Savannah Sparrow

Continuing on the diverse avian life theme that can surprise and delight during my "Deluxe puffins galore and so much more" workshop, I wanted to share this image of a beautiful Savannah Sparrow. Imagine capturing moments like these – the soft, overcast light on Lighthouse Island and wide open aperture were absolutely key to achieving the dreamy, painterly background you see here. It gently diffused across the scene, enriching the subtle hues and allowing the vibrant colours to blend seamlessly into a wash of breathtaking tones. By paying particular attention to this backdrop, I aimed to create a composition where the sparrow truly sings against its environment.

This stunning Savannah Sparrow is just a taste of the "so much more" that awaits you beyond the star puffins on Lighthouse Island. Our workshop offers unparalleled opportunities to photograph a variety of captivating species in their natural habitat, all while basking in the stunning coastal scenery of the Gulf of the Saint Lawrence. Join me for an unforgettable experience where "puffins galore" is just the beginning of the photographic adventures that unfold!

Fun Fact: Savannah Sparrows have regional "dialects" in their songs, with variations in trills and buzzes that differ between populations.

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis, Bruant des prés, Chingolo sabanero, SASP) from my DELUXE ATLANTIC PUFFIN TOUR (and so much more) Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Sony Alpha a1 Mirrorless, Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens, Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @ 1,200mm. f/8 ISO 5,000 @ 1/5,000s. Full Frame image.

Savannah Sparrow

I love spending time with the Savannah Sparrows, which inhabit the tiny island where I host my Deluxe Atlantic Puffins Galore and so much more Workshops. I carefully positioned myself at the minimum focusing distance of my Sony 200-600mm so that the background was far enough away to be out of focus.

Savannah Sparrow on Fireweed

A Savannah Sparrow posed on some Fireweed during my Deluxe Puffins Galore and so much more workshop in Quebec. Savannah Sparrows nest on the island and are easy to photograph as they forage and return to their nests with food for their babies.

Savannah Sparrow with Lunch

Cold, wet and rainy days make for color saturation and naturally diffused light that I just love for this kind of intimate portrait of the Savannah Sparrow with a mouth full of food as it pauses before delivering take-out to it's demanding babies.

I was on a small island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence during my Deluxe Puffins Galore (and so much more) Workshop trying to convince my group to skip the Puffins and Razorbill for just long enough to grab a portrait - I think everyone was pleased with their results!

Savannah Sparrow with Caterpillar Mind the Background

Savannah Sparrow with Caterpillar (Passerculus sandwichensis, Bruand des prés, SASP) From my DELUXE PUFFIN WORLKSHOP in Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada, Réserve de parc national du Canada de l'Archipel-de-Mingan, Quebec, Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Camera & Sony FE100-400 F4.5-5.6 G Master OSS @ 400mm @ minimum focusing distance. Full frame image. ISO 640, f/8 @ 1/640s Manual exposure mode.

Mind the background

Aside from getting close to your subject, one of the more difficult things to accomplish is aligning the subject with the light source (The Sun) and a pleasing background. All too often I see photographers fill albums of photos of the same subject with the same backgrounds. The key to achieving a complete portfolio of a particular subject is to include many backgrounds and poses. Here I carefully manoeuvred myself so the sundried seaweed on the rocks below at low tide became my background of choice.