Rainy Days – Time to Review and Redo

 White Ibis  in the surf –  Nikon D70, handheld, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 200, Nikkor 70-300mm VR at 300mm, natural light

Yesterday the monsoons came up from the south which meant lots of rain on moisture laden winds. It brought bad light along with it. It was not optimal for bird photography I had hoped to do so I decided to open up some folder of images I had taken in 2007 and review them again. My life gets pretty busy so I don’t often get the opportunity to go that far back.

Rainy days are a perfect time to go back, review and possibly redo. My skills as a photographer have grown since then and the techniques I use in post processing have become more refined. After not seeing the images for so long I can look at them with fresh eyes too.

I’m not sure why I had never processed the White Ibis image above until yesterday. I love the splashing surf, how the blue eye of the White Ibis matches the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico that is behind it.  I also like the raised foot and how the light seemed to light up the plumage of the bird.

Great Blue Heron striking at prey –  Nikon D70, f5.6, 1/1250, ISO 200, Nikkor 70-300mm VR at 240mm, natural light

I found several images I couldn’t resist processing and the Great Blue Heron above was another one that seemed to catch my eye. The heron was so intent on hunting small baitfish that were being washed up into the shallows by the waves that it barely paid attention to me while I sat on the sloping shore photographing it. I’m glad I’m not a small fish, that bill looks razor sharp.

These images were taken with an “ancient” Nikon D70 and the Nikkor 70-300mm VR lens which doesn’t have a whole lot of reach for bird photography but in some places it is enough. Many of birds on or near the beaches in Florida are used to people walking by, running along the beach or gathering shells so they aren’t as likely to take flight as soon as birds will that aren’t used to being around people.

Snowy Egret with open bill –  Nikon D70, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 200, Nikkor 70-300mm VR at 300mm, natural light

I really like the open bill of this Snowy Egret, the way the light struck the white feathers of the bird and the beautiful blue water. Again; I’m not sure why it took me so long to process this image.

Rainy days aren’t so bad.

Mia