Sunday, June 28, 2009

Sun Bird

As I continue my quest for adventure, I sometimes am able to capture things on camera that are even better than when I saw it. I was in the meadow at one of the parks I routinely like to go, and when I looked up in the sky there was a big bird.

This bird was flying overhead so I rushed to get a few pictures of it. I've seen birds like this in the same area before. There have even been a few times where the bird was closer to me. I have pictures from those times, but they're not very good.

This time the bird looks very small in the picture because it's a little farther away. It was flying above the distant treeline right in between me and the sun. I tried to get a few pictures as fast as I could before I had to stop. I didn't want to point the camera directly at the sun.

Well, I did get a few pictures of the bird. Just so you know, the bird is either a cormorant or a heron. I'm not sure which because I've seen both flying around up there. That is only part of the reason I'm showing you these pictures.

The main reason is because I like the way the shining sun is captured as the bird flies past. I saw this while I was taking the pictures, but it's just not the same because it's just too hard to see very well when you're trying not to stare into the sun.

This is where the camera came in extremely useful. I was able to get a picture of not only the bird, but also of the shining sun. I just like the way it came out. Usually something like this would have shown all sorts of distorted colors in the image, but I got lucky and was able to get a clear picture of it all.

Here is the bird flying away, and you can see it in the opening in between the trees. I didn't know what I had until I got home. This is one of the best things about taking these pictures. Sometimes I get a nice surprise when I finally am able to look at them. This time it was the sunshine and the bird.

13 comments:

  1. gotta love it when you get those good shots. Too often I download the pics and get disappointed by how they came out.

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  2. I love the blue sky in your pictures!

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  3. Great photos of the sun and bird Ratty. I take photos almost into the sun at times. I like the effect. Nice clear day you had!!

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  4. Hmmm... talking about birds, I have a species looming around my garden's trees. I heard they are migratory but I don't know them. It's beautiful to see birds and butterflies roaming around. Beautiful nature's gifts.

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  5. Phoenix? Too much Harry Potter...me, that is

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  6. It is excited to review what we have in the camera. I always play a little safe to shot a few continously in order to make sure I can get what I want.

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  7. Good pics,even though you didn't get a close up of the bird,the shots are great.

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  8. Beautiful photos, a great capture of the sun and that very large bird.
    SQ

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  9. I feel the same way about taking close ups of the birds and my flowers...you seldom have time to see the details until you get to look at the pictures..then you are amazed at the patterns and colors...it is wonderful...and the best part is that you have captured it on film to enjoy again and again. I still haven't gotten over your egret with the sun behind it...it was gorgeous!

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  10. When i see your photos, it reminds me of my early years in my previous job. I was in the plantation with my workmate and we saw the Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) flying above one pond near us. I tried my best to captured its picture since it was our first record of that bird.

    Lucky my friend can identify it so i am relief because i am sure i can't get the best photo of it for identify purpose. It is not easy to get photos of birds while it is flying or moving.

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  11. Great post. Its hard to get a bird in flight, but I really like how your pic captures that brightness of the day as well as the beautiful bird!

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  12. Ann - I'm usually disappointed when I see how my pictures came out too. I get the good ones because I take hundreds a day.
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    Icy BC - The blue sky was one of the main things I liked too. I love blue skies.
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    Ginnymo - It's a good effect. I found out by accident, but I'll be trying to do it more and more.
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    Original Compositions! - Birds and butterflies aresome of our greatest treasures. I think they are here mainly for their beauty.
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    kruel74 - I was thinking about a phoenix too. I didn't think of the one in Harry Potter, but I love the comparison.
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    rainfield61 - That's the same way I do it. Sometimes there are good ones and bad ones from that, but it also catches great unexpected poses.
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    Glynis - I'l get a close one some day. I see these birds very often.
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    SquirrelQueen - Thanks. The picture was on purpose, but the beauty was a total accident.
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    The Retired One - Yeah, the camera sometimes captures something we never see in real life. The egret is a good example of that.
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    Rose Ragai - That must have been a great time for you. Seeing a bird for the first time isa wonderful experience. I know the frustration of trying to get a picture of it though. I'm going to do a search to see one for myself. :)

    I get the pictures by putting my camera on automatic continuous shoot and beginning to shoot where the bird will be next.
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    Ashley - A continuous shoot feature helps a lot. Some pictures come out not so good but others come out great.

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