Photographing A Hooded Warbler
The height of warbler migration has passed. Still hopeful, I have my 1DX Mark II, 500 mm lens with 1.4 tele extender and flash gear affixed to a tripod and set up half inside, half out on the deck, pointing toward the fountain. My other DSLR, the 5D Mark IV (attached to the 300 mm and flash) is setup in the library and peers through tall (2’x10′) and narrow windows. Those windows permit lots of vertical movement, but very limited maneuverability side to side. It is not unusual for me to miss a shot or to lock focus (based on focus point setup) on a bird and then afterwards see that some of the lens’ field of vision was obstructed by the wood moulding. For the most part, the image is ruined.
Leaping Down to a Lower Branch.
ISO400; f/7.1; 1/200 Second
Tipping the Tripod
The 300mm on the 5D Mark IV is by far the more manueverable of the two camera setups. The lighter weight allows me to lean the camera every which way by balancing the whole set up on one tripod leg.
When this little Hooded Warbler perched on a branch out of line with the camera’s field of view, I readjusted by tipping the tripod to a loose and shaky one legged position. My view was precarious and wobbly, but the entire frame was clear of the window moulding. It helped a lot that the warbler was patient and unafraid, giving me the time I needed to steady the camera rig and achieve focus.
A Mostly Uncluttered Background.
ISO400; f/7.1; 1/200 Second
The flash with extender delivered adequate light, despite the precarious angle of the tripod. I cropped and straightened in post processing in order to fix the perspective of the tilted image. I’m pleased with the results.
A beautiful little bird! Know you will miss those warblers