I spent an afternoon last weekend sweltering on a hillside, photographing kangaroos for the Victorian Kangaroo Alliance. It was hot and hazy, and my favourite shot of the day wasn’t a kangaroo but this male Superb Fairywren.
1/1000, f/5.0, ISO 1600 – handheld
Canon R5, Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM
He landed on distant bracken to survey his territory – such a handsome fellow! The detail is as superb as the fairywren and I absolutely love the curves formed by the bracken. I’m wanting to print this shot, maybe cropped a little wider, maybe not, as it emphasises how tiny these birds really are.
1/1000, f/4.5, ISO 1600 – handheld
Canon R5, Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM
I took this week’s photographs as I was heading back down the hillside, the sun was getting low and a few clouds were scudding across the sky. I photographed these kangaroos just a few minutes after photographing the fairywren. Already I had lost some light so I changed the f/stop to allow more light to the sensor. I shoot fully manual as I like the control that gives me when choosing shutter speeds and depth of field settings according to the wildlife I’m photographing. So much depends on the size of the subject, the lighting, the activity, the distance between me and the subject and between the subject and the background – all very fascinating to a photographer and probably very boring for anyone who just enjoys looking at the photographs!
1/1000, f/4.5, ISO 1600 – handheld
Canon R5, Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM
Fairly often people mention that one of my shots would look good as a painting, and they often do. I find the comments interesting though as sometimes they seem to imply that it would be improved that way (and maybe it would – there are so many incredibly talented artists out there!). Though I think it sometimes comes from an awareness of the work it takes to create a painting without a corresponding understanding of the work it takes to create a photograph. I might travels for hours, even days, for a photograph. I might take hundreds, even thousands, before capturing one that I love. So while I truly admire beautiful artwork based on photographs, I am generally more in awe of the photographer than of the painting.
Several people have mentioned that they think this week’s fairywren photograph looks like embroidery – that is fascinating, and lovely.
Happy birding, Kim
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You are an artist – just as a painter/sculptor is and I am in awe at your creations.
The fairy wren does indeed look like an embroidery – a particularly intricate one.
Thank you so much for sharing your creations and your delight in and concern for the natural world.
Thanks EC. A photography friend of mine wanted to join a local art group some years ago and was told he couldn’t as photography isn’t art – that created a long and complex discussion!