The Canada Goose: known for it’s honk, massive amounts of excrement, and child chasing antics. This one (pictured taking a break from hissing at small dogs) was captured at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Preserve (TRNWP), a protected parcel of land in the western suburbs of Portland.

       I am stunned that I got this shot - I was hand holding my 6D mk2 with a 75-300 USM lens from what must have been at least 75 meters away. My only saving grace was that this guy took forever to take off. On the right hand side of the shot the wakes of his body smacking the surface of the water during take-off can still be seen. He then pushed off with his feet, almost jumping into the air.

       If you’re a sharpness purest, do yourself the favor of not looking too closely. Else you’d find lens flair, massive chromatic aberration, and our old pal grain. This photo was taken in low light with a high shutter speed and an embarrassingly massive ISO, all to compensate for the light sipping F5.6 aperture.

       But that doesn’t mean the image is bad - in fact I love this shot. The outstretched wing, the near glassy effect of the water, the muddled reflection, and the backlight making the goose appear almost mysterious give me a feeling of nostalgia. I’m not sure where this bird is going but I do know he is going there with a stoic sense of purpose.

       As always, thanks for reading!

       Best, -Ben