Erik Rosengren, FPSA, PPSA  

Snow Geese Night Flight by Erik Rosengren, FPSA, PPSA

April 2022 - Snow Geese Night Flight

About the Image(s)

How I did it. Bosque, early Dec. 2019. I was stationed at the one remaining Roosting pond at blue Hr., waiting for Crains to descend on their Roosting pond, in hopes of making images that including the beautiful dark blue sky. Low and behold a few Snow Geese were making their final approach right in front of me. My tools for this image were Gitzo tripod 1325 securing Canon 7D Mark 11 body, coupled with my Canon 500 mm f4 IS lens that included the use of Canon 550 flash coupled with a “Better Beamer” set at 1 and a third under, and high speed sync, to bring out more definition to my subjects. The settings were ISO 800, f4 @ 1/ 600th of a Sec. I have been shooting Bosque every other year, since 2001. Didn’t make the trip last year due to low water levels. If those levels improve, we will be visiting again in Dec. For those of you that love nature photography, you shouldn’t miss this marvelous “Honey Hole”.

This round’s discussion is now closed!
13 comments posted

Dr Isaac Vaisman   Dr Isaac Vaisman
Eric, being at the right place at the right time and having the right tools, is a jackpot. The fill flash really brought out the details of the birds contrasting with the dark background. There is almost complete separation among them. The image is sharp.   Posted: 04/01/2022 18:51:55
Erik Rosengren   Erik Rosengren
Thanks for your kind comments, Isaac, my original image showed white eyes, due to the flash however Bill darkened them in P.S. Gary was going to post the first image, for comparison.   Posted: 04/04/2022 18:30:17
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Dr Isaac Vaisman   Dr Isaac Vaisman
Erik, the PP improved the image considerably   Posted: 04/08/2022 05:51:49
R Gary Butler   R Gary Butler
Erik, here is your original   Posted: 04/04/2022 20:24:52
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R Gary Butler   R Gary Butler
I was afraid that if I took it down totally and reloaded the white eyes as an original that I would lose the current comments.   Posted: 04/04/2022 20:26:38
R Gary Butler   R Gary Butler
Erik, this is a very nice image and one that most could not achieve. Your patience in the blind, your equipment of choice and the geese flying in a nicely spread pattern are all components of a great "capture." I believe that your decision to refine the image in post processing and change the eyes to black further improved the results. Even though 1/600 sec. is, from my experience, slow for birds in flight you seem to have gotten a sharp image. Well done.   Posted: 04/05/2022 11:37:22
Dr Isaac Vaisman   Dr Isaac Vaisman
Gary, here was the flash the one that froze the flying birds   Posted: 04/06/2022 09:44:31
Vella Kendall   Vella Kendall
The kind of photo I always wanted to take but never could. Beautiful wing positions. The image really shows excellent technique, and the virtues of patience and perseverance.   Posted: 04/13/2022 15:15:57
Ian Chantler   Ian Chantler
Hi Erik
You never fail to amaze not only with your skill at nature photography but your knowledge of the subject and your love for the natural world shines through in all your images,I would have had no idea were to start if asked to try and capture this scene, long may your lens and sensor continue to astound me.   Posted: 04/14/2022 15:15:26
Guy Davies   Guy Davies
Erik, your skill at this sort of photography shows up yet again. The grouping of the birds is such that there are no overlaps which is great. The plain dark sky works well and you certainly did the right thing in PP to make the eyes black. Were you expecting to have to correct "white eye" when you took the shot?   Posted: 04/15/2022 07:16:35
Erik Rosengren   Erik Rosengren
I just wanted to capture that image the instant it appeared. Didn't notice the white eyes until I saw them on the big screen.   Posted: 04/24/2022 22:56:11
Bill Buchanan   Bill Buchanan
Always glad to help with images. Actually, this was the first time I used the Red Eye repair in Photoshop. I did not realize it had such flexibility.   Posted: 04/22/2022 11:26:28
Bill Buchanan   Bill Buchanan
Always glad to help with images. Actually, this was the first time I used the Red Eye repair in Photoshop. I did not realize it had such flexibility.   Posted: 04/22/2022 11:26:28