Anyone Else out there Dealing with the Winter Crud??

It has been non~stop over here with cooties, cooties, and more cooties.  And no, I don't mean the game cooties.  It seems like as soon as one kid gets over being sick, a day or two later it is the other one.  Back and forth like a twisted game of tennis.  It is unseasonably warm here in the Washington DC, Northern Virginia area, but I have not been able to get out with my camera due to the black plague (slight over exaggeration) that has fallen on our house.

On a more positive note, I wanted to share with you a photo I took a week ago of my favorite American Bald Eagle.  The pair was there but by the time I grabbed my camera and changed my lens, there was only one.  I am learning with taking photos of the Bald Eagles in this tree, I have to over-expose my shot, otherwise it ends up being too dark.  What does this mean?  Well, if you are looking at your light meter, your camera "thinks" that when your cursor is in the center, it is a perfectly exposed shot.  This is a good place to start, but it is not always accurate.  Certain lighting situations require you to put that cursor a stop (one number -1) to the left (underexposing it) or a stop (one number +1) to the right (overexposing it).  I will go into this in greater detail with the tutorial I am putting together for learning how to shoot in manual.

American Bald Eagle

January 2013 

ISO 100 ~ 300mm ~ f/13 ~ 1/80 sec

© Corrie M Avila

If you are interested in obtaining FREE Facebook cover page photos, head over to Traveling Hearts Photography on Facebook!  First "like" the page and then comment on which one you want and I will send it your way.  (This photo above of the bald eagle is included.)

Hoping you are not battling the Winter Crud as badly as we have over here... but if so, know that you are not alone!  I raise my can of lysol to you and say "cheers!"  <3

Capturing the Moment,

Corrie <3

American Bald Eagles and More...

Yesterday my plans were to take the boys to the National Zoo in Washington DC.  When we were getting ready to leave the house I looked up into the sky and saw FOUR, yes FOUR bald eagles soaring high above.  They were soaring in pairs of two, so I was unable to capture all four in the same photo ~ but it was absolutely magnificent to watch.  I love this time of year when the leaves are changing color, the weather is brisk, the farmer's markets are filled with yummy pumpkin items (like pumpkin fudge <3), and the animals are all out and enjoying the weather just as much as we are.

Here is a photo of the first pair.  Even with my 70-300mm lens, the eagles were too high to get a really good photo ~ but wanted to share.

ISO 100 ~ 300mm ~ f/11 ~ 1/250 sec

© Corrie M Avila

This next photo I took last month as the eagle was just getting ready to take off of his perch.  

ISO 100 ~ 300mm ~ f/8.0 ~ 1/400 sec

© Corrie M Avila

There are many challenges to photographing birds and Bald Eagles specifically.  You are at the mercy of the location of the bird and the sun.  When the Bald Eagles come to visit and hang out on their perch, they are where they are.  I can't ask them to turn around or move to a better position.  I know that I can move, but all that does is make the Bald Eagle nervous and many times fly away.  Since this is not what I want, I usually stay in the location that I am in.  But what I am able to do, is observe the animal's behavior so that I can anticipate what the Bald Eagle's next move may be.

For example, I know where the Bald Eagles like to hang out.  I know that many times (before nesting season) they will often be in a pair.  I also know that once one takes off, the other will usually follow behind very shortly.  I also know that once they take off towards the Potomac River, they will usually circle around and soar overhead for a little while.  So I can plan my position and where I will direct my camera based on what I "anticipate" they may do.  

Get to know your subject... observe, research, practice... and soon you will be getting better and better shots.  Also remember, most of the time you will have many other chances to get the shot you are looking for.  Maybe the subject will return a few minutes later (as many butterflies do), or even later in the day, or possibly another day.  Get to know the pattern of your subject and you may be surprised at how predictable they really are.

Next week I will return to the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge.  I plan on bringing a chair and planting myself somewhere so that I can hopefully catch some Bald Eagles and other wildlife just going about their business.  The trees should all be nicely changing color as well, so it should provide for some magnificent shots.

Happy Shooting!

Corrie

First Bald Eagle Sighting of the Fall...

Signs of fall in Northern Virginia include cooler evenings, the leaves starting to change, and American Bald Eagle activity.

I've lived in my house for two years now, but it wasn't until last fall that I noticed I had American Bald Eagles that liked to hang out in a tree behind my house.  I live along an inlet of the Potomac River and it is mostly marsh back there.  When I first saw the pair, I ran into my house, grabbed my camera, and took about 200 photos (no exaggeration).  I think it was partly because I thought this was a one time shot.  But I began keeping an eye out for them and was honored to see them often throughout the fall and the winter months (and of course had many photo ops in there too).

Last fall I saw the pair for the first time, and as the days shifted more towards the winter I usually would just see one.  After researching more about them, I learned that they lay their eggs in the Dec/Jan time frame ~ so it makes sense that once the eagles are nesting, one of the eagles will usually always be on the nest.  The thing I find most amazing about these magnificent birds is that American Bald Eagles mate for life with one partner.  How amazing is that?!?  In a society where divorce has become the norm, these beautiful birds stay with one another until one of them dies.  Here is a photo of the pair I took in November of 2011.

Pair of American Bald Eagles © Corrie M Avila

Nature photography is different than portrait photography.  Photographing in nature requires patience and precision.  Many times you have to anticipate where your subject will be.  Learn the patterns and habits of the creature you are photographing.  Another tip I've learned is that if you miss your chance the first time, be patient, because many times you will get additional opportunities to get that perfect shot.  Here are a few additional photos I've taken of the American Bald Eagles taken over the past year.

© Corrie M Avila

© Corrie M Avila

© Corrie M Avila

I had my first American Bald Eagle sighting of the season yesterday.  There was one soaring up high over the trees.  She was beautiful, carefree, and magnificent.  I can't wait for more fall photography, including these beautiful birds.

Happy Shooting <3

Corrie