Photographing Herons with a Tragopan V6 Blind

One of the biggest challenges in wildlife photography is getting close to subjects. A photography blind is one of the most important tools in a wildlife photographer's arsenal for getting into camera range in places that would otherwise be impossible and to shoot in places where no one else is shooting - a local woodlot, marsh, or your own backyard bird feeders. A good photography blind also minimizes your impact on wildlife providing intimate opportunities to shoot natural undisturbed behavior.
In this Field Vlog, I take a Tragopan V6 Photography Blind to an Oregon wetland to shoot a Great Blue Heron and Great Egret feeding frenzy.
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I am a Wildlife Photographer and Cinematographer for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a Senior Fellow at the International League of Conservation Photographers and have been photographing birds and wildlife professionally for the last 25 years. I am best known for my work documenting endangered birds and conservation issues around the world including the enigmatic Spoon-billed Sandpiper. My book, The Living Bird, was a New York Times Bestseller and National Outdoor Book Award winner and my work is published regularly in magazines including National Geographic, BBC Wildlife and Audubon. My work has also been featured in media outlets including NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, Morning Edition, and The New York Times. My film work has been featured in the PBS Nature series and in film festivals including Jackson Wild, Mountain Film, and the Banff World Tour.

[@TaraTanaka]

Thank you for emphasizing the importance of not flushing birds from feeding. Opportunities like that don't come often for them, and they need every minute to take advantage of them. I especially loved the image at 16:47. The universe rewarded you handsomely for your extra care :-).

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks, Tara! It was quite and awesome experience and is so rewarding to be a part of it without causing any disturbance!

[@andreak4280]

Another great day out with nature’s beauty/gifts to us to enjoy & protect. outstanding captures 😍🫶🏼

[@chrisjmiller6]

Every photographer should be lucky enough to experience a day like this. It's difficult to explain to people who aren't photographers. Nice work all around. The egret photos were excellent.

[@amynelson9499]

Excellent!!!

[@johnhynd8037]

G'day Gerrit,I'm from Bendigo Victoria Australia thoroughly enjoyed your video the grey herons and white egrets are two of my favourite birds, I use a Canon R7 mirrorless with R600 and R800 lens and 150-600 zoom Tamron g2 lens walking around lake's and reservoirs, and wetlands but after seeing your hide set up I will be looking out for one, Thanks again for your video you got some great shots 👌

[@GerritVyn]

Awesome, thank you!

[@MsMarciamae]

Very nice and informative Vlog

[@GerritVyn]

Thank you!

[@vladepast4936]

I think I know the place you were taking pictures at... I like it too. Noce video! Thank you for sharing!

[@StGeorgeSaint]

GLORIOUS GLORIOS SHOTS Gerrit!!! I absolutely loved them. (and I love my V6 hide as well - have all the same attachments. Use it at the lakes here in Staten Island the few occasions that I'm able to wrangle some free time)

[@GerritVyn]

Thank you!

[@jeffkatzer]

That was fun, I watched it from my backyard bird blind.

[@GerritVyn]

Nice! Good luck!

[@six66red14]

Merci pour cette vidéo, du Luxembourg, +1A.

[@Walkinginthewoods]

Lovely vlog. It looks like a tough place to be a fish.

[@demitimmer4805]

Great video Gerrit

[@jimclark8283]

Thanks Gerrit! Enjoyed the journey!

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks, Jim. Glad you enjoyed!

[@robertbernard9546]

Great video!

[@johnepattison]

I’ve been hoping for more than a year that you’d do something on KZbin. I’ve only been doing photography for about 18 months - I’m down in Silverton, not far from Portland - and your book has been my guidebook for bird photography. I also have a Tragopan blind. At the same time, I’ve learned a lot on KZbin and I’m super glad you’re on here now. This was really informative and inspiring.

[@GerritVyn]

Thank you very much for the kind note, John. Much appreciated and glad to hear my book has been helpful to you in your new journey photographing birds!

[@craigmitchell905]

very nice man, i will watch some more

[@noelhewitt7434]

Just got yourself a new sub.. really enjoyed this vlog..

[@digidraxe8052]

I really enjoyed your video and found it helpful. Thanks.

