Taking off in the rain

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Taking off in the rain

December 30, 2013 by Mike Powell

Do you like long walks in the rain? Although this sounds like a question for an on-line dating service, it’s really about your style of photography.

I enjoy taking wildlife photos in the rain, if the rain is not coming down too hard and if it is not too windy. Of course, I can’t control the intensity of the rain, so I have various levels of protection. Generally, I’ll try to hold an umbrella in one hand and shoot one-handed, steadying my shot by leaning against the umbrella handle, if possible. If the rain starts to fall harder I’ll cover up my camera inside my raincoat or sometimes will pull out a plastic trash bag for additional protection until the rain slows down.

Last week, I was walking in the rain at Huntley Meadows Park, my local marshland park, when I came upon a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), standing on the boardwalk. I approached the heron quietly and stopped. The heron was looking right at me and somehow I knew that it was going to take off.

I dropped to one knee, turned the camera sideways, and pulled way back on the zoom lens, hoping to fit the heron into the frame. This image was shot at 75mm on a 70-300mm lens, so you can tell that I was relatively close to the heron. The other settings were f5, 1/400 sec., and ISO 500 for those who might be interested in the technical aspects of the shot.

It’s always interesting to see which birds are active in the rain and I did get some shots of other birds that day, but I will save them for another blog posting.

Posted in Art, Birds, Nature, Photography, Portraits, wildlife, Winter | Tagged Alexandria VA, Ardea herodias, birds in flight, Canon 50D, Canon 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens, Great Blue Heron, heron, Huntley Meadows Park, rain | 15 Comments

15 Responses

on December 30, 2013 at 7:35 am | Reply Victor Rakmil

Marvellous shot. Just great!
- on December 30, 2013 at 7:37 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Victor. I love trying to get shots of Great Blue Herons, one of my favorite birds to photograph
on December 30, 2013 at 7:55 am | Reply iseebeautyallaroundbyrobpaine

mike, your photos never cease to amaze me. What a photo! Happy New Year, Rob
- on December 30, 2013 at 8:10 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Rob. I try to be out in shooting as often as I can and somehow opportunities arise. Best wishes to you too for a wonderful new year.
on December 30, 2013 at 8:21 am | Reply Dan Traun - Outdoor Guy Photography

congratz! great shot. love the rain.
- on December 31, 2013 at 6:12 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Dan. This new year, I may try to get better protective gear for my equipment–I don’t mind getting wet, but I would rather not douse my gear.
on December 30, 2013 at 9:50 am | Reply Joe Schelling

Yep, that is one fabulous photo, Mike. Despite the conditions, the tight focus and exposure of its head is excellent. Always tough getting those colors right and that sharp a shot.
on December 30, 2013 at 9:56 am | Reply naturesnippets

That’s dedication and determination … and a great shot
on December 30, 2013 at 4:40 pm | Reply nliakos

All I can say is. . . WOW!
on December 30, 2013 at 5:15 pm | Reply krikitarts

How rewarding! The rain makes this one even more special. You’ve caught him beautifully, even his bright yellow eye–one to be really proud of!
on December 31, 2013 at 6:21 am | Reply New Hampshire Gardener

Nice shot! It’s not every day that you can get that close to a heron.
- on December 31, 2013 at 6:24 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. I suspect that the rain had dampened the sound of my footsteps and lowered a bit the heron’s defenses.
on December 31, 2013 at 10:45 am | Reply Ed

Perfection! Right place at the right time..:-))
Happy New Year!!
on January 6, 2014 at 6:57 am | Reply Violet's Veg*n e-comics

Wow, magnificent 🙂
- on January 6, 2014 at 8:22 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. It’s a little crazy to be out in the rain like that, but sometime it gives good results.