Nothing prepares you for the sound of 20,000 Sandhill cranes taking flight. I spent two days in the San Luis Valley for the Monte Vista Crane Festival, witnessing the peak of the March migration.
True to Colorado form, the weather was a wild ride—we went from bright, high-altitude sunshine to snow in a matter of hours. The contrast made for some of the most dramatic “bucket list” shots I’ve ever captured.
The Gear Setup
To handle the fast-moving flocks and shifting light, I kept my kit streamlined:
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Camera: Fujifilm X-H2S
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Lens: XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
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Filter: NiSi VND
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Format: F-Log2
The X-H2S autofocus was a beast for tracking birds mid-flight, and shooting in F-Log2 gave me the dynamic range needed to handle the harsh sun bouncing off the wetlands.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve never seen the crane migration, put it on your list. It’s a loud, beautiful, and slightly chaotic reminder of why we live in the West.
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