Grabbing A Drink On The Fly

Image Critiques Weekly Challenge
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Image: Grabbing A Drink On The Fly

Description: In this image the motion was frozen using multiple strobes and pre focused on the spot where the strobes would be activated by the bat flying through the activation point. It is the strobe flash that stops the motion, not the lengthy shutter speed in a very dark environment. Here I was able to not only stop the Bat’s wings and forward motion, but the water splashes from his mouth.

Specific Feedback Requested: All feedback is welcomed.

Pertinent technical details or techniques: Camera: Canon EOS R5. Lens: RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM at 300 mm. Shutter Speed 25.0 Seconds. f/11. ISO 800.

Grabbing a Drink On the Fly, 05-05-2022, Master copy
Grabbing a Drink On the Fly, 05-05-2022, Master copy2200×1700 365 KB

7 Likes
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OMG this is tremendous! Wow. I’m floored. Love bats so this is a nice treat. And yes, the water droplets are a nice bonus. The wing spread alone is wonderful with all the texture the strobes created. Was this in the open or a cave? Do you know the species of bat? Unfortunately here in Wisconsin, our bat population is just about gone due to the fungal infection brought over from Europe.

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Wow! This is very, very cool. Aesthetically, it’s the reflection that makes it. Bats are regarded as ghostly by nature and the translucent wing reflection adds to that story. I applaud your technical prowess and patience. You must have studied this spot and set up the strobes to get a good angle when a bat appeared.

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Outstanding! This would have been a great photo without the reflection and water drops. Having them puts your photo over the top.

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This was in the open. I will look into the bat species, and thank you for your kind words. Bob

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[quote=“Bonnie Lampley , post:3, topic:30497, username:Bonnie_Lampley”]
…Wow! This is very, very cool. Aesthetically, it’s the reflection that makes it. Bats are regarded as ghostly by nature and the translucent wing reflection adds to that story. I applaud your technical prowess and patience. You must have studied this spot and set up the strobes to get a good angle when a bat appeared.
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Thank you, for your kind words.

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Thank you for your kind comments. This was at a workshop location outside of Tucson, Az. Bob

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Wow, a really nice action capture! The reflection is very good and the pose is spot on (or very nearly so). Perhaps I would lighten the image up a tad as it does feel a bit dark overall. What trigger did you use? A Cognysis Sabre? I imagine most triggers struggle around water.

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Thank you for the kind comments.

After a consultation, I believe this specie is a Long-eared Myotis.

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Amazing image Robert! The planning and setup for this must be intense. Love the reflection, the droplets, the positioning of the bat and the overall ethereal look from the processing.

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Robert, the reflection and the flying water drops make this view special. You’re careful planning and knowledge worked out beautifully!

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Remarkable work, Robert! The way you described how you stopped the motion is clearly evidenced when looking at the tiny water drops coming from the bat’s mouth. Not only did you stop the motion completely, but you also managed to capture the entire reflection in the frame. I must also mention the beautiful contrast between the top half in black and the bottom portion of the image. Again, an amazing capture!

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Thank you, very much for the kind comments.

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Thank you for your kind comments.

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Lovely result. I’m assuming this is at Elephant Head Pond in Arizona from a workshop?

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Great detail, perfect positioning
Well done!

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Thank you, Karl.

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It was indeed at a workshop, but not sure of the Pond’s name. This one is located near Greenville, Az. on privated property, about an hour or so outside of Tucson. Thank you for the kind comment.