"X Shot" information.
ISO - 800
Camera - Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Shutter - 1/800 sec.
F/stop - 6.3
Lens - 500 mm
Tripod was used for this photo.
LOCATION.
1. The cranes were mostly located on or above the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge, Monte Vista,
Colorado.
2. It's about a 4 hour drive from Denver to the refuge.
3. If your going to go, go now, they will be leaving for Idaho soon.
THE CHALLENGE.
The Sandhill cranes take part in a courtship dance, once they bond they are a pair for life. This dance makes great pictures. Most of the time the birds don't let you get to close. I wanted to get a good look
at their activity and see how many fun shots I could come up with.
SOLUTION.
The first thing I had to do was shoot with my 500 mm lens and sometimes add a 1.4 tele converter.
My set-up was on a tripod, which made it a lot easier to shoot. After watching their daily behavior, I noticed that more dancing was done in the mornings, after they flew in to feed and late afternoon/evening, before they flew off for the night. I would watch the flock of birds on the ground to see where the activity was and than shoot away. If you don't have a big lens, you can shoot at a low ISO and than crop in on your subject in the picture. The lower ISO will let you to do this without causing pixel problems.
OTHER SHOTS OF DANCING CRANES.
All photos are for sale, contact email address below.
Ken Papaleo
Colorado Wildlife Photographer
303-674-0615
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