February 2011 "Photo of the Month"

Great Egret Stalking on Lemon Island

I was working from a photo blind on Lemon Island when this Great Egret landed right in front of me. I had been shooting Blue-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser and Bufflehead when she passed before me in hot pursuit of small baitfish.  I had everything I look for when composing environmental portraits … strong graphics, good light and interesting subject matter. The warm, soft glow in this image was provided by early morning sunlight, and the surrounding black needlerush provided color, texture and design as well as habitat.  All I had left to do was check my camera settings and click away.

While I grumble about my time spent sitting in a photo blind, the opportunities make up for the restrictions.  For undisturbed animal behavior, there is no better way to capture images than with total concealment.  Another advantage the blind provides is a single focused attention through the lens - which becomes almost meditative.  And nothing in the field of view escapes you.

        

PHOTO TIP:  To avoid loosing detail when whites and blacks are in your image, always check the exposure your camera is giving you.  You can do this by taking a test shot, reviewing the histogram, and also the LCD screen. Your camera meter averages all light values to give you a neutral grey and it depends on how much of the viewfinder the white or black occupies to determine how you’ll have to compensate. If using a spot meter, it will turn white to grey and black to grey so you would want to overexpose whites and underexpose blacks until you have the correct exposure. When using matrix or center-weighted metering, it will be the opposite adjustments. To be sure that your images are properly exposed use both the histogram and the LCD, then make whatever adjustments are needed. Learning to read the histogram is well worth the time. 

To view additional images by Eric or to learn about his Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris, please visit www.southernlight.biz

Field Trip- Eric Horan & Sherrie Winarski

Sherrie Winarski from Atlanta called and wanted to see and photograph the area while she and her husband were her visiting Hilton Head Island in early January. I choose Fish Haul Creek on the island and Hunting Island State Park (also Chapel of Ease & National Cemetery) for two different trips. Both locations are great for sunrise so we went on two separate days. Below are some of our images : )

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the map noting the spots we shot!  I just love the shots of the ruins and the mossy trees....gotta come back for some more!  Here are a few of my favorites!

Hope all is well!

Sherrie

Sherrie,

Thanks for sending all you stuff, it's great! And interesting to me how we were in the same places and saw different things. This is one of the things I love about photography and sharing the outdoor adventures with other photographers! 

Looking forward,

Eric

  "how pleasantly surpirsed I was to see the uprooted tree in the ocean on that early morning....it created interest in the foreground of the beautiful sunrise!"

For the first few moments at the ruins, I struggled to find my composition.  My immediate thoughts were that the ruins were the main interest, but after studying the area, it occurred to me that the real stars here were the old mossy oak trees.

 This beach was beautiful in a most unusual way!  It was a busy, but peaceful landscape.  I paced back and forth a few times studying it's vegetation and the tide. Eric recommended "isolating" the subject and waiting for the light. Success....I love the sunlight beaming down on the water at the horizion.

 I actually climbed to the top of the light house with the intention of photographing the spiral stairs...one of my standard lighthouse shots.  But, when I reached the top and looked out, I was captured by this dramatic storm cloud moving across the ocean. I hand held, using the lighthouse railing to stablilze my camera, and shot mutliple different exposed images. I processed the images to create this HDR shot!  I was thrilled with the result!

 Dunlin feeding @ Fish Haul

 Willit feeding with gull overhead

 Pair of Sanderling

 Marbled Godwit

 National Cemetery, Beaufort, SC

 Fish Haul, a great place for sunrise

 Willit resting

 Crested Cormorant

 Black Skimmer, Short-billled Dowitcher, Willit & Laughing Gull

 Western & Least Sandpiper, Semi-palmatted Plover & Sanderling

 For these three shots I used HDR and a limited color palette to accentuate natural beauty the graphic qualities

 Look how different this version is from Sherrie's. Both HDR, it can be such a wonderful, creative tool!

American Avocet

My friend and naturalist @ Old Field called on Thursday and said he'd had a group out on a bird walk and seen American Avocet and wanted to return with a camera. Now, I have never seen these birds in Beaufort County and jumped at the opportunity. We were treated with about 30 birds @ Donnelly in the ACE Basin. and were able to get some images. Wow! What a thrill and such amazing birds : ) I captured the flight shot when a Bald Eagle flew over and cleared all birds off the pond for about a minute. Everything to to the air and then settled back down as the eagle passed.

I showed this flying shot to my wife Jan and she flipped out- "Those are the birds I saw when I was crossing the Broad River Bridge the other day"! At the time when she called me on the cell to tell me about these amazing birds, I couldn't ID them based on her description, but I was not far off either, I said they sounded like they could be Black necked Stilt. Anyway Jan was excited, both crossing the bridge and then seeing my picture : )

January 2011 "Photo of the Month"

Instead of a clean white blanket of snow in winter, lowcountry photographers are challenged with fully exposed, dead marsh grasses in their scenic landscapes.  While not as exciting at first glance, this monochromatic palette of muted earth tones, textures and blue sky can offer a lovely palette of complementary colors. This image is the featured image for January in my Lowcountry 2011 calendar.

I learned in my photographic schooling that everything in the right light is worth investigation. So during the coldest time of year, I  sometimes drag myself out early morning like this rare freeze in search of frosty landscapes.  I bring my ladder along for the long view, my tool for elevating my perspective.  The ladder allows me to capture more foreground resulting in increased depth of field in the final composition.    

 

PHOTO TIP: Landscape images need special attention. When the entire image is in focus, each element must be a meaningful part of the whole and well lit.  Everything inside the frame needs to support the subject. You will not want your water scenic ruined by telephone lines, trash cans, signs etc. unless it’s your subject. Take the time to study what you want inside and outside the viewfinder, then check it out at different times of day. Move your camera position, change your lens, re-compose what is in the frame.  When you’re back home reviewing your catch, the images you end up keeping and sharing with others, will likely be those with more of your thoughtful consideration.

To view additional images or learn more about Lowcountry Wildlife Photo Safaris, please visit us at www.southernlight.biz.   

Ossabaw Photographic Adventure - Dec 2-5- Ron Selby slideshow

Eric & Randy - I enjoy taking my photos and putting together a slide show as a way of sharing with others.  This link should take you to YouTube and my “Ossabaw Island “ slide show.  This is the first time I have uploaded to YouTube and it seems to run fine on Internet Explores but has problems on Google Chrome.  Click on full screen to get the full effect.  Let me know how it works for you.  I enjoyed spending the weekend with all of you and the food was great, Thank to the cooks! - Ron Selby


Ron Selby Ossabaw slideshow

Ron Selby chasing images

2011 Lowcountry Calendar - Eric Horan

                        Through December 15th  calendar shipping,  no matter how many you order, is only $3.00

      ORDER HERE

  Other great Christmas gifts while you're there: "Art Prints", dolphin mousepads, notecards, and maybe a signed copy of Eric's book "Lowcountry A to Z"

Photo Safari-Greg Pacentine

Hello Eric - I know they are a long time coming but, here ar some pictures from our trip. We all has a great time - Greg

Clapper Rail

It's unusual to see Clappers in the marsh from a powerboat, but we were following dolphin in the creek at the time and under electric trolling motor power so we were very quiet and there she was - Eric

 Immature Brown Pelican