It would be another week after vacation before I went out with the camera again. And another week after that before I actually took any pictures worth sharing.
I packed up my gear and head out at sunrise on a Saturday morning. I went a little further away this time to a spot on the Chattahoochee river. It was a paid place, so I paid the $5 and hoped to make the best of it. I figured I had been trying all the free places over and over I might as well see what I’m missing out on.
Turns out it wasn’t much, still very crowded as the morning went on. I found a nice big open field near a boat launch, where no one was when I got there. I was at the water at first, having come up on it from a walking trail. But as I walked up to the field and picnic tables I noticed movement across from me. A deer coming out of the foliage.
Canon 7D w/Tamron 150-600mm @600 - 1/640 - F6.3 - ISO 3200
Of all the pictures I took that one turned out the best.
There was more than one than eventually came out to eat from the low branches. I laid down on the ground to not disturb them and because I knew from my research you get a better picture when you are level with the subject.
Canon 7D w/Tamron 150-600mm @273 - 1/80 - F5.6 - ISO 400
They moved on eventually, back into the trees. So I returned to the water to walk the trails along it looking for anything. I did see a good bit of waterfowl, but here’s the thing. It was early morning, so a lot of mist on the water. And the sun was rising in front of me, kind of forgot that important part.
Still, the best conditions to shoot in are the ones you’re out shooting in.
Canon 7D w/Tamron 150-600mm @150 - 1/320 Sec - F5.0 - ISO 1000
Eventually I did see what I was looking for, not the dozens of people out using the trails stopping to ask about my photography. But wildlife. Through the trees down by the water my eye spotted something that wasn’t tree colored.
Canon 7D w/Tamron 150-600mm @428 - 1/800 Sec - F6.3 - ISO 640
A Great Blue Heron silently waiting for it’s chance to get a meal. It didn’t get that while I was watching, but it did give up and start preening.
Canon 7D w/Tamron 150-600mm @600 - 1/800 Sec - F6.3 - ISO 250
Of all the pictures I took originally I never edited any of them of the Heron. Because of the light source being behind and the leaves I was shooting through trying to get a clear image. I declared it meh back last year. Thankfully looking at them now to pull out some for the blog, I did go back and pick those two, and I quite like them.
After the Heron I went out on the water. I found a place where you could go down a side trail to lead you to some very large rocks that came out into the water. It was a very nice spot actually, to be out on the water without having to get wet. Beyond the tree line you could see a lot more. I didn’t stay for too long as I felt myself starting to cook in the sun, should have brought sunscreen. But I did take a picture of a mother/child Mallard that were working their way along the river.
Canon 7D w/Tamron 150-600mm @400 - 1/500 Sec - F5.6 - ISO 100
And from there I moved to walking the trails actually up into the woods. It was also getting later in the day. The trail was uneventful wildlife wise. I did at one point take this picture.
Canon 7D w/Tamron 150-600mm @329 - 1/125 Sec - F8.0 - ISO 3200
Besides that there was little to no wildlife through the woods. Just people out walking.
I did go out a few nights later to a spot I had been to, but also not been to. I went to the pond a while back a few times, but this time I went the opposite direction and found some open areas where I could walk.
I did spot a hawk that I started taking pictures of, until I noticed it being harassed by a drone. Which infuriated me to no end. Best to not rehash it here as it will just make me mad all over again. Besides those photos of the hawk I did spot a mockingbird most likely with some kind of, I don’t know. Nut? Fruit? Something.
Canon 7D w/Tamron 150-600mm @150 - 1/250 Sec - F5.6 - ISO 2000
And I saw a very nice sunset. Completely unexpected but I still took a picture through the trees with the 7D and Tamron lens surprisingly. I think I was just mad and looking to get out of there. The sound of the drone and the cries of the hawk were pissing me off.
Canon 7D w/Tamron 150-600mm @150 - 1/250 Sec - F5.6 - ISO 125