Northern Shovelers
One of the biggest challenges in wildlife photography is to nail a sharp shot when the animal is moving, and I mean fast moving. Since a while we have quite a few more tools that can help to do it, like cameras with better and faster autofocus systems or noise reduction software in camera and post process that allow to shoot with higher ISO settings. It enables us to shoot with much faster shutter speeds even under low light conditions. This is all great but I still think good handholding and proper panning technique with the long lens is the real key for success.
Blue-winged Teals
Some people may smile when I go out to the Dubuque Airport every summer and photograph old prop planes in flight with slow shutter speeds. I really love to make pictures of these planes but the second reason I do this is to practice handholding and panning with the camera and a long lens attached.
Lesser Scaups
We still see large numbers of migrating ducks or pairs that get ready to raise a new generation right here in the Upper Mississippi Valley. Most of them are very skittish and quite often take off before we can get into position for even a shot of the birds swimming in the water. Part of the challenge is to predict the flight path they will choose after getting out of the water. If we get this right we can gain a little more time to lock the focus on the bird and pan along with the camera as the ducks fly by. Am I there yet? Oh no, the keeper rate is not as bad as it was a few years ago, but I let you know when I have the first set of sharp images of a flying Tree Swallow on my memory card… hahaha 😂