On consecutive December days I paddled the Sammamish Slough. Heavy rain dominated the first day; clear skies and a gorgeous, low-angle sun the second. I get excited in both. In a downpour, mostly alone on the water, safe and warm in a dry suit, photography expectations are low but possibilities exist. Contrast the sunny dayꟷno explanation needed: shoot-all-day, sublime winter light.

Rainy day one I launched my kayak from the Kenmore put-in, pausing under the protection of the 68th St. bridge to set up the camera before pointing upstream. Downstream was a windy lake and waves, almost always both risky and abysmal for photography by kayak. Upstream, many Common Mergansers, the most likely target bird regardless of winter weather, were diving for breakfast. I elected to set the Sony A6700 w/300mm lens for blurry motion imagery: ISO 200, 1/200s, f2.8 was a correct exposure. It’s a fool’s errand, really, trying for sharp, fast-shutter-speed (high noise, low dynamic range) action images in such low light. I placed the camera outside its waterproof bag for quick access, protected from rain by a spray skirt. I stowed a dry towel in the bag if needed.

About 30 minutes in, I reached the former Wayne Golf Course. Suddenly, an adult Green Heron flew up in front of me, and I captured the bird where it settled in an alder.¹ Two male Common Mergansers floated nearby. I maneuvered my kayak rightward in case they flew in my direction, which they did. As one of the birds lifted off, I captured several images. These were my only captures for the day, but it felt good. I saved one heron portrait, four of the merganser lift-off.

In Lightroom, I was delighted with a couple of shots of the merganser lifting off. In the above image, the streaking raindrops were just right to create a pleasing pattern and compelling atmosphere; the blurred wings are a plus, and the almost sharp eye passable. The eye-level bird angling very much toward me makes the shot. For a bigger view, right click and chose “Open image in new tab” then click on the new tab.

Next day, I was back, late morning, in sunny December light: camera settings set 1/4000s, ISO 400, f2.8. Quickly, as I paddled upstream, Common Mergansers in groups of two or six or even eight, flew high overhead back toward their lake roost. Fishing finished already?? The river was lacking birds, some scared off, perhaps, by other boaters. I was anyway surprised by the dearth. Fifteen minutes upriver, I rounded a bend. Ahead, a flock of Common Mergansers lingered. Some took flight towards me, lifting up overhead, too high for a photograph. As I paddled closer, a straggler took off. I had time to pop the skirt, retrieve the camera, fix on a bird and capture a few frames as it flew past. Unfortunately, the settings were for sunny; the bird was mostly in deep shade or filtered sun (a curse of the low winter sun and tree-lined hillside). Returning downstream, I captured a Scaup lift-off in sun, after paddling by Bufflehead, Kingfisher and Hooded Merganser that weren’t good ops due to shade, background or distance. I drove home disappointed, feeling I mostly squandered the perfect light.

Reviewing images, the Scaup flight shot was the sort of shot I expected with the good light, a gem in a disappointing day. The above merganser image, best of the series, took some work. It needed a 2-1/2 stops correction, and rather heavy use of Lightroom Enhance Denoise. The work being worth it, on re-visit I’d call it a gem as well. Again, for a bigger view, right click and chose “Open image in new tab” then click on the new tab.

Comparatively, I like the rain day, blurry, bad light Common Merganser image best. But the sharpness and wings-down position of the sun day merganser shot certainly has merit.

And a lesson: get out in all manner of weather; you never know when good, even exceptional photos can happen. Perhaps as well, great light sets the stage, but how you use it tells.

Gary

¹ The Green Heron above may be spending its second winter here. In 2023, I found it frequently through December in the vicinity of the first downstream bridge before the Wayne GC. I found it again for the third time this winter on 1/3/2025.