Vermillion and Agave

Written By Ray Hennessy
 

Photographer: Daniel Gomez

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1/640 • f/5.6 • ISO 2500 • Nikon D850 • 500mm • Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6

Vermilion Flycatchers have always been one of my favorite birds, and one of the species that truly hooked me into wildlife photography. One early spring morning, I found a breeding pair near an open field that regularly used agave stalks as perches to land on, after zipping up and down catching insects.
After observing their behavior, I quietly positioned myself behind the agave, waiting for one of the birds to land on a spike. I captured a few portrait-style images and initially thought that was all the scene had to offer. Then it struck me just how unique this moment truly was.
The small window created between the thick agave leaves is something many photographers might pass up in favor of a clean, unobstructed portrait of these stunning, bright-red birds. That moment changed the way I see a scene. Natural framing has fascinated me ever since, and this experience inspired me to actively seek out these kinds of settings whenever I’m out in the field.

 
Ray Hennessy

Starting in 2007 my fascination with nature photography began.  In the years since, wildlife photography with a focus on birds has gone from a very passionate hobby of mine to become my career. I spend much of my free time in natural areas searching for birds and any other wildlife that comes along. I concentrate on using creative natural lighting and interesting compositions to capture unique images of common and rare wildlife. My favorite style is a more scenic photo that includes some of the habitat wildlife lives in. I also enjoy passing along the knowledge and experience that I have gathered over the years to other photographers who are eager to learn.

www.rayhennessy.com
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