Wildlife photography requires us to control two aspects: image size and background. Shorebirds can appear frightened of our approach; as we approach, they likely find us frightening and often leave. One reason they seem to move away from us could be that shorebirds seem vulnerable in comparison. At the same time, these little brown jobs blend in quite seamlessly with their surroundings. One simple yet potentially frightening method for getting past these two barriers is getting down on their level and engaging directly. But this doesn’t make us invisible – instead, the birds appear to think we can’t be dangerous since we are willing to lie down on the sand. Sometimes their proximity makes it impossible to focus on them, while getting down at their level makes the details of sand disappear so the birds really stand out! The Panning Plate provides the Z 9 / Z600f4 TC with maximum stability on the beach, while its Frisbee makes moving around easier. Now is an opportune time to practice this great technique – spring shorebirds have already begun donning their spring plumage; so come take advantage of it before its too late! Spring has officially hit the sand!
