Balancing Act And Out For A Summer Stroll

Balancing Act (click to enlarge)
X-T1, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens @ 323.2mm; 1/1500th sec. @ f/5.6; ISO 200

A few days ago I was out just wandering around with my X-T1 and 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens.  I am trying to improve my skills at wildlife photography and, as with almost all acquired skill sets, requires practice.  Often times, I go out just to practice.  Too often photographers don't practice and still expect to nail their images all of the time.  Which successful musicians, sports figures, etc., don't practice and achieve success?  I bet none.

~100% crop of above showing talons; Balancing?

Back to the topic.  I was out just driving around looking for subjects to practice using that long lens when I saw this lone osprey on the branch.  That in and of itself wasn't really an image worth making as there is nothing striking or remarkable about it.  But as I looked at the image on my monitor, I noticed its talons were not firmly clamped onto the branch on which it was sitting.  The bird seemed to be balancing.  It seems to me a larger branch would have been a more secure perch.  

I also saw these fiddler crabs on the bank of a creek at low tide.  I find it amusing to watch them scurry around with that one humongous (for their size) claw.

Fiddler crabs on mud bank of a small creek at low tide (click to enlarge)
X-T1, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens @ 400mm; 1/200th sec. @ f/13; ISO 640

Close up they remind me of something one would see in a cheap 1950s sci-fi movie!

~100% crop of a similar image (click to enlarge)

Just a couple of observational images today.  Nothing earthshaking or profound.  I hope each of you have a wonderful day.

Oh!  And by the way...if you want to get better, practice, practice, practice!

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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