Be Still
AUGUST 10, 2024
While out on a recent attempt to capture a sunset on Cape Cod National Sea shore at Race Point. I had my Canon EOS RP set up on a tripod with my RF15-35/2.8 L IS USM wide angle lens and a multi-range ND filter on its business end. I was witnessing what would work out to be a beautiful sunset. I had already caught some beautiful photos of the sunlight streaming through the clouds. Creating golden hues on the clouds below and then casting shadows onto the ocean and beach. After getting these photos and just passing time waiting for the main event, I heard a bird behind me. Its was a Black Capped Chickadee. It seemed like it was taunting me. I looked behind me and saw the bird sitting on a pine about 20 meters from me. I started to whistle back at it, an E sharp followed by a C minor. The more I did it, the more the bird kept singing back at me. Finally after several minutes of this, I spun my camera around and swapped out my wide angle for a 300mm zoom. As I zeroed in on the chickodee and was ready to snap off a few pictures, It flew away. At the time I remembering thinking I had made too much noise and the Chickodee decided it was enough. But, when I turned back around and pointed my camera with the 300mm lens at the ocean I was amazed at what I was seeing. The clouds had parted enough to paint the ocean gold and the ripples brought a shimmering effect to the whole ocean. Then as almost on que, seagulls started to fill my frame. First a few then more and more. I just started to punch the shutter and caught several great shots. My focus was set to manual, so some focus was comprimised. I was set to 180mm | 1/2500s | f5.6 |ISO 400. I turned out several great photos, the one above is my favorite beacuse of the seagull in the front. In my miind its a classic seagull pose. So back to the chickodee. What I think happened is I was not "still" enough. To be still means to empty yourself incessant flow of thoughts and create a state of consciousness that is open and receptive. I had not even thought of changing my lens to a zoom lens. The Black Capped Chickodee forced my hand into changing out my lens. If I did not do that, the shots would of been captured at best with 35mm and would of not had the same effect. After the moment passed, all the seagulls started to fly towards me and beyond. As they passed overhead, I thanked them for giving me the oportunity to photograph them. I stayed until after the sun had finally set and captured some photos. Nothing really compared to what I had cought earlier with the seagulls and that feeling that flowed through my body of gratification.