Grebes in love; the trouble with prime lenses; big problems

[Jack Breakfast]

Greetings, excellent birdsnitchers...
I've had the pleasure of following some red-necked grebes recently...they can be photographed from a bridge and they are so close that a 400mm prime lens is TOO close...I found myself wishing for a zoom lens, to be sure. I did the best I could and will say that I'm more than pleased with the detail rendered by the lens. I couldn't do much with artful composition and only blame myself. That said, natural history is always a pleasure, so far as I'm concerned. I cropped a little off the sides in an attempt to please myself somewhat, compositionally speaking. Ah! Why blame the lens or the bridge when the fault was mine entirely?Anyhow, this shot was taken with the Canon 7D and 400mm f5.6...iso800, 1/2000, f5.6. I will be glad to hear from you! O yes! I was delighted to send such lovely time with the grebes. Hours and hours just watching them...a real pervert was I...

[Jack Breakfast]

Ha! Just noticed Karl's excellent picture of the r.n. grebe with backswimming chick. I've seen those as well, the tire babies. These grebes here are different. Well done; it's a festival of grebes!

[Ofer Levy]

A lovely behaviour shot! Angle is a bit high and white on the female's head a bit hot but still a lovely image!

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Great thing to be able to see Jack and I like the environment as well.

[Jack Breakfast]

Thanks folks...usually I'm not as concerned about angles as most but in this case I'm in complete agreement with Ofer...would have loved a lower angle...I was ALMOST as low as I could have been, but really I should have laid down on the bridge instead of sitting low-as-possible on it. I was seriously considering the full on-stomach action but there were creepy fisherman and dogs all over the place. No peace! No love!

[gail bisson]

Hi Jack,
This is really nice.
Good behavioral shot and I like the visible tongue on the male.
Nice to have the green foliage on the right.
Maybe a bit more room on the left?
Gail

[Grace Scalzo]

I like the image alot, Jack. Great birds and environment. I don't like those hot whites!! Maybe try to recover them.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Jack - good behavioral shot. Nits covered above.

TFS,
Rachel

[Bill Dix]

Great action; nice light on the birds. The birds have composed themselves very nicely, and the capture angle is what it is. Another vote for more room on the left, and recovery of the hot spot. Otherwise, a fine shot.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Jack, your photography has grown a lot. I like the interaction here, together with the detail and colours on both grebes. Comp wise, I would take a bit off the right, and add a bit more on the left.

[Jack Breakfast]

Many thanks for the helpful, kindly, and insightful comments. Much appreciated, folks.

[rajojomanik]

Great shot Jack... a lower angle would have been better but this is fine by me.

[Arthur Morris]

You are right: too tight. The male's head needed to be turned a bit to better receive the light from our right....

[Jack Breakfast]

Tightness has been rectified with a new crop...more room on both sides...also I fixed that unpleasant hot spot. Many thanks for the help, folks

[Arthur Morris]

Tightness has been rectified with a new crop...more room on both sides...also I fixed that unpleasant hot spot. Many thanks for the help, folks

So let's see the repost, along with the original :).

[Jack Breakfast]

No can do, Captain Morris...I'm away from my regular computer and shan't return to my files for days! By then this thread will be buried deep in the piles of BPN. But I'll say that the good folks' suggestions have helped to make this particular shot much better...

[Arthur Morris]

For those of us who subscribe to post notifications there is no such thing as buried :).

[Jack Breakfast]

Ah! Good to know...in that case I shall revisit this after all...

[Arthur Morris]

Well, there is one guy with a pony tail urging you to follow up :).

[Jack Breakfast]

:) yourself! I shall not disappoint...it's my nation's birthday tomorrow and thusly I am away from the computer...3 days earlier than you folks to the south...

[Jack Breakfast]

I realize I never posted the original that Arthur asked for. Also, my memory was wrong: I hadn't extra room on the left, only room on the right. Ah well! Life goes on. I could and should have moved the lens (if not myself) over a little bit but to make things easier on my brain and heart, next time (if there is a next time) I'll strictly use my zoom lens. Who knew grebes could mate at such proximity to me? If anyone is still interested, here is the original...
There are always things to learn. The trick is: how to stay calm and remember them when afield? I think I've got it: same way you get to Carnegie Hall...