Photographers in Focus: Sandrine Biziaux-Scherson
Western Grebe dad and mom with chick. All images © Sandrine Biziaux-Scherson
Sandrine Biziaux-Scherson
This month we’re spotlighting the attractive and evocative chicken images of Sandrine Biziaux-Scherson. Born in France and now residing and dealing from her dwelling in Irvine, California, Sandrine got here to our consideration just a few years in the past when she photographed and helped alert us to an American White Pelican with a extreme invoice harm. The chicken’s rescue, care and supreme launch again to the wild, captured the general public’s consideration and garnered media protection. The pelican was voted the chicken affected person of the yr in 2018.
We requested Sandrine extra about her discovery of this chicken in want, and in her personal phrases she informed us this:
American White Pelican with injured invoice.
“I typically stroll the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine which is 5 minutes away from my home and that day I noticed an American White Pelican strolling on one of many trails. I instantly thought it was very odd as a result of they at all times keep both within the water or on the islands fairly removed from people. I began taking footage and seen the chicken had a badly deformed invoice and a bloody wound on the neck. I first thought that the chicken had been attacked by coyotes and I instantly contacted Trude Hurd at Audubon Sea and Sage however because the chicken was flighted there was no approach to seize it that day.
The Pelican was captured just a few days later when it was weakened sufficient to get caught. I felt a particular bond to this chicken and was very grateful to the nice individuals who helped alongside the best way and naturally to the good job Worldwide Chicken Rescue did to rehabilitate this chicken. A series of solidarity actually went in movement to avoid wasting this pelican. A couple of weeks later I visited Chicken Rescue’s [Los Angeles wildlife center] and witnessed and videotaped the chicken’s final check-up earlier than it was launched, it was an actual deal with for me.”
Elegant Terns courting on the seaside in Spring.
Query: You may have so many positive images, what are a few of your favourite species to seize photographically?
Reply: My two favourite species to {photograph} are Elegant Terns and Burrowing Owls. Elegant Terns are courting on the seaside each spring and their antics are merely unbelievable. They’ve nice ‘’hair-dos’’ when in breeding plumage, and a gorgeous courting ceremony that features dancing, fish choices, strolling on the seaside and so forth. They appear to have minds of their very own and I typically snort at their daring attitudes.
Burrowing Owls: mother and chick.
Speaking about daring attitudes, Burrowing Owls are additionally unbelievable. Some individuals will assume it’s odd to consider birds have facial expressions. However Burrowing Owls actually do have many various expressions and are a delight to {photograph}. Sadly they’ve nearly utterly disappeared from Orange County partly due to lack of habitat.
Q: How did you get your begin in images?
Foggy morning on the marsh: Nice Egret, Snowy Egret, Hooded Mergansers and Coots.
A: I began once I was in center college with black and white images when digital images wasn’t even a factor! I discovered the fundamentals of images and the work in a darkish room. After a few years of doing solely household images, I began once more with a brand new digital camera (a Nikon D90 my husband gave me for my birthday) once I lived in Chile for 2 years and I needed to seize the great thing about Chilean landscapes.
About 10 years in the past when my son was in elementary college and he was actually into nature, we began strolling the neighborhood to identify animals. I had my digital camera with me and we’d determine birds, lizards and bugs as soon as we had been dwelling. That’s how wildlife images began for me. Since then I’ve been strolling and photographing birds nearly each single day and if I stroll with out my digital camera my eyes behave like a lens and I’m at all times occupied with the pictures I may take. After all I nearly at all times have my digital camera with me as a result of it’s important to be prepared, you by no means know what will pop simply earlier than your eyes.
Brown Pelican makes a touchdown.
Q: What are a few of the challenges you face in your chicken and nature images typically?
