Black Oyster Catchers in the sun on Vancouver Island Canon EOS 7D EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 at f9, 1/250, ISO 200On a fine morning in the middle of May last year my daughter and I went out in our kayaks to do a little exploring around Departure Bay. We were out interested to see if there were any seals out sunning themselves on the rocks as paddled by one of the small islands in the middle of the bay. I was watching for birds and seals to photograph as we paddled out with my dry bag open between my knees I had my telephoto lens on the 7D ready to yank out and fire away if we saw something. I place my cameras lens down into my bag in such a way that when I reach in to grab them I am holding on to the grip and it comes up to my eye ready to fire. I have missed too many shots while I was fumbling for my gear. This did require some careful paddling to prevent the water from dripping into my open bags but it wasn’t too difficult. When I move out into open water or I am paddling for speed I close up the dry bag which holds my whole camera bag. Anyway as I looked up two Black Oyster Catchers walked up over the rise. The Island sloped up from the water so I was below them and I think this adds to the visual interest of the frame. I snapped off a few pictures and then the one bird moved behind the other and I knew I had the image I wanted.

-Russell Berg