It is always fun to photograph familiar subjects in an unexpected environment. This past week I spotted a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) amidst the rocks and other debris at the edge of the water at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge rather than in the vegetation where I normally see cardinals.
I was delighted to be able to capture a series of images as the cardinal moved about on the rocks and eventually made his way to the water. He dipped his head to take a drink, but his face was completely hidden from view, so I was not able to capture that moment.
On the whole, though, I really like the balance I was able to achieve in showing both the primary subject and the environment in which I found him—the brightness of the cardinal’s red body definitely helped him to stand out from the somewhat cluttered background and foreground despite the fact that he filled only a small part of the frame.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
😊
Lovely photos as always Mike.
Thanks, Michelle.
Excellent work!
Nice series, Mike!
I like the first image with the Cardinal and nothing but gray rocks.
Thanks, Wally. That first shot is probably the most unusual of the set, because of the way the cardinal is surrounded by all of the rocks. My personal favorite is probably the third one. 🙂
Love these!
Thanks, Therese. I get special pleasure in being able to capture cool images of familiar birds.
Wonderful captures, and yes, such and unique backdrop for this cardinal.