Immature Great Blue Heron in flight right after lift off – Showing the hand of man – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I went to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday morning where the sky was mostly clear, the temps were pleasantly cool and the views were spectacular. Autumn on the refuge is lovely. However; it was harder to find birds close enough to photograph than I had hoped for. A strong cold front should change that. I hope.
From a long way off I could see a bird perched on the old observation deck on the southeast side of the auto tour route. At first I thought the bird might be a Canada Goose but then the bird stood taller, straightened its neck and I could see that it was a Great Blue Heron. When I was able to focus on the Great Blue Heron through my viewfinder I could also see that it was an immature, hatch year bird.
I took a series of images of the young Great Blue Heron as it walked around on the railing of the observation deck and as it took off to join a raven that was poking its head into the vegetation out on the marsh.
When the immature Great Blue Heron took off I was able to capture a nice series of images off it lifting off and in flight. Today I wanted to share one of those images with and without the hand of man.
This first image shows the young heron right after it lifted off and the railing of the observation deck, the sky, the distant Promontory Mountains and a horde of midges surrounding the bird.
All of those tiny black specks in the sky and on the railing in these photos are midges and there might be a bunch of mosquitoes among them too judging from how many times they bit me as I photographed this heron.
I don’t mind the hand of man, or hand of human, showing in this photo. I photograph birds where I find them and sometimes that means that there will be human made items in the frame, some that are obvious and not so obvious.
Immature Great Blue Heron in flight right after lift off – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
A different crop of the same image file can remove the obvious signs of the hands of humans by cropping out the railing of the observation deck.
Is one of these immature Great Blue Heron images more visually appealing than the other? That depends on the personal tastes of the person viewing them.
Me? I like them both.
Why? Because with or without the hand of man the young heron in flight is what immediately grabs my attention.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Great Blue Heron photos plus facts and information about this species.
Wonderful photos of one of my favorite birds!
Curiously, your definition of “hand of man” in photography is different than mine –
but I’m an amateur so most likely I have it wrong!
I have always thought that “hand of man” was any interference the photographer made in the natural habitat while shooting the photo.
So, for instance, if a leaf were blocking a shot to a nest of hatchlings, a “no hand of man” purist (like me) would not move the leaf, and
would accept the shot with the leaf interference. A person comfortable with the “hand of man” creating a more “perfect” photo, would snip the leaf from the tree to obtain “better” shots.
I look at your photos above and accept all elements – the mosquitos, the building – as part of the natural habitat of that particular bird.
Ive never thought of that as “hand of man” interference. Although, now you have me thinking! 🙂
The natural habitat of the city pigeon is pretty much 100% man-made materials, but that’s its natural setting.
If a photographer were to add a tree branch to a city pigeon shot, I would consider that an interference of the hand of man.
You’ve given me much to ponder!
Thanks Mia!
Both are beautiful. And I do love the way that so many birds adapt to (and make use of) our handiwork. Sigh at the bitey beasts though.
We need more birds to help eat the plethora of the late hatch insects.
I feel the same as Liz, Great shots!
In the first photo, it shows the relative size of the Great Blue Heron compared to the railing of the observation deck. I like them both too. You really see the midges and mosquitoes in the photos.
Hrons_so lovely