Scarlet Macaw - Costa Rica - Parrot - Tropical - Rainforest - Pura Vida - In Flight - Bird selling - Nature - Photography - Print - One of a Kind

Photography, like any other profession, if you want to succeed you have to push yourself, you have to make it happen. Having seen the images of Macaws in flight by the big name pros, I wanted to capture one also. I was in the area, the Macaws were there, I have the equipment and enough knowledge. So what's stopping me? It was early afternoon, the sun selling was not directly overhead and I was higher than most of the Macaws when they were flying by. The conditions were perfect. I mounted the camera and lens to the tripod and sat down to wait. I was using my 300mm f2.8 lens, this is a large and heavy lens so a tripod is necessary. The camera was set for matrix metering, focus tracking, ISO 500, an aperture of f6.3 which was giving me a shutter speed of 1/1000 sec., perfect!

It's a good thing I was sitting down because it was two hours later that a pair of Macaws landed in the almond trees down by the beach. To me they are like winged rainbows, their colours are so stunning. Through the lens I was watching them eat. Then another fifteen minutes passes and a second pair of Macaws flew into the area, there's a squawk, they wheeled around and now there are now two pair of Macaws in the tree. Macaws are very social bird so there is always a lot of very loud squawking and chattering. Also, this was the beginning of the breeding season so there was a lot of interaction happening. Then out of nowhere from my left, a Macaw flies right in front of me and lands in a tree top about 100 feet to my right. Sitting there it lets out a squawk that says “I'm here and you get over here now” and the four Macaws start winging my way. I picked one Macaw from the group, focused on it, the camera kept focusing as the bird flew a little to my left then it veered back and flew directly across in front of me. Wow! I depressed the shutter and got 5 shots, all in focus, all properly exposed, just like the big name pros.


Please note that for presentation purposes, the black picture frame is simulated.

These 13” X 19” prints are printed on MOAB Exhibition Luster 300 GSM weight, acid free paper, using archival inks for many years of enjoyment. The prints will be rolled in a tube for delivery.