The Struggle with Gear and Light
When shooting fast-moving birds like kestrels at sunset, every bit of light matters—and so does your gear. Initially, I was using the Canon RF 100-500mm, a fantastic lens for wildlife, but as the light faded, I found myself pushing my ISO higher than I wanted just to maintain a fast enough shutter speed (at least 1/2000s to freeze their rapid movements).Switching to the RF 100-300mm f/2.8 for the Win
To solve this, I borrowed the RF 100-300mm f/2.8, and what a difference that made! The wider aperture allowed me to keep my ISO low while still hitting those crucial high shutter speeds. The extra light-gathering capability was a game-changer, especially in fading golden hour conditions.The Moment It All Came Together
After several attempts, I finally got the shot I’d been chasing—a female kestrel showing off her stunning, fiery tail mid-flight. The way the fading sunlight caught those rich, rust-colored feathers was absolutely worth the effort.If you want to see the full breakdown from settings to positioning and the challenges along the way check out the video I just posted!
Have you ever switched gear last minute to nail a shot? Let me know in the comments!
📷 Gear used:
- Camera: Canon EOS R5
- Lens: RF 100-300mm f/2.8L IS USM
- Settings: (Will be in the video!)