The February session of the Tampa Bay Spoonbills was a blast! Thanks to a memorable first morning, the tour was the best so far this year.
ISO 1000 | f/5.6 | 1/4000 sec. | Manual mode | AF-C Zone Focus Area
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS with 1.4x extender and the Sony Alpha 1
The image above is the epitome of the type of images I have been working on creating at the Tampa Bay Spoonbills rookery. Thanks to low tides and a Northern wind, the tides pulled quite far from the island, forcing the birds to come out to the blue water for feeding and hanging out. The result is some potential for great action on the blue water in the early morning. All the conditions were there! I particularly like the fully stretched wings on this bird, with one foot splashing in the water and an open beak.
ISO 1000 | f/5.6 | 1/4000 sec. | Manual mode | AF-C Zone Focus Area
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS with 1.4x extender and the Sony Alpha 1
The birds were landing, taking off and feeding. The image above shows a beautiful Spoonbill feeding. We have a nice water splash between the beak and the water. Note the intense red on the upper wings and the yellow around the eyes and the shoulders.
ISO 500 | f/5.6| 1/4000 sec. | Manual mode | AF-C Zone Focus Area
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS with 1.4x extender and the Sony Alpha 1
The flight shot above is from the afternoon session. While there tends to be less activity from the birds at that time, we have the opportunity of creating images from different angles. Shooting from the boat helps placing the dark blue water behind the birds, even when they are in flight.
Ospreys / Spoonbills mix Photography Tour – $1,490
March 18th-19th 2023 / limit 5 people – 1 open
3 shoots and 1 over-the-shoulder Photoshop tutoring => 2 boat-based Osprey shoots at the Vero Beach Cypress Lake + 1 land-based Spoonbills shoot at a local rookery. $250 deposit. Send me an email at steven@stevenbirdphotography.com .
Black Skimmers Colony Photography Workshop – $1,190
June 3rd-4th 2023 / limit 6 people – 1 open
3 shoots and 1 over-the-shoulder Photoshop tutoring => 3 shoots at the Sarasota Bay Black Skimmers colony. We shoot along the beach, where the nesting colony is easily accessible. $250 deposit. Send me an email at steven@stevenbirdphotography.com .
Tampa Bay Spoonbills Rookery Photography Tour – $1,590
January 21st-22nd 2023 / limit 5 people – Full
February 18th-19th 2023 / limit 5 people – Full
April 15th-16th 2023 / limit 5 people – 1 open
3 shoots and 1 over-the-shoulder Photoshop tutoring => 3 shoots at the Tampa Bay Spoonbills rookery. We typically shoot while wading in the water in the mornings and from the boat in the afternoon. $250 deposit. Send me an email at steven@stevenbirdphotography.com .
