Three Oystercatchers and An Onlooker

[Norm Dulak]

D7200 w/Nikkor 28-300mm @ 190mm, hand held
ISO 640; f/11, 1/400 sec.; matrix metering + 0.33

Conspicuous in this photo are three birds -- a Magellanic and two Blackish Oystercatchers. Not quite so obvious is another Magellanic Oystercatcher peeking out from behind the rock ledge in the background. It may have been keeping an eye on its mate, which was soon chased away by the Blackish Oystercatchers. Taken at Carcass Island, the Falkland Islands.

All comments and suggestions are welcome.

[keith mitchell]

Nice to get the different species together Norm ,peeking one just adds some more interest, thanks for showing this.

Keith.

[arash_hazeghi]

Good to get a few in the frame, it's a nice documentary shot but it doesn't quite work as an avian image IMO. The near bird is totally OOF while the rest are kind of arranged randomly in the frame with no particular/strong interaction between them. The side light caused some harsh shadows and the far OC's with only part of head visible doesn't add much.

TFS

[Norm Dulak]

Thank you Arash for your technical analysis. But I'm not sure why you say the photo doesn't "work as an avian image".

It's true that there was no particular interaction between the birds. Maybe that's because they were foraging independently after the tide went out. And maybe it is also because there were two different species that were not on friendly terms. As I mentioned, the Magellanic bird was chased away by the other two. Under the circumstances, what kind of interaction would you expect?

As for focus on all four birds not being perfect, what you have done? I stopped my lens down to f/ll and think I picked a good focus point under difficult circumstances. And is any bird really "totally OOF"??

I obviously could do nothing about the sun but frankly don't find the small shadows that objectionable. Of course it would have been better without them. But what would you have done, not taken the shot at all because the sun was shining?

And as for only the head of the distant bird showing, I think that adds an element of interest.

Shooting such a complex scene is far more difficult that photographing a single perching, swimming or flying bird IMO. But I will always relish the challenge of capturing images like this even though they are quite difficult.

Regards,

Norm

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Norm,

Sorry to say but it's just not an attractive image IMO, apart form its many technical flaws. We critique images as presented and this one doesn't work for me...Sometimes the conditions aren't just right for making a good photo and this is one of them.



Best

[Arthur Morris]

It does not work for me either for many, many reasons; let me know if you would like me to expound on those.

[Norm Dulak]

Thanks Arash and Arthur. But as one interested in documenting bird behavior, it would have been nice if you had addressed some of my specific questions. Photographing bird behavior is often complex, but I think it is important. And critiques are more valuable when problems are not only identified, but solutions and better approaches are offered as well. In that way we can improve.

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks Arash and Arthur. But as one interested in documenting bird behavior, it would have been nice if you had addressed some of my specific questions. Photographing bird behavior is often complex, but I think it is important. And critiques are more valuable when problems are not only identified, but solutions and better approaches are offered as well. In that way we can improve.


Norm,

looks like you didn't read my first post.

I am sorry but this shot doesn't show any special behavior, it's just a point and shoot frame of a bunch of randomly positioned OC's on the ground in relatively harsh light while none is in sharp focus, lacking details. The BG and FG are both distracting. You can bring many excuses for each item, but that doesn't change this image.

better luck next time

Regards,

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Arash and Arthur. But as one interested in documenting bird behavior, it would have been nice if you had addressed some of my specific questions. Photographing bird behavior is often complex, but I think it is important. And critiques are more valuable when problems are not only identified, but solutions and better approaches are offered as well. In that way we can improve.

Looking at the original post not only were there no questions there was not even a single question so please explain your comment :) a

[John Robinson]

An interesting topic,
I too am more interested in bird behaviour than competition winners,or pixel peeping.
This is probably not ideal on a "critique " forum. Maybe needs a new thingy or is there oine?
JR

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Norm, its always great to get more than one subject in the frame. It looks like the light was really harsh here, which is not ideal. The angle of the OC in the LLC isnt bad, but the others are not ideal due to their poses/body positions. Its always best to get these shots in early sweet morning or late afternoon light, which in turn will bring out lovely warm colours. Im not sure if you had to travel far to this location, but I get up that extra early to arrive at my locations to get early morning light. With regards to capturing behaviour, all good and fine as long as hopefully you had managed to get one with something in their beaks, but once again in that sweet light I mentioned. Its all about the light.

[Norm Dulak]

Thanks Stu, for your thoughtful and helpful comments. But John Robinson may be right, that there should a different forum dedicated to bird behavior. I once thought that the "Avian: About Birds" forum would serve that purpose, but it's mostly about bird ID.

Could a forum about bird behavior be started for photos such as this one, which shows birds of different species foraging together, and others that I and other BPN members might like to post in the future?

Meanwhile, my apologies for posting an image that was technically not up to the standards of this critique forum.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I do not wish to stir up any ill feeling or show favouritism to anyone. I think the comments made can be encapsulated in terms of this being an interesting image showing different yet similar species, and that this is not easy to capture. From a technical point of view it is not a strong image but from a point of interest is may be regarded as so.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Stu, for your thoughtful and helpful comments. But John Robinson may be right, that there should a different forum dedicated to bird behavior. I once thought that the "Avian: About Birds" forum would serve that purpose, but it's mostly about bird ID.

Could a forum about bird behavior be started for photos such as this one, which shows birds of different species foraging together, and others that I and other BPN members might like to post in the future?

Meanwhile, my apologies for posting an image that was technically not up to the standards of this critique forum.

Such a forum already exists:

Forums: Avian: About Birds
Post images or questions regarding bird ID, behavior or terminology. If you have a question about a bird, ask our Staff Ornithologist. If you have an interesting or unusual bird behavior image, share it!

You can access it here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/forumdisplay.php/58-Avian-About-Birds