Photo of the Month
"My friend Doug Gardner and I passed through the Sea Pines Plantation gate on Hilton Head just before sun up this spring morning. We were headed to Lake Mary in the Forest Preserve to photograph wading birds. They spend long hours, days even, gathering nesting materials preparing for their chicks to arrive. In another month, the island would be filled with hundreds of birds, tending their clutch of chicks full time. But this trip, we were intent on photographing their nest building.
The rookery in the Forest Preserve used to be on a small island in the middle of Lake Mary. For a few months each spring, it served as home to Egrets, Herons and Ibis. We launched our kayaks into the glass-smooth water in a heavy fog counting on the fog lifting with the sunrise. The fog did eventually lift, but while waiting, I got this nice image of my friend paddling."
Eric Horan
Photo tip-exposure: With each situation you encounter outdoors, plan your gear and how you want to approach your subject. You need to pay close attention to the weather, light direction and quality for the time you will be out. When in coastal waters, study the tides. (Check local papers, tourist guides or my annual wall calendar Lowcountry 2009, South Carolina.)
Once in the field, remain open to the unexpected. Your spontaneity can bring new opportunities. In our case, we could have sat in our boats grumbling while waiting for the sun to burn through the fog. Instead we managed to capture some nice kayaking shots.
Extra precaution should be used when shooting birds on the nest and extreme care taken when they have chicks. You do not want to scare birds off their nests or worse, startle young chicks to flee the nest prematurely. The chances for their survival would not be good. The local waters are full of alligators with others predators on land such as raccoon, fox, and bobcat waiting for such a mishap. With nesting birds, it’s best to use a photo blind or position yourself with a long lens far enough away to prevent disturbing any natural behavior.
For more information visit Eric Horan's Website
southernlight.biz or call 843-524-3037