Karen Kratz
May 2025 - Whooping Cranes
About the Image(s)
Taken late afternoon, February 2023
Port Aransas, Texas
Sony A1, 100-400mm lens
Focal length: 171mm
Manual, 1/1250, f5.6, ISO 500
My goal was to capture the grace of these whooping cranes.
7 comments posted
Hi Karen - Welcome to Group 72! I've never seen a whooping crane and love this photo! This is being super-picky about a beautiful photo, but seems like the eye of the upper crane is more sharply focused than that of the lower. Going from f5.6 to something narrower, e.g., f8, might have given a little more depth of field and had both eyes sharp. That's something I often think to myself about my own photographs after it's too late. Posted: 05/09/2025 20:28:26
Thank you Richard - you're right, and I should have known better. In the field I was shooting tight on several of the cranes, so I was going for a smaller f-stop. These two flew overhead while I was shooting tight and I didn't even think to change my f-stop to account for the necessary depth. Someday I'll get that into my muscle memory. haha Posted: 05/09/2025 21:20:33
There is a considerable distance between the two crane's eyes for the DOF be adequate, but overall, the birds are prrety much in focus. Great image. Posted: 05/10/2025 15:39:37
Thank you very much Isaac. Posted: 05/11/2025 00:02:35
Hey Karen, welcome to the group 72 nature group, I am looking forward to see more of your images. I have been to this area several time shooting at Santa Clara and Lagoonal Seca . I was not there during the time the cranes are there so have not seen on either. I like how the wings are both in the down position and that there is no converging of the cranes. Your exposure is spot on showing just the right view of the sky. Well done. Bruce Posted: 05/12/2025 15:32:50
Welcome to Group 72, Karen! Now there is one more person I can learn with and from. You certainly met your goal of capturing the grace of these cranes! I still struggle with the appropriate f-stop and also the speed to keep moving subjects in sharp focus so the comments and exchanges are very insightful. Thank you! Posted: 05/12/2025 18:16:08
Hi Karen,
Welcome to the group!
You captured these two Whooping Cranes beautifully, right at the perfect moment when they shared the same pose and had great separation between them. I really like this shot!
Posted: 05/13/2025 13:09:03
Welcome to the group!
You captured these two Whooping Cranes beautifully, right at the perfect moment when they shared the same pose and had great separation between them. I really like this shot!
Posted: 05/13/2025 13:09:03