That never-ending backlog of photos—the digital graveyard where great shots go to die… or at least wait an eternity to be edited! We all know that thing! I’ve been buried under mine for what feels like centuries, so trust me, I get it. But, in a rare twist of fate (or boredom during way too long and many meetings, that actually could've been emails), I finally unearthed these bird photos from March 2023. Yeah, that’s right—March 2023, and no, this doesn’t mean I’m anywhere near caught up. In fact, I’m working through my photos backwards like some sort of photographic Benjamin Button. If you’re doing the math, yes, I’m about to hit 2022, which is terrifying in itself.
Now, about these images—each one a reminder of why I often carry my Canon R5 around in the first place, not to mention that trusty RF800 f/11 lens. Sure, the RF800 might not be everyone’s go-to, but for bird photography, this thing’s a "reasonably priced gem". It’s like a sniper rifle for avian beauty, giving me reach (although still often not enough) and amazing sharpness without breaking my back (or my bank, relatively speaking). These shots, ranging from robins to swans, really show off how that f/11 still delivers some stellar results in good light.
Let’s break it down:
- The Robin – Classic little poser, hanging out next to some moss-covered tree bark like it’s auditioning for the next David Attenborough documentary.
- The Blue Tit – Defying gravity while clinging to the smallest twig it could find. Tiny, but with a lot of attitude. And noise sometimes! A surprisingly lot of noise!
- The Swan – Of course, swans. Because what’s a bird photography set without at least one swan posing on golden waters as if it owns the place (which I think it kinda does)?
- The Sparrow – Absolutely vibing in that early-morning light, living its best bird life.
- The Others
Looking through this batch reminds me of what I love about bird photography in the first place—it’s peaceful, surprisingly challenging, and deeply satisfying when you get that perfect shot. And with the Canon R5 and RF800 combo, every click feels like a mini victory! That is, until you are postprocessing and notice that you JUST didn't get that great flight photo! Or that the one of the blue heron isn't nearly as sharp as you imagined...
But yeah, as beautiful as these shots are, they’re also a stark reminder that I’m nowhere near finished. At this rate, I’ll be processing my 2020 quarantine photos in, oh, 2030. And even then I'll be glad I finally got to them!
If you’ve got a similar backlog haunting your hard drive, my advice: pick a year, embrace the chaos, and start editing. The best part of photography is the rediscovery. Until then, enjoy the birds!
Captured with: Canon EOS R5 and RF800 F11 lens | Edited using: Lightroom & Skylum Luminar AI
All photos are my own work. For more details, visit my website or explore my links.
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