Picture Of The Week 07-11-11

Where: Outer Banks, NC • Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

Notes: Capturing flight shots is one area that continues to be "hit or miss" for me. Movement in itself does not lend itself to still shots. Then comes the coordination of finding the bird with the lens, achieving focus and maintaining that focus while tracking the bird. Then you have little control over background and light direction too. This one day I had more opportunities to capture a flight photo as any I have experienced (so far). On the northern tip of Pea Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina is where I was that day. The Pelicans were sitting in large groups on the beach and in the water. Others dove constantly for fish in the surf. Least Terns, Caspian, Common, Sandwich, and Gull Billed Terns flew past up and down the beach. Schools of small fish were obviously swimming along the shoreline and the birds knew it. There was a constant flow of activity. So I picked a spot that put the sun to my back and waited for the birds to fly past. If nothing else, I was able to get a lot of practice.

Equipment: Canon EOS 40D • Canon 400mm Prime f-5.6 L Series Lens • Handheld

Exposure: Shutter Speed = 1/3200 second • Aperture = f 7.1 • Exposure Mode = Aperture Priority • Focus Mode: AiServo • Lens (Focal) Length = 400 mm • ISO = 400 • Aprox. Camera Distance = ~30 Feet • Date Shot: 06-10-11

©2011 Robert W. Schamerhorn. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.