[@theolinol]

Brilliant video thank you

[@GerritVyn]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@JonathanMikulich]

Thank you. My comment: simply more informative vids. Perhaps a Lightroom session in the future.

[@turnstone146]

Thank you very much for this. If you do a future video on raptors it would be very much of interest, especially in prairie or agricultural environments!

[@dannyswildlife]

"It's perfect. It's beyond perfect. It's perfect." I think that's a fair assessment! I thoroughly enjoyed the video! Thank you for sharing!

[@GerritVyn]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@calebwalsh4834]

Great vid mate, I learnt a tonne of tips and tricks. Next purchase a blind.

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks Caleb!

[@trishmccallister]

Super helpful video! I love that this blind allows you to shoot low as well as seated.

[@robertlawrence7958]

A superb set of images. Excellent video too.

[@airsearescueguy]

Solid first effort Gerrit, looking forward to seeing your next work. Will look up your book. Cheers, Bruce

[@benwilliams9627]

Awesome video Gerrit. I really learned a lot and I know what’s on my shopping list for xmas.

[@GaborRuff]

Great video and awesome photos. I'm looking forward to watching more vlogs like this.

[@joncothranphotography9375]

I love getting images of herons and other water birds. Thanks for sharing! We seem to have similar ideas about wildlife! Great looking blind!

[@htorres1stk]

Wow! Inspiring to say the least... Thank you

[@arniecoons5686]

GREAT VID! thanks for both the techniques and the inspiration.

[@georgelepp]

Gerrit: A wonderful Vlog that really shows how your blind works. I've been looking at the V6 and wanted more info, and this really gives excellent info. I like your ethic and methods. I will be following your Vlog as you continue on. This is the kind of field info that serious photographers should be willing to pay for...at least maybe they'll buy your blinds when they see the results. You kept my attention, and that isn't easy after doing this for 50+ years.

[@GerritVyn]

Thank you very much, George. Vlogging is quite laborious so the feedback is much appreciated! Especially from someone with your years and years of experience. Thank you!

[@ChrisMosner]

Excellent! I own the same blind sans the leg extension. Going to look into adding that to my kit. New subscriber!

[@bruceterrill8730]

Amazing vlog, absolutely loved the footage and the content. I purchased your book a while back and love your ethical approach to bird photography and now that we have, finally, seen the second vlog on the Great Grey Owls, I'm looking forward to a steady stream of vlogs from you. You offer a teaching style and ethical approach that few vloggers can match these days. Please continue posting and I will certainly keep watching. Bruce, Ballarat, Australia.

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks you very much, Bruce. Great to hear this kind of feedback! I only have limited time for vlogging but will do my best!

[@digger360]

Love the video .. will vhave to look into one of these style hides

[@GerritVyn]

They’re the best!

[@mondujar279]

Great video, I am retiring in one week after which I will have a lot more time to pursue my bird photography. We have a heronry locally in the UK with egrets aswell, I will be heading there again when they are nesting! Thanks for sharing your experience

[@patroque2388]

Great video Gerrit!

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks Pat!

[@michealpociecha8351]

Nice video. Well done. Look forward to more. Thanks.

[@GiuseppeGessa]

Great pictures!! I've got an old Tragopan photo-blind and the new Hokki v3, for photographing birds close to the ground, but your photo-blind I think is better for a general purpose use, water-birds as well

[@michaellyons5208]

Great video, great shots. New sub. I haven't had the cash for purchasing a blind, but I plan to DIY one and see how it goes.

[@andywessels4719]

Awesome video!! I live in South Carolina and Egrets and Herons are always on the (photography) menu!! (I even put a video together with a compilation of photos I took over the last year or so). I really like the idea of a blind to get closer and to avoid disturbing the habitat. My back issues pretty much prevent me of lying down on my belly to take photos from a low perspective (they look great), but I am sure that I'd be getting some great shot from a sitting position as well....... Subscribed and hope to see a lot more content from you!!

[@rfritz1267]

This is a beautiful Vlog! I have been researching this blind for quite some time and you made a very informative video from start to finish that definitely enhanced my decision to purchase this and get back out into nature. Thanks so much!

[@GerritVyn]

Thank you for the comment, glad you found it inspiring!

