Day 28: January 28th - Viera Wetlands

Sunny but cooler, temps mid 60's

Great blue heron at sunrise

        When you get an opportunity to work with one of the top nature photographers in the nation, you have to seize the moment.  Actually, I made arrangements to photograph in Viera Wetlands with Kevin Karlson more than three months ago and have been looking forward to this day ever since.  Kevin is the co-author of the best selling field guide The Shorebird Guide, a new book The Birds of Cape May, which "Birds and Blooms" says is one of the six books published recently that people interested in their topic MUST read, and his newest entitled Visions which is due to be released later this spring.

        I have been into photography since the age of 12 (that's some time ago), but I realize that no matter how long I work at it or how much I think I know about the art form, there is still plenty to learn.  Kevin proved that to me today.  The old myth about "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" was busted once again today as this old cur picked up volumes of useful tips and immediately put them into practice.  In the photo above, I utilized several of the techniques suggested by Kevin, and I am well pleased with the results. 

        Kevin covered a number of topics, but his area of concentration was the photography of birds in flight.  It's kind of like golf in that you need to put together a number of different elements and remember to pay heed to each and every one in order to get that really good shot.  Rather than go through the tenants of the photography of birds in flight, I'll simply say that if you ever meet Kevin or have the opportunity to get out in the field with him on one of his workshops, don't think twice.  I already have plans to be with him this summer on Long Island for another session in the field.  It is truly exciting to be able to immerse yourself in your passion and have a true expert in the field with you to advise you on how to tweak those shots and make the camera a true tool at your command rather than having the camera dictate what it wants you to do.  That's the difference between snapshots and photographs.  If you want to perfect your craft, you have to seek out the guidance to bring your game up a notch.  I feel Kevin Karlson did that for me today.

Bald eagle, Viera Wetlands

Plunging Caspian tern

Great blue herons on the nest