The photo's you don't take...

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Stephen Berger

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I was out yesterday morning at a small local wildlife reserve (Sepulveda Basin here in LA) that is just coming back to life population wise after a fire a couple of years ago. I was there for quite a while hoping to catch one - or more - of the seven osprey's present diving for a fish (one did finally dive right in front of me and did catch a fish and I just missed it -- see pic). But that's okay, was the first chance I've ever had at such a thing and I'll do better in the future.

The point of the post is that there was a also rare - for the area - dark morph red tailed hawk hanging around and at one point I looked up and it was coming straight at me. I mean straight at me at eye level. I didn't even try to pick up my camera as I watched it come in, go just over and right next to my head and then fly through a small opening between tree branches behind me.

I surely would have liked to have head some eye level straight in hawk shots, especially of a rare bird, but that feeling of it coming towards me, whooshing by my head and flying through that opening would not have happened with the camera to my eye so I'll take the experience/feeling of that over the pic. Next time though... :)

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I can not count all the pix I have missed - either missed the focus because I was not ready, camera AF was not ready (i.e., I was not ready), cut the bird in half, butt shots, ... We all have numerous stories to tell.
 
I live within a few blocks of the Sepulveda Basin but don't go there as often as I should. That's a great capture of the ofsprey. I've not been able to get them at that critical moment because I'm usually focussed on something else at the time. I didn't realize there were so many there though - I thought maybe a couple at most. I'll pay more attention the next time I'm there.
 
Great subject Stephen. There are times when the experience is more important than the image. The one that comes to mind for me was the Total Solar Eclipse of 2017. In Corvallis Oregon totality was about 1 minute and 40 seconds. When the eclipse became 100% I was totally immersed in getting the images. After a few adjustments and viewing some results, I saw I had captured some decent images. Then I just stopped, sat down and took it all in; shadow bands, temperature dropping, birds going silent, etc.. It was incredible….something I’ll never forget, and would have missed if I’d still been “focused” on the camera.
 
Not wildlife related, but I was once brought in to take photos of a middle school talent show - mainly singing/dancing/gymnastics stuff. Obviously not high end for the most part. However there was this 8th grader who was doing a magic show, and I only got one blurry shot of him because I was sitting there entranced by his whole routine. By the time I realized what was happening he was just about to walk offstage... oh well.
 
Go to Sebastian inlet in FL and you will have all day to practice on Ospreys doing this. It is a lot of fun but not as easy as one would think to get all the elements perfect.
Thanks. I had hoped to make a Florida's trip late this past Spring that didn't happen and now I'm planning to go in Feb or March of next year.
 
Not wildlife related, but I was once brought in to take photos of a middle school talent show - mainly singing/dancing/gymnastics stuff. Obviously not high end for the most part. However there was this 8th grader who was doing a magic show, and I only got one blurry shot of him because I was sitting there entranced by his whole routine. By the time I realized what was happening he was just about to walk offstage... oh well.
That's great.
 
FWIW, I have FAR more images that get away than end up on my cards. I too have sat just watching stuff happen that I should have been shooting, but sometimes that's what happens. :)
I know I'll get the osprey shot sometime or at least other opportunities will exist but, while I truly greatly appreciate the experience of the hawk, I've been kicking myself just a bit (like really just a little) because that may never happen again.
 
I live within a few blocks of the Sepulveda Basin but don't go there as often as I should. That's a great capture of the ofsprey. I've not been able to get them at that critical moment because I'm usually focussed on something else at the time. I didn't realize there were so many there though - I thought maybe a couple at most. I'll pay more attention the next time I'm there.
Very unusual for that many osprey to be there. Don't know how long this batch will remain so if you have the chance you should go. I leave for a family trip tomorrow AM or I'd be there a lot in the next week.
 
Sometimes there is so much going on that I just put the camera down and enjoy the moment rather than focus on a very narrow area through the viewfinder. I’ve seen it, that’s a mental image, I can’t show it to anyone but that’s ok.
 
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