Saffron-crowned Tanager
The vivid plumage of the saffron-crowned tanager (Tangara xanthocephala) leaps from the frame as she balances on a slender branch at La Minga Ecolodge in Dapa, Valle del Cauca. Her golden crown and turquoise chest stand in sharp relief against the softly blurred foliage, creating a painterly backdrop that draws the eye directly to her inquisitive gaze. Shooting under the forest canopy, I embraced a shallow depth of field to isolate her form, allowing every feather’s texture to emerge with crisp clarity.
Working with an extended telephoto reach in low light, I dialed up the ISO to maintain a fast enough shutter speed to halt even the subtlest movements. The camera’s aperture was set by the lens–extender pairing, leaving the mirrorless body to calculate the exposure that preserved detail in both highlights and shadows. Moments like these remind me why patient observation and technical precision go hand in hand, transforming fleeting wildlife encounters into gallery-worthy images.
©2025 Adam Rainoff Photographer
Saffron-crowned Tanager
The vivid plumage of the saffron-crowned tanager (Tangara xanthocephala) leaps from the frame as she balances on a slender branch at La Minga Ecolodge in Dapa, Valle del Cauca. Her golden crown and turquoise chest stand in sharp relief against the softly blurred foliage, creating a painterly backdrop that draws the eye directly to her inquisitive gaze. Shooting under the forest canopy, I embraced a shallow depth of field to isolate her form, allowing every feather’s texture to emerge with crisp clarity.
Working with an extended telephoto reach in low light, I dialed up the ISO to maintain a fast enough shutter speed to halt even the subtlest movements. The camera’s aperture was set by the lens–extender pairing, leaving the mirrorless body to calculate the exposure that preserved detail in both highlights and shadows. Moments like these remind me why patient observation and technical precision go hand in hand, transforming fleeting wildlife encounters into gallery-worthy images.
©2025 Adam Rainoff Photographer