[@briansmall3090]

Good stuff Gerrit..............would love to see you do one when you go out to photograph owls someday.

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks, Brian. Will think on that one.

[@richardschmidtke6453]

Well that is a solid start to the channel. I really like the educational component you bring. Look forward to seeing many more. Finally got my blind and can't wait to start using it.

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks and good luck out there!

[@jasonnorris767]

My blind just came as well and your insight for an amateur like me is so valuable. Please keep the vids coming. Thanks, Gerrit!

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks, Jason! Good luck out there!

[@danielknapp3267]

Thank you for taking the time to put together an informative and extremely helpful video for all of us to enjoy. Your book has also been a great help with lots of insight into how to ethically photograph wildlife. Question: how do you deal with other people disturbing birds (not intentionally) at public locations? Do you primarily shoot on private or public land? How do you talk to land owners to access private land?

[@trondwestby5264]

Love your work Gerrit! So I was glad to see your vlogging. Looking forward to the next one. All the best!

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks, Trond! It's not as easy as you make it look :) Hopefully I'll find time to do one every now and then!

[@pseudophotog]

Really appreciate the format , especially the explanation of your fieldcraft to design your shooting opportunity and the close-up Dowitcher is magnificent!

[@GerritVyn]

Thank you very much. Appreciate the positive feedback!

[@denischasse3567]

very effective ! I am waiting for mine which will arrive soon I hope !! can't wait to try it out! i just received the floating model from austria! it's very effective too 👍 thanks for your great video my friend! Merci! 🎥🎥🎥

[@GerritVyn]

Sure thing. Good luck out there Denis!

[@garyshackelford4474]

I appreciate the perspective you bring to this vlog, especially your thoughtful preparation prior to a shoot and your use of blinds. Most of us do not live in places like Florida where the birds and other wildlife are accustomed to human presence, so your vlog is a welcome addition to the body of online resources for field nature photography. I own your book. It is loaded with useful information.

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks, Gary! With all of the photographers out there these days it's more important than ever to find ways to reduce our cumulative impact. Blinds are a great way for folks to spread out and reduce disturbance. Appreciate the note!

[@fixitright9709]

Yeah here in Florida at least for me you can get pretty close to the great egret, snowy egrets a little shy but the great blue heron can be difficult.

[@tolga_cicek]

Greetings from Turkey. This is an awesome content and the results are incredible. Blind is one of the best thing to take this kind of photos. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I hope you keep up this videos.

[@GerritVyn]

Thank you very much, Tolga. Much apprecaited!

[@myronrayevasco2344]

super duper video i learn a lot from this.

[@GerritVyn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thomastuorto9929]

Good vid. Some great photos. You ever set up a floating blind? I wish I owned that lens.

[@quidquamquaero5694]

Very inspiring video. Thanks.

[@GerritVyn]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@user-is2to5fl6o]

Great video.

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks!

[@michellestewart7494]

New to your channel...awesome shots!.

[@davefram4653]

Very nice tutorial and images. Shutter was quite loud. Apparently that isn't as much of a problem as I thought it might be. I always shoot silently but perhaps I don't need to.

[@GerritVyn]

A silent shutter is definitely preferable! I'm loving that about the new mirrorless camera systems!

[@friendsinnaturevideosbydia8178]

This is great, Gerrit. I'm researching blinds for bird and other wildlife photography. I'm wondering how you decide on a location where can you put up a blind the day before without it being stolen or squatted in? many areas I photograph can get a bit of foot traffic. I'm planning to scout out my location(s) & get out before sunrise to set up the blind. Will that work as well? I also feel the need to put a note on the blind - photographing, not camping, please don't disturb.

[@GerritVyn]

Hi there, I just use my judgment based on the visibility of the blind and how heavily an area is used. If I'm in a spot where it is likely to be seen and/or stolen I do as you suggest and arrive early very in the morning (if the species/location being shot requires it) to put the blind up. I would usually pick my location beforehand, however.

[@fotografiabymiguel]

Timing is everything, my new blind showed up, then this video appears on my YT feed. Love it :) Great process you have here Gerrit. Leaving the blind unattended may not be ideal. Have you found much success with scouting the day before, then returning prior to sunrise, setting up for the shoot and obtaining good results?

