{"id":50603,"date":"2018-01-09T06:43:06","date_gmt":"2018-01-09T13:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=50603"},"modified":"2024-02-13T19:53:26","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T02:53:26","slug":"photographing-canada-geese-in-flight-in-fog-and-golden-afternoon-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/01\/09\/photographing-canada-geese-in-flight-in-fog-and-golden-afternoon-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Photographing Canada Geese in Flight in Fog and Golden Afternoon Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CanadaCanada Geese in flight in a thick fog – Nikon D500, f6.3, 1\/200, ISO 1000, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

These two photos of Canada Geese were taken in very different lighting conditions and while both tested my skills as a bird photographer one of them required more thought from me and challenged my skills more too.<\/p>\n

This photo of Canada Geese in flight in a thick fog might not be everyone’s cup of tea because it was taken in fog, low light and there is motion blur but I quite like it. Taking this image tested my skills, trying to get the exposure right, trying to have enough shutter speed plus trying to maintain focus on one bird’s head while it was flying when there was a lot of moisture between the geese and I.<\/p>\n

I like testing my skills because when I do I always learn something new and when I learn something new I grow as a photographer, if I don’t test my skills I don’t grow. If the photo or photos are horrible, I still learn.<\/p>\n

When I took this photo the conditions were pretty bad and most of the images didn’t turn out well at all but I liked how this one did. I like the softness of the fog, the motion blur and the quiet mood the image conveys to me. Other people’s opinions about the image may vary and that is perfectly okay.<\/p>\n

\"CanadaCanada Goose calling in flight in golden afternoon light – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking this photo of a Canada Goose calling in flight in golden afternoon light didn’t test my skills as<\/em> much as the foggy photo because I had better light, a faster shutter speed and didn’t need to worry so much about my exposure. I still had to track the goose and try to maintain focus on the bird’s head and in this series I had numerous sharp photos of the goose as it flew past me unlike the photos I took of the geese flying in the fog where I only had one or two that where I was able to get the head of at a least one goose sharply in focus. When I took this photo if I would have had just a little more shutter speed I could have frozen the motion of the wing tips too but again I like that bit of motion blur.<\/p>\n

The skills that I need to take images in good light have become so ingrained in my mind that they require less active thought on my part, they have become what my friend Richard Ditch<\/span><\/a> calls “muscle memory”, or another way of putting it is they are instinctual. Photographing birds in other conditions like heavy fog, falling snow, rain or poor light challenge me more.<\/p>\n

I believe that testing my photographic skills in adverse or poor lighting conditions is a good thing and even though I do fail those failures and learning how to correct or overcome them increases my skills as a bird photographer each time they occur.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Canada Geese photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

These two photos of Canada Geese were taken in very different lighting conditions and while both tested my skills as a bird photographer one of them required more thought from me and challenged my skills more too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":121161,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,28,709,26],"tags":[5554,32,4072,4774,4052,4122,4175,3984,713,4254,4775,8301,8300,1984,6319,2063],"class_list":["post-50603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-canada-geese","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-afternoon-light","tag-branta-canadensis","tag-calling","tag-canada-geese","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-fog","tag-foggy","tag-geese","tag-golden-light","tag-goose","tag-photograph","tag-photographing","tag-pond","tag-thick-fog","tag-waterfowl"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-flight-mia-mcpherson-4337.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-dab","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":55268,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/12\/11\/peek-a-boo-landing-canada-goose-peeking-through-its-wings\/","url_meta":{"origin":50603,"position":0},"title":"Peek-a-boo ~ Landing Canada Goose Peeking Through Its Wings","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 11, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"One photo that made me laugh as soon as I saw it on my camera's LCD screen, a peek-a-boo Canada Goose peering at me through its wing tips as it came in to land on the pond.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Canada Goose peeking through its wings, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-peek-a-boo-mia-mcpherson-2786.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-goose-peek-a-boo-mia-mcpherson-2786.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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"Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Flying Canada Geese at the Arkansas River Valley Nature Center, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/canada-geese-flight-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-7823.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/canada-geese-flight-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-7823.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/canada-geese-flight-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-7823.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/canada-geese-flight-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-7823.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48570,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/09\/23\/pair-of-canada-geese-in-flight-over-willow-pond\/","url_meta":{"origin":50603,"position":2},"title":"Pair of Canada Geese in Flight Over Willow Pond","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 23, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"This pair of Canada Geese in flight had taken off and flew in front of a leafless willow when I photographed them close together while they were on the wing.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pair of Canada Geese in flight, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-willows-mia-mcpherson-9182.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-willows-mia-mcpherson-9182.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-willows-mia-mcpherson-9182.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-willows-mia-mcpherson-9182.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":96929,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/11\/04\/three-canada-geese-on-an-autumn-morning\/","url_meta":{"origin":50603,"position":3},"title":"Three Canada Geese On An Autumn Morning","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 4, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week I photographed three Canada Geese lifting off from Glover Pond at Farmington Bay and it brought memories from November of 2008.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Three Canada Geese flying away from Glover Pond, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/canada-geese-glover-pond-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2045.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/canada-geese-glover-pond-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2045.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/canada-geese-glover-pond-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2045.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/canada-geese-glover-pond-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-2045.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":119620,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/12\/canada-goose-on-the-wing\/","url_meta":{"origin":50603,"position":4},"title":"Canada Goose On The Wing","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"There was a break in the gray clouds yesterday before noon, so I drove down to my local pond. While I was there, I photographed this Canada Goose on the wing.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Calling Canada Goose in flight, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/canada-goose-flight-pond-mia-mcpherson-1322.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/canada-goose-flight-pond-mia-mcpherson-1322.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/canada-goose-flight-pond-mia-mcpherson-1322.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/canada-goose-flight-pond-mia-mcpherson-1322.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":40834,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/08\/08\/photographing-pelicans-herons-egrets-and-geese-in-flight-in-rapidly-changing-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":50603,"position":5},"title":"Photographing Pelicans, Herons, Egrets and Geese in Flight in Rapidly Changing Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I had a great deal of fun photographing the pelicans, herons, egrets and geese in flight in the rapidly changing light yesterday morning at Bear River MBR.","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Canada Geese in flight in front of the Promontory Mountains, Bear River National Wildlife Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-flight-mia-mcpherson-8090.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-flight-mia-mcpherson-8090.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-flight-mia-mcpherson-8090.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-flight-mia-mcpherson-8090.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50603"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50603\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/121161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}