Are you ready?

. 

Brown Pelican, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel, FL

Nikon 1 V1, 30-110mm

Photographers often face a challenge when a shot possibility comes up and you simply don't have the right gear available.  Lots of good shots are lost that way. 

In January I made by annual trip to Sanibel, Florida to shoot at the famous Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, a venue where Hurricane Charley left its mark and photography hasn't been quite as good since.  I had wound down after the sun became too intense and put my "big gun" Canon 500mm f/4L lens in the trunk of the rental car when I saw this pelican nearby.  Luckily I had my Nikon 1 V1 mirrorless camera in the car.  I quickly mounted it on the tripod and got this one.

While the refuge is still a mandatory stop for bird photographers the shooting possibilities are a fraction of the pre-Hurricane Charley days.  I was heading back to my hotel in Fort Myers when I saw a few birds hanging around the west side of the Sanibel Causeway along the Gulf of Mexico.  This egret was particularly patient as all I had to shoot with at hand was the V1.

Egret, Sanibel Causeway

Nikon 1 V1, 30-110mm

I might not have grabbed these shots had I not had the V1 ready and available when the "big gun" just wouldn't work out.  Be ready.  Be on watch.  You never know when something unexpected will come your way.