On the Other Side of the Sun.
Often, I wonder, “Do the people that I’m with know what I’m doing?” Maybe I’m just being a prima dona, or eccentric. There are a few who know what I’m doing for sure. Others? Probably just don’t give a…
What am I even talking about? Frequently, I go on field trips with a wonderful bunch, the Bergen County Audubon Society. Each time is a learning experience. The folks are friendly, with lots of jovial banter. The experience with birds (and birding), ranges from beginner to encyclopedic.
Often, when an interesting bird is spotted, most of the people tend to assemble at a certain angle and proximity, relative to the bird. Me? I go my own way. “What the heck is Alon even doing?”
I call it chasing the light. The sun may be on one side of the bird, that I think will make the photo jump that much more. Cameras are extremely sensitive to light. You catch the right lighting, it makes a tremendous difference. Cloudy days? Meh. The photos are much more difficult to deal with. Too much sun, and colors/details get washed out. I will literally walk a perimeter around a bird to find that angle that the sun provides the most appealing light. That glint of sunlight in a bird’s eye provides so much added magic and life to the bird. You can literally see a full sunset reflected in some of the subjects’ eyes…Trees, walkways, paths, even the photographer appear in the “windows to the soul” mirrors.
Yet, it’s not simply that glint. It’s the way the details come out. There is often a subtle warmth that makes certain parts of the photo glow (if not from the bird itself, but the in the background). At certain light-dependent angles, the photos pop.
So, if you see me being the odd duck (lame dad joke), standing apart from the group, walking at some crazy angle or absurd distance, I’m putting myself on the other side of the sun. This is where the sun is making the bird distinct in its details and colors. Often, I find that the background and/or foreground are glowing in a magical way. The lens can be set to create an ethereal veil of multi-colored light.
How do I get to the other side of the sun? Sometimes it’s a matter of taking just a few steps. Sometimes, it’s a 1/2-mile walk (while hoping the bird stays put)!