Practicing Patience

Finally stopped preening as was ready to fly! (click to enlarge)
All images with the Olympus E-M1 Mark II, 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens @ 150mm; 1/2500th sec. @ f/4.5; ISO 200

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The other day I grabbed one of my cameras and went out wandering with no specific destination in mind, only to practice photographing.  I ended up driving over to one of my favorite spots in Poquoson, Virginia, a very small community that borders on the Chesapeake Bay.  I've made countless pleasing images in Poquoson, also known as Bull Island, specifically at Messick Point which is a small boat launch area for both commercial fishermen, crabbers, oysterman and recreational boaters.

While slowly driving near the small inlet where the oysterman moor their deadrise work boats, I spotted a Great Blue Heron sitting on the top of one of the pilings that hold up the wooden wall structure which, in turn, keep the banks from eroding into the water.  I thought the heron would make a good practice subject for future bird photography.

I stopped my vehicle, grabbed my Olympus E-M1 Mark II, removed the 12-100mm f/4 PRO lens and replaced it with the 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens.  Thinking that I would like to capture a series of images as the bird crouches, then takes flight, I set my camera the C2 Custom setting, which automatically changes all of my settings for action subjects.  The shutter speed set to 1/2500th second.  The ISO to auto.  The focus to AF-C + Tracking.  To ensure I would not miss the action, I set the frame advance to Pro Res L, which is set to give me 10fps and buffer 35 images as the shutter is pressed halfway.  I was ready to go.

My plan of attack was to get as close as I could to the normally skiddish heron, which was vigorously preening itself on the piling.  However, I was across the small inlet and couldn't get close enough to cause the bird to fly.  I then positioned myself against a nearby piling by walking onto some of the wooden bulkhead on my side of the inlet.  I then braced myself up against the piling, tucked my elbows into my sides, raised the camera to my eye and composed what I hoped would be my first image and waited.  And I waited and waited and waited!  Wasn't that heron ever going to quit preening and fly?  How much preening could it do?  Come on, already, take flight!  No dice.

For what seemed forever I stood braced against that piling with the camera to my eye and my finger pressed halfway on the shutter release just knowing that heron was going to fly any moment.  Of course, as I"m waiting poised to capture the action, my nose starts itching then my leg started itching, etc.  Distractions that one normally wouldn't even thinking about satisfying.  But I knew the moment I would take the camera from my eye, the bird will fly.  they will just have to itch.

The more I waited and the more I stood still with my forearms extended holding that camera and lens, the more I wanted to just forget it and move on.  I will categorically say, that if I had any other camera system with me, other than my Olympus M4/3 system, I could not have held that camera up and in front of me for nearly as long as I did.  The compact size and light weight were a Godsend.

By this time I really was ready to throw in the towel.  We've all been there.  At some point in time, we just want to say to ourselves, heck, this isn't worth the image.  However, I kept telling myself that as soon as I start to walk away, the bird would fly and I would miss it.  So, I continued to wait.  Now my thoughts started to change.  I became determined.  Now, I told myself that I was at the point where I had too much time invested in capturing the photos that I would wait as long as necessary.  I wasn't going to leave, period!  That doggone bird would fly before I left!  That was that!

After about 20-25 minutes, my buddy the Great Blue Heron quit preening, looked around a few times, crouched down (at this point I knew he was getting ready to fly) and left his perch.  It finally took flight across my field of view—left to right.  I hadn't been continuously holding the shutter down halfway for 20-25 minutes to buffer images as that would take a toll on the battery.  I did let up then repress to reacquire focus on occasion.  But I was ready.  Now, as it took flight, I fully pressed the shutter and panned with the now gracefully flying great bird.  The heron decided to land on the deck of a nearby boat so I made images until it landed.  With my patience and perseverance, I was rewarded with several well exposed, sharp images of the Great Blue Heron's wings in various positions.

I'm including several of the images with this post.  These aren't anything that will win awards, but the purpose of my outing was to practice.  I wanted to sharpen my reflexes and better understand the capabilities of my gear.  However, I also got to practice patience.  I believe in practice and if you aren't practicing your photography, you aren't going to hone your skills nor reflexes.  Many photographers don't think they need to practice.  How many athletes or musicians don't practice?  How many race car drivers don't practice?  Practice is necessary to hone your skills and reflexes.  I try to practice even if it around the house.

(click to enlarge any of the images)

I love how I caught just the claw alone still on the piling.

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

I have to say, I'm really pleased with this sequence.  The Pro Res feature on the E-M1 MKII worked just as designed.  I did not miss the crucial shot of the heron just taking flight.  The Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens is wonderfully sharp, focuses fast and accurately.  The camera's C-AF + Tracking locked on and stayed on the subject.  The image quality certainly meets my expectations, especially at these 50% crops of the original image size.  What's not to like?

This whole exercise in waiting is something I call "practicing patience."  When standing in line (queue), I used to tell both of my children that we needed to practice patience and we would be on our way in little time.  Practicing patience can have rewards in success, lack of frustration, lack of stress, prevention of a flared temper, etc.  Practice patience with your photography and you may be rewarded with some wonderful images.

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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