Action Bird Photography with the Canon 7d Mark ii in the Sarasota Bay

This post could have been titled three squawks for three poses!! I always enjoy photographing in the Sarasota Bay, and that 2 hour shoot in the Bay last month did not disappoint. Yet another demonstration of action Bird Photography with the Canon 7d mark ii for sure.

First, as this is likely to be my last post before the holidays, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!!!!!

Snowy Egret landing – Sarasota Bay, Florida
ISO 320 | f/4 | 1/6400 sec. | Manual mode | AI servo rear focusing
This photograph was created with the Canon 600mm f/4 L IS II USM lens (Canon 600mm f/4 L IS II USM review), the Canon EOS 7D mark II on tripod with gimbal head.

The Snowy Egret image above is quite striking with the diagonal side way landing. The situation was that this particular Snowy Egret is known to me as quite feisty. So, I usually pay close attention to possible new comings in the vicinity to see what kind of chase is going to follow. The key is to not have your eye stuck to the view finder and look around every so often. Surely enough, my favorite feisty Egret spotted a new comer and propelled itself sideways in the air to land close in a furious squawking demonstration. 🙂

Roseate Spoonbill squawking – Sarasota Bay, Florida
ISO 320 | f/4 | 1/6400 sec. | Manual mode | AI servo rear focusing
This photograph was created with the Canon 600mm f/4 L IS II USM lens (Canon 600mm f/4 L IS II USM review), the Canon EOS 7D mark II on tripod with gimbal head.

While the image above was not taken in the Tampa Bay Spoonbill rookery, I find it extremely pleasing with a bright blue grey blurry background. In this case, the bird had approached too close to me for proper horizontal framing, so I switched to vertical to still make it fit! Then, the pleasing background is a result of careful shooting angle, sun angle, background angle and head angle. Once you understand the four angles of success, you will re-think your photography in a very different light.

Great White Egret banking in flight – Sarasota Bay, Florida
ISO 320 | f/4 | 1/6400 sec. | Manual mode | AI servo rear focusing
This photograph was created with the Canon 600mm f/4 L IS II USM lens (Canon 600mm f/4 L IS II USM review), the Canon EOS 7D mark II on tripod with gimbal head.

This spot in the Sarasota Bay can be a bit challenging for banking shots. There is in fact a narrow window of opportunity when some birds turn around with decent sun angle. The way I see it, instead of following and shooting the bird in flight wherever there is a flying movement, I look for a shooting zone and wait for a bird to have a flight course that is likely to cross it. I much rather take less shots and wait for the right moment…

Florida Spoonbills and Shorebirds photography workshop – $990

Feb 20th-21st 2016 / limit 6 people – FULL

Mar 19th-20th 2016 / limit 6 people – FULL

Apr 16th-17th 2016 / limit 6 people – FULL

Contact me at steven.blandin@gmail.com to be put on the waiting list for possible cancellations or for 2017. Cancellations do happen, so it is not excluded you might still get to join me in 2016.

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Steven