quite frustrating to get out of bed 1 to 1 1/2 hours before sunrise (it is best to be in place at least 30 minutes before sunrise), drive out to the coast, only to find a thick marine layer obscuring your view and all of the good light. However, those special mornings when everything seems to click make it all worth the effort.

Realistically, many people only shoot sunsets, and usually only serendipitously. It can be a great way to capture being in a special place at a special time. The next time you see a beautiful sunset, take a few moments to point your lens at your surroundings, especially if the western horizon is clear of clouds. Sometimes the most glorious (reflected) light will be directly behind you.