City Sapsucker
Photographer: Ryan Mclaughlin
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1/2000 • f/4 • ISO 64 • Nikon D850 • 24mm • Nikon 24-120mm f/4
After stepping off the train in Manhattan, this Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker was the very first bird I noticed. I have seen Sapsuckers in urban environments before, but never so low just a few feet away from bustling pedestrians. This bird was a treat to watch and photograph, and I had fun trying varying focal lengths and compositions as it pecked away for insect lunch.
There were practically no foreground elements to work with, so I put on a polarizer filter and tried to lean into the sun flares for added depth in the short window that the sun peaked through the buildings. In post, converted to black and white which felt culturally appropriate for this scene outside of the iconic New York Public Library steps. Fun scene to shoot.