[@GerritVyn]

Hi Miguel, yes, for many situations setting up in the morning works too. However, sometimes, it's much easier to sneak into a blind that is already setup then to potentially flush birds setting up pre-dawn (if you are in a spot with lots of birds already present).

[@fotografiabymiguel]

@@GerritVyn I can certainly understand the pro's of sneaking into a blind that was set up ahead of time. Appreciate the response.

[@thatsricktoyou2245]

Hi Gerrit. Very interesting video. I do have a few comments and questions. 1. Setting up your blind on day 1 and leaving it overnight is something that I really like, BUT, I also live in the Portland area and there are not many publicly accessible areas where I would personally leave my blind unattended overnight. Did you camp out close to the blind or did you really leave it all alone for rascals to play with (or take)? 2. You have an attachment on the back of your camera, what is it? Seems to be a viewfinder extension? 3. Which mounting rig/tripod do you use when you are shooting on the ground? 4. Why does your lens have a different camo jacket than the one that you sell on your website? Seems like a missed opportunity to advertise one of your other products. 5. Which equipment are you using to capture your vlog? 6. It would seem, with transparency in mind, that you might want to tell the viewers that you are indeed the proprietor of Tragopan...just saying. 7. I own several of your products and am always anxious to see what you are selling to those of us that want to get close to nature. I'm impressed with your products, with a few small caveats, but I'm a nitpicker (it seems). Thanks for the vlog. Very enjoyable. I also liked the other videos that you've put on your channel. Nice job! Rick

[@GerritVyn]

Thanks Rick, I judged this place to be safe to leave the blind overnight but yes it is obviously a concern in some places. The camera attachment is part of a Zacuto Z-finder viewfinder I use for video shooting. I use a skimmer ground pod with a gimbal head on the ground. Sometimes I'll just use a beanbag. I shot the vlog with a combo of Nikon D850, Panasonic GH5, and GoPro.

[@thatsricktoyou2245]

@@GerritVyn Thanks Gerrit. I appreciate the info on your gear, very much. Rick

[@kennethcaird3892]

Gerrit: Great vlog! Where did you get that yellow fold-up ground mat?

[@GerritVyn]

Its a backpacking mat. I believe that one is made by thermarest.

[@edwfd356]

You should try this here in Florida we’ve got thousand# of blue herons and egrets

[@GerritVyn]

Always a great place for wading birds!

[@SwanSycorax]

Great video, thanks. However, you really confused me - talking about a "blind". I saw the title of your video and watched because I had no idea what you might be promoting. Now I have watched I realise it is what we call and see advertised in the UK a "hide"!! I am very envious that you have somewhere where you are clearly remote from other people and feel you can set up and leave the hide unattended. Here in the south of the UK we are so over-populated I cannot think of anywhere where I would feel comfortable leaving one unattended and secondly, if I was set up, just as you have, I can guarantee that I would be quietly sitting / lying in the hide, watching for photo opportunities, and within minutes some passer by would come along and call out "Are you taking photographs in there?" or some other such unnecessary question, or else some dog owner will come along letting their "pet" frighten the birds and/or wee against the side of the hide!!! The pleasures of trying to be a wildlife photographer in the south of the UK!!! I am very jealous!!

[@churchsnaturescenes7864]

Cool video! Do you ever photograph deer? If so be real awesome to see you do a video on photographing deer

[@GerritVyn]

Will put it on my list :)

[@cliftonwhittaker260]

Excellent equipment and photo technique for these wonderful shots. Only thing I would wish to change a bit on your vlog is less emphasis on you and more on the birds. What I mean by that is when you are talking about birds landing and/or wading around your blind I would like to see the birds while you are talking about them. Instead, what I am seeing is you. You're a handsome enough man but I would rather be watching birds while listening to you. I will give it a "like" and subscribe because it is obvious you know what you are doing out there.

[@GerritVyn]

Agreed!!

[@johncarter591]

Your so lucky to have so many birds in one spot, so how many times have you had your blind stolen leaving it overnight.?

[@GerritVyn]

None stolen yet - many blown away!

[@robertbohnaker9898]

Sure sounds like an D850…