What makes a good day in the field ?

“ A good photograph must be waited for. You don’t chase it, you let it come to you. You just need to be attentive, present and open.”

I read these lines on an Insta post of Selaru Ovidiu. His street photographs are breathtaking in its simplicity and stunning in its compositions and use of light and shadow. His ability to see an opportunity, create an image is just outstanding. Take a look at his work. Clearly, the approach he talks about has worked for him. ( Follow him. It’s a must. )

Anyway, coming back to his words, they stayed with me. Of course, it wasn’t the first time that I have read similar sentiments being expressed. However, knowledge about a process and the ability to consistently execute it are two different things.

Consistently. That’s the key word. Let me talk about how it worked out for me at one place. I shall talk about how it all fell apart on the same trip, in another post.

In Hokkaido, while photographing the red crowned cranes my execution of this approach fell into place quite well.

Let me give a little background to the red crowned cranes.

The red crowned cranes hold a special place in the culture of China, Korea and Japan. In China, they are a symbol of longevity and immortality. In Korea, they represent longevity, purity and peace. In Japan, they are regarded as birds of love since once they find a mate, they stay together for life. Making 1000 cranes in origami is believed to grant wishes for health and peace.

The story of the red crowned cranes in Japan is a fascinating one.

They were found in abundance till the mid 1800s but then started to be hunted rather indiscriminately. By the mid 20th century, it was assumed that the birds had totally vanished.

However, in the 1920s, about twenty of these birds were discovered in the Kushiro marshlands in Hokkaido. By early 1950s, this small number had slightly increased to the early thirties. Things changed around this time.

That year, Hokkaido had an especially severe winter and some of the farmers began to feed them buckwheat and corn to help them survive. This practice continued in the subsequent winters and the population of the red crowned cranes started to increase steadily.

The red crowned cranes is one of the largest cranes. Its predominantly white in colour, with blacks splashed across its wings which will make it look as if they have a black tail while standing. Black is the predominant colour on its neck and its cheeks with a splash of deep red right on top of its crown in the middle of a small patch of white.

It’s a beautiful bird. That splash of red especially adds so much.

I was at Hokkaido in the middle of the winter and this is the time when the entire place is covered in a carpet of white. Photographically speaking, if you over expose slightly you can merge the white of the bird with the white of the snow and you will be left with the blacks and the red spot on its crown. This can make for some striking minimalist images.

There is usually no shortage of the birds. What you need to do is to isolate a single bird or a pair of them and wait. As Ovidiu said, you let the opportunity come to you. You just need to be attentive and open. I was in a good place mentally. I had a few images in mind. I was alert to other opportunities. I was not rushed. I was not panicking if some options were not working out.

Try something. If it worked. Move on.

Try something. If it didn't work. Move on.

Is there a pattern there with its legs, the head and the beak ? Click.

Is there an opportunity there with that pair for some fascinating patterns ? Click.

Can I zoom out and create something with that small group ? Click.

Can I create an image with just their heads ? Click.

There are a few cranes amidst those weeds. Can I zoom in ? Click.

Look at the setting sun cast its golden light on the trees in the background. Can I zoom out ? Click.

Can I take a photo through the foliage ? Click.

Occasionally, for no tangible reason, a few of these cranes start to dance. Its an eruption of joy. They bend forwards, their heads low and they jump in the air, the necks stretched out, giving out a whoop. It appears to be just an expression of simple delight at the joy of being alive.

I was at peace here. I wasn’t putting myself under pressure .

Maybe it was the red crowned cranes that helped my state of mind. Don’t they stand for peace in some cultures ?

Whatever it was, if only I can be in this mind space more often.