Attack Squadron

[Arthur Morris]

Sandhill Crane at sunset, with midges.

This image was created late in the day on December 13, 2017 with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (at 420mm), and my favorite crane silhouette photography camera body, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop as framed: 1/320 sec. at f/11 in Av mode. WB = K7500.. Minutes after sunset at 5:33pm. LensAlign/FocusTune micro-adjustment: extrapolated to -1. Upper Large Zone/AI Servo/Shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure and worked perfectly. The system selected a single AF point that was one to the right and five rows up from the center AF point. That point fell on the bill just forward of the nares (nostrils).

Learn more about the creation of this image and more about midges in the blog post here.

As for the image, don't be shy; all comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

with love, artie

ps: I will be conducting some Master Classes at my home in early spring where the cranes, chicks, and colts will be very easy to photograph. E-mail or subscribe to the blog to learn more.

[gail bisson]

This one made me smile!
Love the one bug at bottom, near the neck that shows full dorsal view of bug. Also like the light shining through the nostril.
Great color palette and and comp. Maybe take a sliver off the bottom?
Gail
PS What is a Master Class?

[Arthur Morris]

This one made me smile!
Love the one bug at bottom, near the neck that shows full dorsal view of bug. Also like the light shining through the nostril.
Great color palette and and comp. Maybe take a sliver off the bottom?
Gail
PS What is a Master Class?

Thanks Gail. I like keeping at at 3X2 so nothing off the bottom for me. The Master Classes will be small groups with the first folks who register staying at my home and the others (limit 4) staying at a motel in Lake Wales. Live, think, and breathe photography from Friday afternoon through Monday morning. We will sit together and pick everyone's keepers, have guided Photoshop sessions, and, on Monday before lunch, folks can make a single large print of their best image. The main subjects will be Sandhill Cranes, almost surely with chicks or colts. I will be announcing those and lots more soon including a 3-day Spoonbill Boat IPT. with love, artie

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the composition, colors and bugs must drive them crazy. Another interesting image Arthur.

[John Mack]

Great silhouette. The midges are a nice touch.

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

Thanks Gail. I like keeping at at 3X2 so nothing off the bottom for me. The Master Classes will be small groups with the first folks who register staying at my home and the others (limit 4) staying at a motel in Lake Wales. Live, think, and breathe photography from Friday afternoon through Monday morning. We will sit together and pick everyone's keepers, have guided Photoshop sessions, and, on Monday before lunch, folks can make a single large print of their best image. The main subjects will be Sandhill Cranes, almost surely with chicks or colts. I will be announcing those and lots more soon including a 3-day Spoonbill Boat IPT. with love, artie

Looking forward to the announcement.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hi Artie, I echo all the previous comments... you nailed it. Now my question. How were the mosquitoes around you?

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Joe, They were midges not mosquitoes :) They are slightly annoying except when they are so thick that you breathe them in :) But that is very rare.

with love, artie

[Randy Stout]

Artie:

On first glance, I thought the background subjects were cranes as well, and thought wow, what a capture. Does tell the story nicely however.

Nice silhouette, colors.

Randy

[Michael Thompson]

something about this image bugs me! ;) Glad to hear they were not mosquitoes! great silhouette that shows the active bird and the insect hatch. nice colors in the background