Does the world really need another sandhill crane photo? I highly doubt it.
An image search on Mr. Internet provides a mind-boggling wealth of sandhill crane photos. Most are pretty good and some are truly amazing. Whatever I can imagine is already there!
And yet here I am offering up three more photos. Enquiring minds want to know why!
Now how did this one survive the deleting process? Oh yes, it was the light!
The best I can come up with is that it’s all about me.
- After hours of futility, there is a brief rush of adrenaline that comes with the raw thrill of seeing some wildlife while I do my best mad scramble to get the shot. I’m pretty sure the imbalance is good for my heart.
- I get a sense of accomplishment by improving my craft. After tallying 1 in every 1,000 shots as a keeper, I may be up (or down) to 1 in 900. Knowing I am 100 better is helpful as I delete another 899 photos. Now where did all the blog worthy ones go?
- My photos may not be the best, but they are my unique moments caught in time. That odd expression, the butt shot, the twig sticking out of an animal head – no one else has that exact shot. At least that’s what my photo therapist keeps telling me.
- The misadventures in trying to make photos are often fodder for telling stories. I take photos to keep blogging. And I keep blogging because I have photos. Clear?
Mr. Internet most certainly doesn’t need another sandhill crane photo but he got three more today anyway. These are different because they are mine. There – now I feel better.
Krahnpix 
Beautiful shots Lyle, all of them!
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Great shots Lyle. That first one is beyond excellent. Very well done.
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Thanks. I was happy to finally get the shot I wanted of a sandhill but of course it was on a day I didn’t expect it to happen.
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Clearly there are a lot of people agreeing with you, if one is to believe the number of comments and likes this post got! I hereby join their ranks.
Beautiful shots! Yours always tell a story.
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Welcome aboard! Glad you enjoyed the post. I had a little fun with it.
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Gorgeous images Lyle. The light on two is spectacular – well seen and photographed.
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Thanks so much. It’s funny how I’d just about given up that day and then I got the chance.
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Absolutely love the colours and the light of the first photo!
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I appreciate that. It’s one of my favourites. It feels like I took a few thousand before I got what I wanted.
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It was definitely worth every one of them because the result is absolutely beautiful!
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I am glad you didn’t delete the first one – the light is perfect!
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I was happy to get that one. For some reason it’s hard to get their faces to look good. Sandhills are one of my favourites.
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The very first photo is spectacular and good enough for national geography. The colors and lighting are spectacular. Wildlife is something that needs attention and protection.
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Glad you enjoyed that photo. It’s one of my favourites. I completely agree with you that wildlife needs protecting – it is a treasure.
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Those unique moments in time are lovely captures, Lyle, no matter what the species and how many times they have appeared on Krahnpix. They just get better and better. Keep them coming! Sorry to have taken a while to respond, but Mom had a rough month here. She is stable now, for the time being. I’m having a tough time getting around to everybody in a timely fashion.
Your photo therapist must a Coot. The Coots are driving this obsession! The Sandhill Cranes are only a front. 🙂
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I know from our earlier conversations that the coots are behind everything so they make the best therapists:) The sandhills are just too mellow for that!
Sorry to hear about your rough month. Hope things settle down for your mom and you.
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Yes, great light and the last one…perfect, with every feather sharp.photo Therapist, eh? Not a bad idea.
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I was wondering if someone would comment on the photo therapist! It seems crazy until you look at the issues.
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Ah, you really do cut to the chase… “the raw thrill of seeing some wildlife” and yes, when one shot comes out looking good… it definitely is a great feeling (and yes, affirms the comment that it is all about the photographer). You’ve got one up on many photographers however, you also have humor.
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Given the odds of things going well in wildlife photography, I think I need a sense of humour to keep going:)
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You delete 9 of 10 photos? Now that is worth bragging about; much better than Ms. Internet (or I.)
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Hmm and here I thot it was my failure rate. Interesting. Perhaps Ms. Internet also has a secret deletion rate!!
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I feel better for having seen your crane shots, though with a dash of envy added. I got to see some sandhills dancing on that last trip I took. Of course it was already turning dark and they were in front of some farmer’s irrigation get up. But I may get around to posting one or two nevertheless to add to the count. So there!
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I was thinking of you when I posted these! Glad you got to see some sandhills. Funny you should mention irrigation because that apparatus has worked its way into some of my photos as well. Maybe they are strangely attracted to it.
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Funny what fall brings. Over the years I have accumulated quite a number of things I value (e.g. the incomparable smell of freshly fallen poplar leaves, the delicious taste of those last remaining frost-touched chokecherries and crisp, star-filled visions of northern lights). To these and many others, I have learned to add the annual installment of the Sandhill Krahns! Keep them coming, Lyle. they would be missed if the flight recorder no longer did his (artful) duty!
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Thank you. The sandhills returning to our fair prairie is something I look forward to every year and it never disappoints. It’s a ritual worth repeating for my favourite season.
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The Sandhill Cranes and I are glad to hear that you are putting your narcissism to good use! 🙂
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Funny:) I was worried you and the cranes were colluding!
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I think we all like a challenge.
Capturing a moving bird in the air is my challenge and I still fall woefully short on that one.
Photographing nature is not as easy as it looks.
Love the images, especially the beautiful light in the first shot.
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Thanks. That first shot is special to me. Yes it’s the challenge that continually has us looking over the next hill wondering if we can capture something just a little better and it’s the challenge that keeps us going.
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Very nice shots. Don’t let Mr. Internet or the Google machine get in your way.
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Thanks. No they only bother me once in a while and then I forget about them.
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not only do i love sandhill cranes (so another photo is no problemo), i also love what you say about these pictures of cranes being yours. they are. this is your picture, you were there and it’s your perspective, what you saw & were able to respond to in that moment. that’s what makes them so special. they are good photos as well; the light being lovely & the focus good, the colors united…. but it’s the moment i want to share. the breathlessness of seeing a sandhill crane take flight, or land in the cornfield in the dying light~
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You describe it well. I am continually astounded how photos I’ve made take me back in living colour to where I was and how other people’s photos take me to places I’ve never been. They are a powerful medium.
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Great honesty but keep posting. “In giving we receive”. That’s not selfish! Keep enjoying!
Are you connected to the Lakeshore Saskatoon Krahns?
We used to live in Montgomery.
I coached Aaron in community fastball.
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There are not too many Krahns around but the ones you mentioned are no relation. But thanks for checking.
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You can never have too many sandhill crane photos. They are the coolest birds!
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I’m a huge fan of those cool and sometimes awkward birds. It’s one of the many reasons I enjoy fall.
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I am okay with these three more, especially the one with the light, or the one flying, or the top one – I like them all. I approve, but I am not Mr. Internet.
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I’ll take your approval over the ever-fickle Mr. Internet!
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You’re funny… Great post.
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Happy to hear the humour landed!
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