Spoonbill Roseates-

They are graceful and brightly colored. The birds were quite animated on this beautiful early morning shoot. These were shot with a 300mm 2.8 to catch them in flight. On the flats, they were farther away and I really wished for a longer lens. If you only have a longer lens, then they will fly and be hard to follow. It is best to go armed with two cameras. On the tripod, have a 500mm or longer. The 300mm was on a monopod...mostly to keep the lens from wearing me out! We started shooting at 7:30 am and by 9:00 am, they had all flown away.

I find, when shooting birds with white or bright feathers, it is best to set your camera on -1 to -1.3 stops in order to avoid blowing out your highlights. When shooting dark birds (especially against a brighter sky) I usually set the camera on a +1 to +1.3 in order to get details in the shadows. These are only guidelines... evaluating the direction and quality of light is the real key and that takes practice. We spend several days in the workshop applying and discussing the results of these techniques. Join me next year, in Florida, for an amazing experience.