The timing was right on point for the nesting Black Skimmers tour! We had lots of fuzzy chicks running around, amid adults who were hard at work fishing and feeding the youngsters. The 2027 date will be June 12th-13th. Send me an email at steven@stevenbirdphotography.com if you are interested 🙂 Note that I still have 2 open spots for the October 10th-11th 2026 Florida shorebirds & wading birds tour.
ISO 3200 | f/4 | 1/2000 sec. | Manual mode
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS with the Sony A1 mark II
This is a backlit image created a few minutes after sunrise. While the adult Black Skimmer is handing a freshly caught fish to its young, you may see the rim of light around the young bird. The feather fuzz against the sunrise rays is what is creating this effect. The key here is to overexpose sufficiently to beat the sun and get details and good lighting on the birds while shooting against the sun.
ISO 1000 | f/5.6 | 1/4000 sec. | Manual mode
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS with the Sony A1 mark II coupled with a 1.4x extender
A recent storm had pushed the tide a bit higher than usual, creating a few areas with very shallow water depth. Recognizing an excellent opportunity to engineer images with subjects surrounded by blue I directed the group to the right position to capture this unique setting. In a more normal situation, the ground would have been the sand instead…
ISO 2500 | f/8 | 1/3200 sec. | Manual mode
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS with the Sony A1 mark II coupled with 2x extender
There were quite a few young chicks out in the open. See two of them interacting near an adult in the image above. We admired them playing, running, eating and rough housing. Check out the open egg shell to the right.
ISO 2500 | f/5.6 | 1/5000 sec. | Manual mode
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS with the Sony A1 mark II
And of course, we were able to photograph the adults doing what they do best: skimming on the water surface to catch fish for the kiddos!! 🙂
Florida Shorebirds & Wading Birds Photography Tour – $1,090
October 10th-11th 2026 / limit 6 people – 2 open
3 shoots and 1 over-the-shoulder Photoshop tutoring => 3 shoots at Fort Desoto Park. $250 deposit. Send me an email at steven@stevenbirdphotography.com to book your spot.
Black Skimmers Colony Photography Workshop – $1,190
June 12th-13th 2027 / limit 6 people – 5 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 to book your spot.
East Florida Fishing Ospreys / Spoonbills mix Photography Tour
March 13th-14th 2027 (Airboat option $1,690) / limit 4 people – 3 open
April 10th-11th 2027 (Fishing Jetty option $1,590) / limit 5 people – 4 open
3 shoots and 1 over-the-shoulder Photoshop tutoring => 1 pontoon boat-based Osprey shoots at the Vero Beach Cypress Lake + 1 land-based Spoonbills shoot at a local rookery + either (i) 1 shoot at the fishing jetty or (ii) 1 airboat shoot. $250 deposit. Send me an email at steven@stevenbirdphotography.com to book your spot.