on photographs

This blog will contain only a few photos— and they will only be mine. I will not analyze my photos for you. If I observe your photos, I will not analyze your photos for you, but I will try and name the species. And that can be difficult, even with two photos of the same hawk. In fact two photos can be more difficult than just one photo. This idea is similar to getting to close to a bird, meaning the closer you get beyond reason, the more information you can receive, and that can lead to confusion.

I am not a photographer. I don’t have an expensive camera— never will. I will not photograph a Cooper’s hawk, Merlin, or Peregrine— unless the hawk is remarkable. If a goshawk is far away I will not even raise my camera. I am set in my ways. I can be a crusty ol’ man. This is why I don’t go on field trips. I have changed my way of operating— I don’t carry binos, but they are always near me if I am in the car. I am interested in verification photographs.

Poor photographs can contain valuable information. You should never think of your photos as being of poor quality. I urge you— do not trash your old photographs— even blurred photographs. Also, it is possible that your photographs have not been properly analyzed— another reason not to destroy your photographs. Many field- trip leaders and advanced birders do not understand how to identify raptors in flight. Therefore, thinking along these same lines, they may produce incorrect information. The takeaway—
save those photographs. Also, flashing your photos over the internet, and gaining an opinion is not a good way to understand how to identify raptors.

 There is a correct and proper way to photograph raptors, especially raptors in flight. And that is a somewhat confusing endeavor, one that may be difficult to grasp. Actually, it does not involve picture taking. However, that is another subject.