Do you wait for optimal light conditions when you are taking photographs? This past weekend I watched a number of videos of landscape photographers in action. “Action” might be a slight exaggeration, because it seemed like they spent a lot of time waiting for the perfect lighting conditions before they took their shots. The landscape photographers had pre-scouted their locations and watched the weather forecasts and knew the kind of images they hoped to capture.
Yesterday I did a posting that talked about the importance of shooting with whatever gear you have. My approach to weather and lighting is similar. I go out whenever I can and try to make the best of whatever conditions I find myself in. As I have mentioned before, I also tend to be an opportunistic shooter, so I never know what I will see and therefore can’t pre-plan my shots.
That was the situation early one morning last week as I wandered the trails at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The skies were heavily overcast and the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) that I spotted in a tree was far away.
So what did I do? I tried to capture some of the different poses of the eagle from as many different angles as I could. I worked the scene, knowing full well that none of my photos would be great.
Some say that if you want to be a professional photographer, you only display your best work. That may be true, but that is one of the reasons why I don’t particularly aspire to be a professional. As the subheading of my blog suggests, I’m on a creative journey with photography—I am content to share with others the images that I am able to capture.
As a child, I remember begin told repeatedly to do the best that I can and I continue to follow that advice to this day.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Well I am always impressed by your photography, professional or not. I wonder if at times it is more freeing to be caught up in the moment and capture than have to consider composition and equipment. This bald eagle looks like he found the only branch to land on in Antarctica. I really like the clear details of the eagle and his poised considerations contrasted against the stark nothingness of the white noise behind him.
Thanks for your wonderful words and especially your poetic description of the image. You make a very interesting observation about getting “caught up in the moment” and how freeing it can be not to worry about camera settings etc. For me, after several years of frequent shooting, I shoot mostly instinctively, without having to think consciously abut them. It’s a strange combination of eye training and muscle memory. You have discovered one of my “secrets”–I post the images that I like or that make some kind of impression on me, undeterred by technical concerns or worries about marketability. That is a liberating feeling.
So glad that we can be on this creative journey with you! Great shots!
Yes! I agree with you! A “True Professional” makes the most of what they are given, i.e. weather, light, lens, camera, etc. You have proven yourself a “very capable photographer”, especially in all kinds of environments and lighting. The word Professional is loosely used these days, the true meaning is that they make a living doing it, not really their skill level or quality level. I have always enjoyed your images and like the quality of your images and your words and look forward to seeing your images! One of my favorite blogs! Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Reed, for your very kind words. I get the sense that we are kindred spirits in the way that we think and approach our photography. In many ways I prefer the word “amateur,” because at its root it points out the motivation for doing an activity–we do it out of love.
If you do all the prep work for wildlife photography you will have a fairly empty memory card.
One of the joys of digital photography is that we can be profligate in taking shots, which is almost always necessary when shooting breathing subjects.
Benjamin is very impressed with your photos. One by one as I enlarged each, he examined them from top to bottom and side to side. Then he had me go back to the first photo and with a mischievous smile said : “The Eagle is saying : ‘Wait, I’m not ready yet!’ This is the bestest one, I love his tongue showing and his humongous sharp talons!” We think your photos are perfect! Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!
Thanks for the feedback, Ellen. Benjamin is so sweet. The first image is also my favorite, mostly because the eagle has such an unusual expression.
Keep doing your own thing Mike, there are no rules and if you like your results that’s all that matters, always look forward to your posts.