Photographer Profile: Brian L Zwiebel

Lake Erie, Michigan. The incredible action and speed of the food fight dictated the need for a super fast shutter speed. With shutters whirling and the speed of the birds, it was incredibly difficult to keep up with. Common Mergansers are a high contrast subject. Precise manual exposure settings were necessary to properly expose the dark head while taking care not to overexpose the whites. Capturing multiple ducks in or near the same plane was simply a matter of luck. It was brutally cold out when we dug into the snow bank to conceal our position, so being prepared for the elements also needed to be accounted for. Canon EOS-1Dx, EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x III, Tripod, Wimberley
Manual exposure, 1/3200th of a second at f/8, ISO 640.

Lake Erie Marshes, Lucas County, Ohio. My marsh waterfowl photography workshops are sometimes quite strenuous. Wading into the marsh in the dark, through sometimes deep muck, caring heavy camera gear while dragging bags of decoys is not for everyone. Sitting or kneeling in cold water, wearing uncomfortable waders will try the stamina of the most rugged photographer. Staying focused on the task at hand is difficult while split-second reaction times are necessary. When the light is consistent I use manual exposure so I don’t have to worry about exposure compensation while attempting to track fast flying subjects. Canon EOS-1Dx, EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x III, Tipod, Wimberley. Manual exposure, 1/2,500th of a second at f/8, ISO 640.