p.1 #1 · Birds of Colorado + Rattle snake BTS story
A brief trip to Colorado, squeezed in some local parks and birds...
A little Back story 🤣:
Went into an overgrown patch looking for birds.
Heard a sound. Thought, “That’s different.”
It was different. It was a rattlesnake. if not for Cedar waxwing little squeak... I might have been in other world!
I exited with all the grace of a wildlife photographer who suddenly remembered he is not part of the food chain. Later asked Grok how I would know if I got bit, and it more or less said, “Oh, you’ll know.”
Thankfully, the little fella only gave me a warning rattle and the Cedar waxwing distracted me.
And yes, it worked. I was rattled
Lazuli - Giving me that stare and iconic pose
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/4.01/10000s2000 ISO0.0 EV
American Robin against red rocks
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/4.01/1000s2000 ISO0.0 EV
Classic Spotted Towhee yell
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/4.01/2500s2000 ISO0.0 EV
Teenager - Bullock's Oriole
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/4.01/2500s5000 ISO0.0 EV
Broad Tailed Hummer
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/4.01/4000s2500 ISO0.0 EV
Red Winged Blackbird
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/4.01/4000s800 ISO0.0 EV
Chipping Sparrow
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/4.01/3200s6400 ISO0.0 EV
Cedar Waxwing (not the best shot, but I love their character and this specific one saved me from a Rattle Snake!!!!)
ILCE-1M2FE 600mm F4 GM OSS lens600mmf/4.01/6400s2000 ISO0.0 EV
p.1 #4 · Birds of Colorado + Rattle snake BTS story
Wow, #1 is stunning. How did you get your A1ii to go 1/10000s to freeze it? i.e. can you share your camera settings? I always want to capture something like this.
p.1 #7 · Birds of Colorado + Rattle snake BTS story
PixiPhotography wrote:
#1 and #3 are my fav. Very nice
Thank you!
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Imagemaster wrote:
1 & 2 for me.
Thank you!
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drip01 wrote:
Wow, #1 is stunning. How did you get your A1ii to go 1/10000s to freeze it? i.e. can you share your camera settings? I always want to capture something like this.
Thank you. I have Action settings in memory recall and have dual back button focus (similar to what Jan Wegener describes in his YouTube videos). The default BBF is small single point of focus, but AF-On will immediately switch it to Wide area focus + Tracking. 1/10000s was excessive , 6400 would have done this easily I believe but the pure adrenaline rush did not let me think twice about settings. Let me know if this helps.
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guywithgas wrote:
Great photos and killer backgrounds. As for as rattle snakes are concerned, at least they warn you unlike the copperheads or cottonmouths!
Thank you! Yes I was genuinely spooked and the whole overgrown meadow did not help in Chatfield State Park.
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morris wrote:
This is an outstanding set Sathsy. The first is a wonderful flight image.
p.1 #9 · Birds of Colorado + Rattle snake BTS story
drip01 wrote:
Using the AF-On to switch focus area on a dime is a great tip, thanks! I just programmed my A1 to do that.
You are welcome. Not just cycling through the focus area, but a recall mode. He describes it in this video in detail: and there is a newer video for A1ii (but the concept is pretty much the same).
