Steve's Second Law Of Photography

I have come up with two rules for photography. I previously touched on Steve's Rule #1: It's All About The Light (and controlling it).

This post is about Steve's Rule #2: Being At The Right Place At The Right Time. This picture of a Pine Warbler is the perfect example of Rule #2 in practice. One morning I decided to forego the sunrise at the ocean to photograph herons and egrets before the crowds scared them off for the day. I did manage to capture some good images of a Green Heron that morning. But while I was standing there I caught something out of the corner of my eye. This Pine Warbler had flown into the pine tree beside me. So I aimed the lens at it and snapped it's picture too. I had never identified this bird before and was absolutely blown away with its coloring set against the gray background. I had no intention of taking this bird's portrait when I left that morning, and yet it's one of my favorite images from that trip to Chincoteague. I just happened to "be at the right place at the right time". Unless I am in the workshop staging an image (Rule #1), I try not to be too focused on any one subject. Especially out in the wild where nature , lighting, and the subject have their own say on the matter. When something catches the corner of your eye, don't hesitate to snap it's image. It just may become one of your favorites too!

This is the image for January in the 2024 Bugeye Visions Calendar. It is now available in the galleries for sale as an image or you can use it to make your own 2024 Bugeye Visions Calendar.