Some bird photographs grab you with the action. Others make you stop because of the light, the vivid colours or the intimacy of the moment. Kelley Luikey’s images fall firmly into the second category.
Based in Port Royal, South Carolina, Kelley has developed a signature soft, dreamy and painterly style. Her work has earned high placements in national and international competitions, including those of the National Audubon Society and the North American Nature Photographers Association.
We came across her work when she placed an order with MrJan Gear – and immediately wanted to know more. So we caught up with her to talk about South Carolina, beautiful light, birds of the wetlands – and the long game of getting the shot.
Shaped by the coast
Kelley’s home offers an almost unfair amount of inspiration: salt marshes, beaches, rivers and cypress swamps, with egrets, herons, shorebirds and warblers all around.
The beach is one of her favourite places to photograph because it never looks the same. “Tide, wind, moon and season constantly change the scene. In summer, I prefer early mornings; later in the year, I head out in the evening when the crowds have gone.”
One particular kind of light has become a favourite: the Belt of Venus, the soft pink and blue glow that can appear opposite the setting or rising sun. “It only appears under certain conditions. But I get so happy when I see that.”
This light has become a key ingredient in her distinctive style.
A photograph like a painting
Luikey originally photographed in a darker, more dramatic style, partly because early digital cameras simply couldn’t handle the high ISOs she uses today. “Learning to work with the luminance histogram and expose to the right, changed things”, she says.
“That’s when it all clicked for me. I could really manipulate that soft time in the morning where these colours were happening, or in the evening, using high ISOs and pushing that histogram.”
Today, ISO 4000 is comfortably within her happy zone, allowing her to work in the low light that helps to create her signature look.
Loving the grind
But beautiful light is only half the equation. “With landscape photography, you just need great light. But with the birds, you have to be lucky. The bird has to show up, do something interesting, be positioned well – and the photographer has to be in the right place too.”
Her Prothonotary Warbler project says it all. Photographing from a kayak in a cypress swamp, she went out around a dozen times this year. The result? Two photographs.
“I’m really happy with those two shots. But sometimes it means going back for that perfect image – until you’ve really reached maximum frustration. That’s bird photography. But mostly, I love that too. It’s a long game. Anyone who has spent a morning waiting for a bird to do absolutely nothing will understand.”
More than just a subject
For Kelley, it’s not enough to simply portray a species. She wants the viewer to connect with the birds.
One of her favourite images shows two egrets appearing to kiss – an unusually intimate moment for birds that can normally be aggressive around feeding areas. A biologist who had studied them for 20 years told her he had never seen this behaviour.
“If you can show these moments of connection within the species, that these birds have emotion – because I believe that they do – people will connect with them much more.”
That’s why conservation is important to her too. She donates 2% of every sale to Audubon South Carolina, supporting both resident and migratory birds.
Keep the gear simple
Often working close to the water, Kelley uses a skimmer pod and Wimberley gimbal head. Getting the right angle can mean getting very low – although in South Carolina, that comes with an unusual safety consideration: alligators.
In winter, when temperatures drop below around 28°F (−2°C), alligators become much less active, giving her more freedom to get down low beside freshwater ponds and swamps. “When I’m standing up, I have a higher profile. When I’m lying down, I’m much more prey-like.”
In saltwater marshes, she can sometimes use a floating hide. Either way, getting low can make a huge difference to the perspective and background.
Needless to say, her gear needs to be practical. She uses a MrJan Gear Rain Cover because she likes its simplicity: “It just pulls on. You don’t need it to do anything else.”
For heavier lenses, she recently added our Lens Carrier System. Her previous carrier wasn’t suitable for carrying her 600mm lens, while distributing the weight is easier on her shoulders.
And then there’s Boris. She jokingly calls the collection of disappointing camera bags in her office her “corner of shame”. After trying countless backpacks, she ordered a Boris on a whim before travelling to Minnesota for a major photography event.
“I packed my 600mm simply to test it. I couldn’t believe that my camera body and my lens could be all in one bag. For a photographer travelling alone with serious glass, that made travelling considerably easier.”
More birds, more places
Kelley is now expanding beyond South Carolina, including leading bird photography trips for women to Colombia. “It’s not just about the birds. It’s also about the people, the culture. All of those things line up and it’s just such a great experience to travel for birds.”
Peru, France and Patagonia are next on the horizon. We can’t wait to see the images she brings back!
All images © www.KelleyLuikey.com
