These wild turkeys, which I photographed outside my window exactly a month ago, before the snow, are enjoying the land, oblivious to what is to happen to their cousins en masse, in a month’s time:

Wild Turkeys

Taken at 1/3200th sec at 400 ISO at f/1.2 with a 50mm lens.

Huh? Why those values? Would a slightly more closed-down aperture, like f/4, not have been better? And lower ISO perhaps?

Hah. Simply because I was in Aperture priority mode and in a big hurry. I saw these lucky ladies right outside my window and ran to it to grab this shot. No second chances, no time to waste.  So you run to the window and:

1. Ensure camera is on (which is why I do not turn it off: a light touch of the shutter will wake it up);
2. Compose;
3. Find the focus point and move it to the right;
4. Aim that selected focus point onto the closest animal’s head.
5. Shoot.

I had no time to change anything, so I shot as I was, which was only just good enough: I would have liked more space on the left.

But I got the shot, which considering the circumstances is not a bad thing.I like to:

1. Ensure camera is charged
2. Have it turned ON (but timed out)
3. Ensure card is empty and formatted
4. Set to 400 ISO and Aperture mode

And that is the lesson this Christmas day: be ready so when you need to, you can get the shot. And if you are a turkey, enjoy life while you can. And Merry Christmas!