My hubby has recently taken a liking to photography, but he is a snap and go type of guy. He sees a scene before him, grabs a couple of shots, and leaves satisfied. For me the process is quite different. When I see something that interests me, I have been known to obsess for an hour or more, experimenting with different compositions, points of view, and angles, and unlike my hubby, I have tons of patience to wait for the perfect shot :). When it comes to wildlife, it doesn’t matter what kind it is, I can never have enough photos, even if it is something as common as a pigeon.
While walking the beach one day on Isle of Palms in South Carolina, I drove Mike crazy, stopping frequently to photograph pigeons, and I must have snapped about 50 shots of one group in particular. He kept saying, “Come on, let’s go. They’re just pigeons. How can you take so many pictures of pigeons?” Well, let’s just say they fascinated me, especially this little guy who, after patiently putting up with me for quite a while, finally buried his beak in his feathers and closed his eyes. Was he tired, scared, or just plain shy?
photos from the loonybin 
That second picture was worth all your patience. What a serene moment and an expression of its trust in your proximity. I hope Mike agrees, even if after the fact.
Thanks Gary! Mike is actually really patient with me I must say :). And he’s so funny now when we are out with our cameras. He always starts a friendly little competition and says his photos are always better or that I got a good shot because I copied his idea. It’s hilarious!
Fantastic captures Cindy especially the second image. Perfect.
Thank you Edith – I’m so glad that you enjoyed them. I love the beach – there’s always something wonderful to photograph!
Wow these are good photos… wish my birds would sit still and fall asleep for me…
Thanks Bulldog, and you never know – maybe I hypnotized him!! Maybe I am actually the bird whisperer LOL! Truthfully, I think he was just sick and tired of my hanging around :).
It’s kind of like Gorillas in the Mist…. you became just another part of nature, so the lil guy lost his fear. Kudos for all that patience Cindy! Beautiful shots.
Oooh, I like that!! I became one with nature :). You always know just the right way to describe things Dor. Thanks!
He was probably tired & was waiting for you to leave so he could get some sleep. When you wouldn’t leave, he finally gave up & went to sleep anyway.
I would get antsy waiting for you for that long too!
LOL!! You are too funny. It wasn’t that long – time flies when you are having fun you know :). But no, you are probably right – he was just bored with me.
Great photos, great light! I love these birds!
Thank you so much. I loved the lighting as well – that’s one of the reasons why I picked these two particular shots to share :).
love your pics–but to answer your question–he was waiting for some french fries no ketchup
Mmmmmmm, french fries. I could so eat some big, greasy french fries right now. Glad you liked my birdy friend LouAnn :).
So crystal clear, beautiful! Well done. 🙂 Good things come to those who wait. 😉
That is so true :). Thanks Becky. Are you feeling rested up yet? I still can’t believe you stayed awake and read for 24 hours!
Haha I feel a lot better than I did yesterday thanks. Not only was I still suffering on the Monday but I also had a presentation to do which was a big part of my grade, gulp. I didn’t feel completely terrible, but my best way of describing it is that I felt if I stopped paying attention for a couple of minutes I would have been walking into doors and walls and all sorts, because I was not totally with it! I still feel a bit fuzzy today but a lot better.
Me neither! It’s all such a blur, like a weird dream. 😛
Great capture (especially that moment with the bird’s eyes shut and head down).
I get that way about seagulls.
Glad you liked them :). Oooh, I took some really great seagull shots too – maybe that’s what I’ll post tonight just for you!
I hiked with a group that always took many, many pictures as we moved along. The moments they stopped for pictures were really nothing more for me than moments when I could catch my breath. On one of these outings we got up to the tree line in this canyon that we had chosen because it had a flower that bloomed only in this spot in all of the northwest. I have a fear of heights when I get into areas that are totally exposed so I hang back when others sit and dangle their feet over the edge. During the hike they convinced me that I should crawl out on this point so I could see the flower they where photographing. It was 2,000 feet down and you could see 2 mountain ranges over the fifty miles from this piece of bare rock. The 30 minutes we spent on our stomachs out on that exposed rock was the longest 30 minutes in my entire life. Still when I look at the picture of that flower that sits on my desk, it is special; it was a perfect moment that will last forever, it will never fade. If your husband understands who you are, he will get that someday.
What a beautiful story :). Getting the perfect picture while overcoming a major fear is a wonderful memory indeed. The neat thing about my hubby is that he doesn’t always share my passion for certain hobbies (i.e. photography, blogging, reading), but he does respect them and is very proud of the results. He is always bragging to people about my photos and the book reviews that I write. He does understand me, but he definitely does not have the same amount of patience that I have LOL!!
Lots of pigeons in London. Right now, two are on my balcony teasing Att. Nice shots
Awww, poor kitty. Teasing is not nice :).