This blog will occasionally feature individual photographs and unpack their stories: Where they were created, what was happening around me, why I chose to work the way I did, and how the final image came together from both a practical and creative standpoint. I’ll include technical details when they’re relevant.
The Fae King
The Fae King was created in a parking lot in Banff National Park on a very cold day. It wasn’t a pristine setting, but it was very quiet on that particular day.
At the edge of the lot was a raven.
In fact, there were two.
Ravens often move as pairs – bonded, intelligent, socially and behaviourally complex. While I focused on a single bird, its partner lingered nearby.
Ravens play a crucial role in mountain ecosystems. As scavengers, they help recycle nutrients back into the system, cleaning what would otherwise linger. As highly intelligent birds, they are also problem-solvers, communicators, and opportunists; adapting easily to human-altered landscapes while remaining wild.
This one was curious: Rather than backing away, it grew comfortable with my stillness. I chose not to tower over it. Instead, I lowered myself to the ground and lay down on my belly. As I stayed quiet and still, the raven moved closer on its own terms. Eventually it filled my frame in horizontal orientation so I flipped the camera vertical and pulled out the back screen of the Nikon Z8 so that the camera could lay on the ground. This low viewpoint adds a sense of majesty and dominance to the raven.
Unedited image
The technical details:
- Camera: Nikon Z8
- Lens: NIKKOR Z 180–600mm f/5.6–6.3
- Focal length: 470mm
- ISO: 560
- Aperture: f/6
- Shutter speed: 1/500 sec
- Focus mode: Continuous with 3D tracking set to bird
- Aperture priority with auto ISO: The raven wasn’t moving quickly so the 1/500 sec worked well for this situation
Editing:
I mainly edited in Adobe Lightroom, choosing to convert the image to black and white to simplify it to the basics of tone, shape and texture, and to bring more direct attention to the eye contact and to enhance mood. I used the Colour Grading tool to bring a little blue into the shadows.
A respectful distance from wildlife is essential. As a general guideline, it’s best to remain at least 30 metres from birds, increasing that distance if their behaviour changes – if they stop foraging, become alert, vocalize, or move away. In this case, I stayed still and quiet. The raven approached on its own terms, and the closeness in the photograph came from its decision, not mine.