Kip’s Comments - March 18, 2025 — LadagePhotography.com

What A Difference The Lighting Makes

Whether I am pointing my Nikon at a landscape composition or chasing wildlife with glass, the light makes or ends a pleasing photo. That concept is always in my mind as I am out, to the point I “see” light differences even when not shooting photos.

This morning’s ever-changing light really challenged my imaging. Not only was I in hiding photographing waterfowl and other birds at Sweet Marsh, but I was doing my best to press the shutter release at the right moments to capture birds in action with good lighting. Some files were clearly better than others. I just cannot control the lighting and the sky.

This first series of northern pintails illustrates the issue with lighting and sky (clouds). In the first photo I had a flock of pintails sweeping past me with ideal lighting and clouds behind them.

Some time after this flock settle I had more pintails coming at me. I so wish I would have had the same lighting and clouds as I had for the first view. In this sequence the pintails are approaching and saw me at the last minute as evidenced by the quick change of wings to hustle away.

I had a similar situation with a mallard that was incoming. Again, I was not blessed with nice lighting and a pretty cloud background.

I did have ample opportunity to photograph other birds in flight. Some had better lighting and sky behind them. The pictures really show some of what was happening at Sweet Marsh this morning, and there was plenty!