This image was taken at La Minga Ecolodge, a remote birding lodge tucked into the cloud-covered ridges of Dapa, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The subject is a male Saffron-crowned Tanager (Tangara xanthocephala), a bird as radiant as the environment it inhabits. Perched momentarily on a moss-covered branch, he presented a stunning profile—his golden-yellow crown gleaming against a backdrop of turquoise wings and deep forest shadows.
To photograph this moment, I needed to balance the challenges of low light, movement, and distance. I chose a fast shutter speed to freeze any sudden motion—both from the bird and the swaying branches in the breeze. Since this species often flits quickly between feeding spots, I didn’t want any risk of motion blur. To maintain a relatively shallow depth of field and isolate the bird from the busy forest background, I used a moderately wide aperture. This helped me achieve that soft, natural falloff around the subject while still keeping key details—like the eye and facial markings—in sharp focus.
The forest undergrowth was dim, so I raised the ISO to ensure the sensor had enough light without sacrificing shutter speed or depth of field. The EOS R5 handled the noise beautifully, retaining detail in both shadow and color. I was handholding the setup using a Think Tank Photo harness, which let me stay mobile and ready while navigating uneven trails.
The lens was my Canon RF 100-500mm L, extended to its full reach. Its sharpness and image stabilization were crucial for capturing the fine textures in the bird’s plumage and the wet moss around him. In a place where you often only get one chance, these tools helped transform a fleeting moment into a lasting image.
©2025 Adam Rainoff Photographer
