Some mornings give you beautiful light. Others give you fog, rain, ISO 20,000—and an Atlantic Puffin flying straight at you with a beak overflowing with fish.
I’ll happily take the second kind.
We were on the beach early for sunrise during one of my Deluxe Atlantic Puffins Galore Photography Workshops on Île aux Perroquets, in Quebec’s Mingan Archipelago. It was one of those wonderfully atmospheric mornings when the weather couldn't quite make up its mind: thick fog, intermittent rain and just enough visibility to keep us photographing.
Beyond what we could see, there was an entire world making itself known through sound. Through the fog, we could hear the blows of minke whales offshore and the eerie howls and calls of hundreds of Grey Seals gathered on a nearby island.
It was an exciting morning for everyone.
And then this Atlantic Puffin came racing toward me with its bill packed with fish.
Full Frame at Minimum Focusing Distance
The puffin was flying directly toward me, and I stayed with it as it rapidly filled the frame. I made this image just as the bird reached approximately the minimum focusing distance of my Sony 600mm f/4 GM lens.
This is essentially the full-frame capture from top to bottom. I cropped only the left and right sides to create the 4:5 vertical aspect ratio you see here.
That proximity is what makes the photograph so much fun for me. At 600mm, this isn't a distant bird enlarged later in post-production. The puffin was right there.
Look closely at the incredible detail: the individual facial feathers, the texture and colour of the bill, the tiny water droplets—and, of course, that remarkable collection of fish.
Atlantic Puffins have backward-facing structures inside their mouths that help them hold multiple fish while continuing to catch more. It's one of the adaptations that makes the classic “bill full of fish” photograph possible.
ISO 20,000? Absolutely.
Sony a9 III + Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS
600mm | 1/5,000 sec. | f/4 | ISO 20,000
Yes, you read that correctly: ISO 20,000.
If you've photographed with me—or followed my photography for any length of time—you already know that I'm not afraid of high ISO when that's what it takes to make the photograph.
The fog, rain and very low early-morning light didn't change the fact that these puffins were moving fast. I wasn't going to sacrifice the shutter speed I needed for a clean, sharp image simply because I was worried about seeing a little noise.
For this image, 1/5,000 second was the priority.
Opening the 600mm to f/4 gave me every bit of available light the lens could gather. ISO then went where it needed to go to give me the exposure I wanted.
That happened to be ISO 20,000.
Modern cameras are extraordinarily capable at high ISO, particularly when you get the exposure right in camera. I'd much rather have a properly exposed, sharp photograph at ISO 20,000 than a motion-blurred or underexposed file made at a lower ISO simply because the lower number felt more comfortable.
The photograph matters. The ISO number doesn't.
From Nervous About Birds in Flight to This
Atlantic Puffin flying directly toward the camera with wings fully extended, photographed by workshop participant Susan Goudge during the Deluxe Atlantic Puffins Galore Photography Workshop. © Susan Goudge
One of the most rewarding parts of leading these workshops is watching photographers surprise themselves.
Susan Goudge joined us from Apache Junction, Arizona, and admitted afterward that she had been nervous before arriving because she didn't consider herself a bird photographer. Her original hope was simply to come home with some cute photographs of puffins sitting still.
Instead, she made the wonderful head-on flight photograph shown here, with the puffin flying directly toward her and its wings stretched beautifully across the frame.
Here's what Susan had to say about her experience:
“I was a little nervous about attending Chris’s Deluxe Puffin Workshop, because I am definitely NOT a bird photographer, and I knew those little guys moved very quickly—but hoped at least I could get some cute photos of them at rest….
With Chris’s guidance and patience, I was actually able to capture them in flight, in focus—a dream for me!! The island itself is an incredible setting, and the staff is welcoming and helpful. I understand why so many people are repeat attendees—Chris has created a truly a special experience!
Hope this helps, Chris. Just loved the experience—thanks again for your patience!!”
— Susan Goudge, Apache Junction, Arizona, USA
I think Susan's photograph says the rest.
And I think Susan deserves some serious credit for this one. Photographing an Atlantic Puffin flying directly toward the camera is no easy task. They're fast, the distance is changing rapidly and keeping focus exactly where it belongs can be a real challenge. She nailed it, with the puffin coming straight at her, wings beautifully extended and eyes sharp.
Not bad for someone who arrived hoping she might just get a few cute photographs of puffins sitting still!
What do you think of Susan's photograph? Give her some well-deserved props and leave her a comment below. I know she'll enjoy hearing from you.
Watching someone arrive unsure whether they'll be able to photograph these extraordinarily fast little birds in flight—and then seeing them make an image like this—is one of my favourite parts of what I do.
Come Photograph Puffins With Me
My Deluxe Atlantic Puffins Galore Photography Workshop isn't simply about getting close to Atlantic Puffins. It's about spending concentrated time in an extraordinary location, learning to anticipate behaviour, improving your flight photography and being ready when those fleeting opportunities appear.
We stay right on Île aux Perroquets, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, only a short walk from the puffin colony. That means we're there when the weather, light and birds give us something special—whether that's beautiful sunrise light or a foggy morning at ISO 20,000.
And sometimes the foggy morning turns out to be the one you remember most.
Join me for the next Deluxe Atlantic Puffins Galore Photography Workshop and experience Puffin Paradise for yourself.