This morning my day started in the dark with the intention to catch the common purple heather together with the rising sun. As I visited a certain area for the last time during the winter, I had no idea where I could find the best purple heather and where exactly the sun was rising....I know, not very clever for a photographer but due to the lack of time I had no other choice. By the time the sky started colouring orange I noticed that there was'nt much purple heather but a lot of grass and faded cross-leaved heath instead. There was some slight fog, the sky was orange but I was messing around with my filter(s), more with the holder and the ring.....first I was not able to fasten the filter in the holder and some later, when I wanted to change the position of the filter a little bit, the complete holder including filter falled down in the wet grass. By the time I had a dry filter again, the best red in the sky was gone. As I had more problems this morning with the filters and holder, I assume that it has something to do with me and that I must use them more often. By the time the sun was rising above the trees I was holding three filters in my hand; I found out earlier that it's better to use them without any space inbetween to avoid reflections. Completely wet, I made an error of judgement to assume that the area was dry, I was walking back to my car with the desire for a cup of warm coffee!
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For the first time, I'm already longing a little bit for the next winter season and a lake full of birds. I've got used to visit the lake area when the weather forecast indicated a chance of a 'red' sunrise. As spring was 'entering' gently, day by day the groups of hibernating birds became smaller and now the lake is almost 'empty'. Fifteen minutes after sunrise a small group of Canada Geese landed on the water. I was disappointed as the red warm reflections on the water were transformed into hard light. As soon as I saw their breath in the golden light, I immediately had to think of one of my first LP's with a golden cover and I heard Ian Gillan singing 'Smoke on the water, and fire in the sky'! For me it's time to say goodbye to the lake area (also known as the Landschotse Heide) for some weeks; for sure I will be back soon when the beeches are green and/or the first dragonflies will have emerged.
Until now the EOS 7D MKII and I are not bound by friendship yet; we have had some differences in the field. During the first usage on Saturday morning I cursed my new camera. On the 7D, I could check with one hand/button the sharpness in liveview; now I need both hands as the function moved to an other button and place on the camera. The waterlevel, which I needed badly that morning was 'lost'......like my internet connection at home so it costs me four days, two routers and an other camera manual to find some settings. Until today I'm still missing the exposure level indicator on the lcd panel as soon as I change the ISO speed from auto into an other setting. If there is anybody who can give me a clue.......please! The sunrise last Saturday was breathtaking! The Bewick's Swans were gone; instead a group of Greyleg Geese and Mute Swans were resting on the ice but as soon as they noticed me they became nervous and while I was busy to find the correct button in the dark to see anything sharp in liveview, they left the lake. On Sunday morning I returned and the light of the moon and stars guided me the way. A few minutes after arrival the first clouds came and within minutes the moon and stars were 'gone'. Next to a lot of Greyleg Geese again a group of Mute Swans were on the lake. Unfortunately they are all resting on the most unfavourable place in the lake as a lot of bushes growing in the front and it is too wet and too deep for approaching them. I need a mound near the path without building something.....anybody an idea?
Sometimes it's funny how things come together! This week, I visited an evening about Camille Saint-Saëns and the piece 'Le Carnaval des Animaux - Le Cygne' was played live with on the cello an 'old' colleague of mine. I did not know that he has that great music talent! Listening to "Le cygne' I got goose bumps as this music is so romantic and sad at the same time; also it was strange listening to a masterpiece about swans while I was busy the recent days to 'catch' swans with my camera on a lake nearby. This is the lake where the swans (Cygnus bewickii) are resting during the night. With the first rays of light the first groups are leaving. Within one hour after sunrise the lake is empty. Instead some herons come (you can see three on the right side of the photo).
I visited that area four times this week and the sound of the birds when they awake or fly away is amazing. Yesterday, I entered the lake on the right side and all the swans were swimming/resting on the left side of the lake. Today, when I walked in the dark to the middle of the lake (between trees) I found out that most of the swans were on the right side. So again I was on the wrong place; fortunately one group of swans were resting in the middle of the lake. It costs me wet feet and a dirty coat but I catched them with the red/pink light which I had in mind. |
Jibt dir dit Leben mal een Buff, denn weene keene Träne. Lach Dir'n Ast und setz Dir druff und baumle mit de Beene.
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