Great Blue Heron In Flight (Seven Photographs)

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The B&W, and its color counterpart below, with the complete shadow cast on the water are my favorites in this series. I said at the beginning of this year I would do more birds in flight, and I have achieved that goal in this and other series, some posted, some to come. Once you get the hang of swiveling with your hips, understanding the focusing settings in camera, there is still practice to get it all working and working well. Some birds give you warning they are about to fly off, but not all. At the park where I shoot I often go down a path, to a break in the foliage looking out over the lake. The opening is well hidden and while you have a clear view to the front, the sides are obscured by bush. One day, just as I arrived at this spot a Great Blue Heron banked a few feet in front of my face, I expect it had intended to land where I was standing and we were both startled. In that case I never got a shot off because after I caught my breath the bird was well away.