To my eye birds and flowers in a photograph have a natural affinity for each other.
1/640, f/13, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I found this Chukar two days ago as it peeked out at me from behind some flowers and grasses on Antelope Island. Much of the bird was hidden but I was close and I liked the way its upper body was framed by the vegetation so I cropped the image accordingly.
I went to f/13 in an attempt to get most of the setting as sharp as possible.
There are shadows on the Chukar but in this case I find them somewhat interesting and for me they don’t detract. The bird also has remnants of a recent meal at the corner of its beak which seems natural enough and even reminds me of myself at times. In fact, I may have had a few chocolate donut crumbs at the corner of my mouth when I took the image.
Wouldn’t surprise me…
Ron
Lovely shot Ron!
Charlotte
I never acquired the donut habit. Chocolate, yes. Some of the best things in life are chocolate. And I wear rather too much of my last meal(s). Without a fraction of the beauty of the chukar.
I like donuts so much, I always wear a great BIG one right around my middle….!!!!
Gorgeous picture. We are planning a trip to Utah this summer and at the top of my list of things to do while there is a trip to Dunford Doughnuts. They just don’t make doughnuts in NC like they do in SLC. Krispy Creme just doesn’t cut it for me. Nothing like sinking your teeth into a nice rich chocolate doughnut! Although maybe I would pass one up if I could be guaranteed to take one picture like any of yours.
Thanks, Michelle.
I haven’t had a Dunford Doughnut since a student gave me a gift certificate for a dozen of them many years ago. I generally buy the generic ones but they satisfy both my hunger and my addiction to chocolate. But only temporarily on both counts…
I really like the shadows from the flower. For me, it adds depth that I might not have seen. 😀
Good point, Arwen.
CHOCOLATE DONUTS!!! My all time favorites!!! Especially DH’S glazed chocolate donuts (the glaze keeps them fresh).. Who can focus on a run of the milll Chukar when someone even mentions them!!!??? I love wildflowers almost as much as those donuts, so find this guy embedded in lacey looking wild mustard very pleasing…the rotund, colorful bird and the delicacy of the flowers present a very nice contrast. I love the early morning light, call it “sweet light” and late middle afyernoon, too…get the best effects then.
PS Chocolate donuts are better than voles….P 😉
Mornings, and morning light, are magic
Thanks, Patty.
And the chocolate donuts are a lifesaver for me right now because they’re soft and don’t hurt this sore tooth very much.
After reading your comment, went to nearest DH and got some, their coffee, too. Now, other than financial terror, all’s well with the world…at least until effects of caffeine and sugar high wear off….feeling almost as mellow as that chukar looks….
Beautiful intimate portrait Ron.
Thank you, John.
“chuckle” I love your way with words, Ron – as well as your way around a camera. Just love the photo & how you captured the framing of this cutie. Put another smile on my face – along with my chuckle!! Also have to say that morning light is my favorite time of day & just adds so much beauty.
“morning light is my favorite time of day”
Mine too, Jo Ann. At least 95% of my shooting is done between the crack of dawn and about 10:30 AM (depending on the time of year). I almost never shoot in mid-day and the only time I shoot in the evenings is on camping trips. Evening light can be excellent too but for me to photograph then (when I’m not camping) means dealing with heavy traffic and I simply will not put up with that traffic nightmare if it can possibly be avoided.
Beautiful portrait. Too bad the Chukar couldn’t find a flower nicer than wild mustard to pose in… 🙂
Susan, conspicuous flowers on the island can be hard to come by so I usually take what I can get. Thank you.
Ron, I only saw the bird and after reading your post saw the shadow plant. Wonderful image and thought provoking about what we choose to see. Thanks for showing me what I missed.
Diana, I suspect you didn’t notice the shadow because it’s so natural, since the plant causing it is so close to the bird the eye expects to see the shadow. At least that’s my theory.
In fact, if the shadow were not there with this angle of light I don’t think the image would look quite right…
Totally agree Ron! Birds and plants go together just like donut crumbs and coffee spills! lol
“just like donut crumbs and coffee spills!”
I likely had both when I took this shot, Nancy. My morning shoots would be as incomplete without a donut and coffee as they would be without my camera and lens…