In Part 1, I used the 500mm lens exclusively for a couple hours as a steady stream of action passed through camp and around me. My 100-300mm lens was never far away, but it often takes a back seat to the longer lens in these situations.
Now that all the action calmed down, I walked the hundred or so feet back to the car. I had arrived at that particular spot around 4pm the prior day, and it was now 9am. I couldn't believe all the action that had just unfolded. After nearly 2,000 images I was ready to wrap up for a while.
But, the sun and the clouds just kept getting better. Two of the horses remained close by, stopping just a few hundred feet away. About six others grazed further away in the distance.
With the emerging brilliance of light and backgrounds, I decided to grab the backup lens meant for wider angles and closer subjects. If the top mustang out of that whole group was just going to bask in the sun right next to my camp then I'd be foolish not to at least get a handful of additional shots.
This 30-minute effort on my part was interesting in that the horse doesn't move one inch. Usually I'm the one that likes to remain stationary, but it was clear that he felt like standing and resting for a while. He didn't graze, and only occasionally looked at me. I did a slow pass west to east and then back to his west.
The light was glorious. It was tempting to try and do more with the moment, but I kept it short and simple. I love the bright foreground, the dark clouds, the blue sky and the colorful hills that frame the moment. The textures and colors in his coat are such a nice combination. At the end of this session, many of the other horses were steadily drifting back. I was officially ready to wrap for a while, even if that spot and those horses had more to offer. Fun morning!