Glossy Ibis
Glossy Ibis
It was an incredible thrill to work these marshlands. Fortunately for me, my visit was at the right time, and over the course of five days, I was able to capture images of over thirty birds species. The White Ibis is as common as a penny, however, this Glossy Ibis was like finding a 1909 sVDB.
The Technical Layer
To read additional technical and location content please click on the tabs below.
Technical: Camera Settings
Technical: How & Gear
The first few days that I walked the trail systems at the Viera wetlands, I had the Nikon 200-400 mounted on Really Right Stuff Wimberly type head RRS-PG02-FG atop of the RRS tripod (Really Right Stuff TVL-34L Series 3). After lugging that equipment for several miles of trails, on day three, I decided to ditch the tripod and carry my gear using a Black Rapid Camera Sling and shoot handheld. I did not feel that I missed any shots and freeing myself from the tripod allowed me to capture bird in flight (BIF) moments like these.
Technical: Location & Inspiration
I have written about this location a few times, and it still does not get old. I was able to get to the wetlands by driving a few miles from my La Quinta hotel. During the late evening and overnight there was enough rain that cars were not permitted to drive the trails that border the marshlands. I would arrive in the early morning, and the gates were locked for thru traffic. I just walk on the wet white crushed shells trails and head to areas that were facing westerly to get the morning light. The birds were always in flocks in the AM or PM as they headed from or to their rookeries. It was such an inspiration to be all alone in the four square miles of marshlands and hear and see all the migratory birds that abounded in this urban ecosystem.
Technical: Craft
In post production, I typically do not mess with wildlife images. I decided to make an exception and put some time into a few workflow processes that I developed to minimize halos. I also decided to swap the direction of travel for the Glossy Ibis to provide a bit more drama into the flight pattern. This idea was of swapping directions was presented by a fellow photographer during an image critique a year ago,
