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Predator/Prey (not for the squeamish)


wildlightphoto

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I keep coming back to this amazingly brilliant photograph.

 

At the very least, Doug should send a copy to Dr Kaufmann and say "Please make me something new to allow me to continue doing work like this"

 

This should be on a wall in the gallery in Solms to remind them of what they've lost.

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Absolutely wonderful picture, Doug.

 

At the very least, Doug should send a copy to Dr Kaufmann and say "Please make me something new to allow me to continue doing work like this"

 

This should be on a wall in the gallery in Solms to remind them of what they've lost.

 

I'm afraid their answer would be that they have a wonderful APO 350mm Elmar coming for the S2 but nothing suitable for our R lenses.

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Decisive moment indeed - and not only for the photographer! I do not have my thesaurus to hand to find if there any words of accolade that have not already been used, so can only echo those sentiments and comments. Astounding!

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Would love a 11 by 14 signed hanging on my wall.

 

That can be arranged ;) For those near Sacramento, I have a show scheduled for the month of January at Gallery 2110: Welcome to Gallery 2110 and the Sacramento Art Complex!

 

I don't think I'll have time before the show to print and frame this photo but I'll have most of the most recent prints on hand.

 

Thanks all for your comments.

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I really can't add much to what has already been stated but I just had to say how much I enjoy this photo and how great of a shot. I would like more detail if you could on the conditions at the time of the photo.

 

This photo was made at the Yolo Bypass wildlife area (YBWA) between Sacramento and Davis California. YBWA has a driving tour route through the area, and if people stay inside their vehicles many of the birds will tolerate close approach.

 

I used my truck (18 years old, a couple of dents) as a blind and followed this Cattle Egret for about an hour as it hunted. The egret eventually accepted the truck as a benign part of the scenery, except when it wanted to walk across the road; at these times it stopped and looked at me as if to ask me to quit moving the @%!* truck so it could cross the road safely (of course I complied).

 

When the egret caught the mouse it was on the driver's side about 25' away in dense weeds. After catching the mouse the egret ran up to the truck before turning the mouse so it could be swallowed head-first. The photo was made while the bird was trying to turn the mouse, less than 10' away from the driver's side window. I used the 280mm f/4 APO and the file is cropped slightly. I'm 99% sure that the support I was using for this particular photo was the shoulder stock by itself, no monopod. In some circumstances I can use the monopod inside the truck but IIRC I had to lean out the driver's side window to get a clear view for this photo, so no monopod.

 

I turned the truck's engine off when making photos to reduce vibration, and had to re-start the engine every time I needed to move the truck to follow the egret. Cattle Egrets are very active hunters so I was glad the truck has a fresh battery and I'm surprised I didn't burn out the starter motor.

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