Today wasn't a great photography day for me, simply because I was busy with other things. Plus, it was a cold, gloomy day. So, I have some pictures from yesterday, which was also a cold day, but the clouds didn't seem as heavy and offered some nice, diffused light.
We have a wonderful "picture" window in our living room looking out onto our front yard. In the winter, we place several bird feeders near this window and it's great watching all the wintering birds as they come to feed. This year, my wife talked me into taking one of our bird baths and placing a water heater in it to keep some open water for the birds to drink. Come to find out, some birds are crazy enough to take baths, too, even when the temperature dips into the teens!
About 15 feet from the feeders stands a purple plum tree, which acts as the perfect staging area for birds flying back and forth from the feeders. It also provides the perfect backdrop for taking pictures of these birds as they come and go and I never tire from getting photos of all the different birds. Most of all it's great practice for me with my camera because these birds never sit still. They're the busiest things ever and my wife and I have both commented that being a bird must be tiring and a complete waste of energy. It's no wonder they're at the feeder all day and they mow through sunflower seeds faster than pro baseball players!
Anyway, as I mentioned it's great practice. I constantly have to adjust the exposure depending on whether a bird is in the tree, on the snow covered ground, or sitting on a branch with the sky in the background. Without knowing how to adjust correctly I would wind up with a lot more under/over exposed images. Also, I have to make sure my shutter speeds are fast enough to stop the motion of the birds, which coupled with the changing light makes it even more difficult to get proper exposure. It's challenging, but fun!
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