A: Whenever you begin wildlife images you don’t essentially know the ethics of the sector and an important factor to be taught in line with me is how one can be an moral photographer. Wildlife is going through unprecedented threats (local weather change, lack of habitat, pesticides, air pollution, you title it) and also you definitely don’t wish to add to that by your unhealthy habits within the area. I see so many photographers performing like the one factor that issues is the shot, the animal is secondary. They trample habitat, harass birds, disclose areas of nests, bait animals to get higher pictures and so forth. I’ve discovered to be respectful, to maintain my distances and even to keep away from going to a spot the place I do know the birds are going to be harassed by my presence.
Male Brandt’s Cormorant bringing nesting materials to his mate
Q: We all know nice images is greater than massive title model gear. However that being mentioned, what lens may you not reside with out and why?
A: My first lens for wildlife images was a Nikon 300mm f/four and I took tens of 1000’s of images with it. It’s a nice lens and I nonetheless adore it. I now have a 200-500mm Nikon and upon getting tasted the attain this sort of lens can provide there isn’t a going again! Wildlife images means with the ability to seize stunning and distinctive moments with out disturbing the animals so lengthy lenses are a should. I’m wanting ahead to seeing how mirrorless cameras and the lenses that go together with them are creating. The load of my present digital camera (a Nikon D810) and lens are typically a trouble.
Q: Should you may give starting nature photographers only one (or two) bit of recommendation, what wouldn’t it be?
A: Stroll alone could be my primary recommendation! Wildlife images with a gaggle is de facto tough, you discuss, you get distracted, you miss the shot. Know your setting, know the place the birds are (stroll repeatedly to determine the nice spots) and wait. Birds have territories for instance and you may absolutely discover a given species in the identical given space.
My second recommendation is ‘’do no hurt’’, hold your distances and be respectful. Now we have a duty as photographers. Wildlife images is a broadly widespread interest in the USA, we’ve to go away animals their house.
Q: What chicken photograph tasks are you engaged on sooner or later?
Snowy Plovers: Dad is caring for three chicks – mother leaves simply after the chicks hatch – and they’re all beneath his wings for defense.
A: My new favourite topic is the Western Snowy Plover. This small shore chicken nests on our seashores and is endangered – think about nesting on Huntington Seaside State Seaside between April and July, the preferred seaside of California! I’m a part of a gaggle that surveys and tries to guard the Western Snowy Plovers of Orange County and there’s a lot to do. I’m rewarded by photographing them and their chicks – they’re the cutest you could find.
Q: Who’re a few of your favourite photographers?
A: The images of Vincent Munier, a French wildlife photographer at all times blows my thoughts. He is ready to seize wonderful imagery of the arctic and the wildlife it withstands.
I’m very impressed by the work of Britta Jaschinski a German photographer concerned in documenting the exploitation of wildlife within the title of leisure, greed or superstition. Her images may be very highly effective and hopefully will assist cease wildlife commerce. By no means has the saying ‘’an image is price 1000 phrases’’ been more true while you watch Britta’s images.
I consider as photographers we’ve an enormous voice for animals and it will be a disgrace to waste it on ‘’cute’’ pictures solely. Now we have one thing to say about endangered species, lack of habitat and animal exploitation. I’m an lively member of my native Audubon Sea and Sage chapter and wish to get an increasing number of concerned in safety and conservation points.
Q: How has working in nature enhanced your life?
A: Enhanced? It has actually modified my life ! Most of my life revolves round nature, conservation, birds and images. Being in nature is thrilling, like a lift of life I take each day. I’m amazed by what I witness, the animals’ behaviors, the return of migratory birds, the uncommon chicken making just a few days cease in its lengthy voyage to its breeding floor, the sunsets and the sunrises over the ocean or the mountains, every little thing excites me, I really feel there’s at all times one thing extra to see, to know and to share.
Sandrine’s net portfolios might be discovered right here:
Fb web page:
https://www.fb.com/Sandrine-Biziaux-Scherson-Images-164661373642891/
Web site: www.scherson.com
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/images/sandrine-biziaux/
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