MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Wilson’s Snipe, Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wetlands, 12/22/2024

There wasn’t much going on here in the blog lately. We had family over here from Germany during the last few weeks and that took priority over photography efforts besides some shots that captured memorable moments of the good time we had together.

However, I still can’t get over that we found a Wilson’s Snipe in the Green Island Wetlands during a hike two days before Christmas and that’s why I came up with another photo from this series of shots.

So here is a little more input about the shooting conditions. It was a low light situation shortly before sunset. The bird was mostly probing with its long bill in the mud below the edge of the thin ice. I needed some speed to freeze the fast movements and cranked up the ISO settings to 10000 (yikes!!) but also used the technique of ”peak of action”, the brief moments when the snipe stopped and lifted the head out of the water for a second or so. I also was hiding behind some grass that swayed in the wind, leaving only a small gap for a clean view at the bird. I finally cropped the image so the grass was kept out of the frame.

Well, the other family members stood and waited in a respectful distance, watching my excitement about this bird and the efforts to get a shot. It was a memorable moment in any way and this photo will always remind me about just that.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S,    @ 600mm, 1/800 s, f/6.3, ISO 10000, image cropped

RETRIEVING MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Fall colors at a bridge across the Rio Grande del Norte, New Mexico

A lovely email we received today from friends in Montana, whom we met during our trip through New Mexico in 2021, made me dig out this shot. This bridge across the Rio Grande del Norte in ”killer light”sums up the essence of this road trip. While during the height of a day, when most traveling takes place, colors and light may not always be flattering in the rocky canyons of New Mexico, but the hours around sunset can reward you for a day with nothing but a bald blue sky. Well, right now we don’t care if it is a day with just blue sky, we are longing here for some spring colors and warmer temperatures…😉

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Greater White-fronted Geese, Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa, March 2019

When the year comes to an end I like to browse through my picture library and recall the good moments I was able to capture over the last twelve months. What did I learn, what did I miss? Sometimes I find a decent photo that didn’t draw my attention right after it was taken or shots get deleted because with hindsight I find that they are not that great.

One evening in mid March I was finally able to watch thousands of Greater White-fronted Geese flying in for the night in the Green Island Wetlands at the Mississippi River. They were on the way to their breeding grounds up in northern Canada. Before they landed the birds circled around and with the setting sun in my back, gave me the chance to make some clicks. Other years I missed this spectacle because I wasn’t there at the right time. I love moments like that, when things in nature come together, not just for a good photo but for a lasting memory.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S,   at 600 mm, 1/1250s, f/6.3, ISO200

PREPARATION

Great Sand Dunes, Colorado, 2014

We still have a couple more weeks to go before our vacation starts. Beside getting all the camping and photo gear ready I try to prepare mentally for what I like to accomplish with the camera. I look at older photos and recall some of the great moments we had in past years. One morning at sunrise in Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado is definitely among my favorites. No, we don’t head out in this direction this year, but finding these memorable light situations and vantage points is always a top priority no matter where we go.