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Blacktail Jackrabbit (Photo of the week)

A blacktail jackrabbit sits in the grass, softly backlit by the setting sun

When walking out by the San Francisco Bay in the morning or evening hours, it does not take long to spot a black tail jackrabbit. This is one of a few rabbit species native to the area, not to be confused with the many domesticated feral rabbits. It also likely doesn’t take long to see one of these animals in action, most likely if they sense the threat of a predator. Running at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, they can take single leaps up to 20 feet.

Because they tend to be very wary creatures, it can be difficult to sneak up on one to photograph. Most of my photos are of their backside, as they race away from me across a mud flat or through fields of pickle weed. I got lucky with the rabbit in this week’s photo, as I was able to get off a couple of quick shots before he noticed my presence.

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They grow up so fast

An adolescent canada goose takes a break from eating grass

This adolescent canada goose was photographed a few weeks after a similar gosling in my spring babies post. While I obviously can’t guarantee it was the same chick, it was in the same location, and all of the juveniles were about the same age.

This picture shows the juvenile feather development, the development of wings, and a longer body than the chick. Each time I see canada geese in the spring and summer, I am amazed at how fast they grow. Then I see all the grass they are scarfing down, and it makes a little more sense!

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A change of scenery

In a post a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned making corrections to your background while still in the field. Another trick you can sometimes employ is to get a different look by changing the background completely. This works best when using long telephoto lenses (400 mm and up).

A great egret poses in soft evening light, preparing to fish for dinner
A great egret poses in soft evening light, preparing to fish for dinner

The great egret in the photo above was perched on a short fence, and eying the water below. He seemed to be looking for the best place to fish for dinner. I was directly in line with the angle of the sun, so as to reduce any side lighting on the egret. The foliage of a berm far behind him created a solid, even color.

I got several head poses that I liked, but since my subject was being so patient, I wanted to see if I could get a completely different background. The berm was not very high, and the evening sky above it was a nice light blue. I moved to the right and lowered my camera until I was close to the ground. This removed the berm from my background completely, and gave me the photo below with a background of sky.

A great egret poses in soft evening light, preparing to fish for dinner
A great egret poses in soft evening light, preparing to fish for dinner

Because my lens was a long telephoto, I didn’t have to move far to change my background. This is great when my subject is wildlife, and they can decide to end the photo session at any moment. However, I use the same idea even when photographing friends with shorter lenses. Taking the time to look around for different background options can give you different variations on the same subject and can lead to new, interesting photos.

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Great Egret In Morning Light (Photo of the week)

A great egret perches in early morning light, Redwood Shores, CA

This week’s photo is another of the great egrets that populate the area around my home. I took this photo at one of my favorite morning spots, where various egret species tend to congregate. This egret was in a great position to catch the early morning light. I set up my shot and waited until the first rays of the day turned his delicate white plumage a soft orange. Lucky, he seemed in no great hurry and posed for me for quite some time.

I was happy that this morning payed off. Being in the summer months, it is much more of a sacrifice to be up and photographing at dawn (which is currently at 5:45 AM). The weather, light, and yes, the birds must all be cooperating to allow successful images to be made.