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Shawn Thomas Photography

@understudy77.bsky.social

2.4K followers 520 following 880 posts

Picture taker of nature and wildlife Lover of birds and pretty sights Clicker of links Leader of incidents Keeper of horrible hours Advocator of equality Practicer of kindness Preferrer of big forks/small spoons User of turn signals www.shawnthomas.art

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · May 19

Hey, I’m Shawn.
I take pictures of birds who ignore me and landscapes that don’t care i’m there.

Advocate for conservation, equality, and the correct use of turn signals (I’ll take any use really these days).

Liberal. Husband. Dad.

www.shawnthomas.art

#birds #wildlife #nature #photography

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 13h

Eh while I love Nikon all the cameras these days are fantastic. It’s a mix of field technique, putting my body in uncomfortable positions, and a flair for post processing mostly lol. That said thank you so much for the very generous compliment. Happy to chat technique anytime :)

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 14h

I have a thing for glowing wings.
@nikonusa @nikonoutdoors
#birds #osprey #raptor #birdofprey #wildlifephotography #flightshot #bird_brilliance #raptorshots #birdlovers #naturephotography #birdsofnorthamerica

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 1d

The little warblers get so ridiculously fluffy in winter. I love it.
#birds #wildlife #warbler #nature #birdphotography

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 1d

Just published my field review of the Nikon 600mm f/4. Not a pixel-peeper dive, more about how it actually performs chasing birds in real light and weather. Link in comments. #birds #wildlifephotography #nikon

blog.shawnthomas.art/nikon-600mm-...

Review: The Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC

I love the Nikon 600mm f4, but the real question is do you need it? In this review we’ll look at real comparisons, the questions to ask yourself, and the tradeoffs that come with a sixteen thousand do...

blog.shawnthomas.art

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 2d

When I grow up I wanna be just like dad.
#birds #duckling #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #birdphotography

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 3d

Silhouette and bokeh. Beach light just makes it easy.
#birds #wildlifephotography #beachphotography #silhouette #shorebird #backlight #sunsetshot #naturephotography #birdphotography

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 4d

Black Skimmer skimming at sunset. I like to darken the foreground and lift the background in shots like this to add depth and help the subject stand out. Simple move, big impact.
#birds #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #naturephotography #shorebirds #coastalbirds #waterbirds

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 5d

Tree frog macro and tried for the shine on this one. A little gloss goes a long way when the light is right, and the light is always right when you use a flash and diffuser.
#macro #frog #wildlifephotography #nature #closeup #outdoorphotography #macrophotography

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 6d

I don’t know how I skipped this one. Found it going back through old edits and immediately flagged it. That pop of blue in a sea of yellow is just so satisfying. Worth the second look. #birds #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #naturelovers #photooftheday

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 7d

Used to think this frame was too blurry. Came back to it months later and realized it’s got so much motion and energy. Funny how tastes evolve.

#birds #birdphotography #baldEagle #naturephotography #wildlifephoto #wildlifephotographer #bestbirdshots #natgeo #animalplanet

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 8d

That’s awesome! It’s amazing what the iPhone can do these days. I never woulda guessed but you will be quite happy as you move into a big camera. More control is always nice :)

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 8d

The next trick is use a linear mask just up from the bottom a little and darken it slightly. It’ll pull you into the image more :)

Always happy to support a fellow birder too!

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 8d

See I love that pano crop. It just works especially on kind of busy scenes like this. Well done :)

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Reposted by Shawn Thomas Photography

Kelsey Lagunas @kelseyelagunas.bsky.social · 8d

Blue Jay snags an acorn at the saltwater marsh #birds

Blue jay slightly crouched in position to down another acorn

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 8d

Just playing with light here. I wanted to see how much glow I could pull out of the heron without blowing the shot. Low key and backlit for a whole different vibe.
#birds #heron #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #naturelovers #birding

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 8d

Well go ahead and post it I wanna see :)

And yeah I’ve been finding this style to be more and more fitting lately.

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 8d

I’ve been shooting a lot of panos lately, and I wanted to make a case that wildlife photographers should do this more.

#birds #photography #wildlife

blog.shawnthomas.art/panoramic-wi...

Making the Case for Panoramic Wildlife Images

Panoramic crops are almost never used in wildlife photography, but they should be. By stripping away empty space and leaning into wide framing, panos can highlight motion, symmetry, and environment in...

blog.shawnthomas.art

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 9d

Shot this in the backyard using auto capture. Just let the bird do its thing and the Plena handled the rest. One of my favorite lenses I’ve ever used.
#birds #hummingbird #wildlifephotography #naturephoto #backyardbirding #birdphotography #nikon

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 10d

Not every image needs drama to stand out. Clean light, crisp pose, soft bokeh, and a little bonus bloom at the base. It’s calm, steady, and feels like summer. #birds #wildlifephotography #birdwatching #nikoncreator #greenheron #birdlovers #naturephoto

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 11d

Tide foam and soft sand. Simple textures that caught my eye. Shot this on the little Fuji — I love how it lets me experiment without thinking too hard.
#minimalism #texturephotography #beachvibes #oceanside #fujifilm #x100vi #fineartphotography #appicoftheweek

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 12d

Back of the boat again. The greens, the texture, the little pop of orange legs. Just a simple moment that stuck with me
#birds #shorebirds #birdphotography #nikoncreator #wildlifephotography #coastalphotography #naturephotography #nikonusa #nikonZ9

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Reposted by Shawn Thomas Photography

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 15d

High ISO isn’t a death sentence in wildlife photography 🦅
In this weeks blog I walk through how today’s tools + mindful workflow let you chase mood & atmosphere — even at ISO 20,000.

Read more → blog.shawnthomas.art/taming-the-n...
#wildlifephotography #lowlight #photographytips

Taming the Noise: Why High ISO Isn’t a Dealbreaker Anymore

High ISO used to ruin wildlife shots. Now? It’s just another tool. In this walkthrough, I show how I tame noise step by step — using DxO, Lightroom, and just enough restraint to keep things natural.

blog.shawnthomas.art

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Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 13d

Shot this from the back of a boat outside Ocean City. The light hit just right and the water lit up like neon. Sometimes the shot just lines itself up.
#birds #tern #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #nikon #nikoncreators

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 14d

This is an older frame I skipped the first time around. Came back to it with fresh eyes and realized I love the quiet mood and symmetry. Funny how taste shifts over time.
#birds #bufflehead #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #nikon #nikoncreators

Shawn Thomas Photography @understudy77.bsky.social · 15d

Shot this at ISO 22800. You read that right. Wild what cameras can pull off now, I just put out a blog today on how to manage high noise images too. That soft backlight on the wings sealed it.
#birds #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #nikon #nikoncreators #naturephotography