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Thread: Another Western Sandpiper

  1. #1
    BPN Member Dorian Anderson's Avatar
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    Default Another Western Sandpiper

    This represents what is almost assuredly my last shot of this species for the next year as they're currently departing SF Bay to migrate to the Arctic. They spend
    the winter here, but they're not in this breeding best plumage during most of that time, April being the best time to capture them.

    I usually like a bit more direct stare, but the bird's body angle couple to the pensive look as he consumed his morsel made this a keeper for me. Started at
    f/5.6 (as in the shot of the same individual I posted the other day), but dialed down to f/7.1 as he got closer. f/9 woulda been ideal here, but I like how the
    focus effect draws attention right to his face as is.

    Once all the shorebirds and ducks leave, this place is a photographic graveyard. It's going to be a rough summer for me, particularly as my June Colombia
    tour and my August Brazil vacation aren't gonna happen. F'ing covid. At least friends and family are healthy.

    Canon 600mm f/4 IS II + 1.4x III on EOS 1DX2
    1/4000 at f/7.1, ISO 1250
    Processed in LR CC. No trickery.

    Name:  western sandpiper 042320 pensive.jpg
Views: 94
Size:  371.0 KB

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    Dorian this one is the best and I think your right on 7.1 does make you focus on the face. Nice sharp and great breeding colors.Blues and water are fantastic. TFS

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    Lifetime Member Colin Driscoll's Avatar
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    Your previous post was a real insight on how you extract such beautiful shots from a very ordinary looking environment.
    This bird must have been angled away from your focal plane as the rear portion gets a bit soft.
    As for the summer, there must be other birds in your area so show us something different!

  4. #4
    BPN Member Dorian Anderson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Colin Driscoll View Post
    Your previous post was a real insight on how you extract such beautiful shots from a very ordinary looking environment.
    This bird must have been angled away from your focal plane as the rear portion gets a bit soft.
    As for the summer, there must be other birds in your area so show us something different!

    Yeah, the focal plane issue is due to the combination of proximity and angle.

    As for summer, all the water birds migrate away, and shooting landbirds in heavily trafficked parks is a pain the ***. If I'm willing to drive I can get away from people,
    but all the park parking lots are shut because of Covid for at least another month. Landbird shooting doesn't work well around here for a lot of reasons - restricted access,
    cluttered foliage, people, etc. There are just so many goddamn rules where you can go and what you can do around here. There's no national forest where I can
    just walk out and do my own thing.

  5. #5
    Lifetime Member Colin Driscoll's Avatar
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    Ah yes, I forget that I live in a country as big as continental US with less than 10% of the population. My sympathies.

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    BPN Member Dorian Anderson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Colin Driscoll View Post
    Ah yes, I forget that I live in a country as big as continental US with less than 10% of the population. My sympathies.
    Australia is great. Been twice, East Coast both times. Hoping to make it back more in the future. Wife and I have discussed moving. US is going to shhhhhhhhh

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    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
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    You get close.. best one yet, not sure that stopping down helped that much as you were so close but you would know...
    Drive up to Portland, I can take you to shoot Ospreys and Harriers, guaranteed if that interests you.
    Light gets summer here soon.
    Serious.
    Last edited by dankearl; 04-30-2020 at 11:46 PM.
    Dan Kearl

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    BPN Member Dorian Anderson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dankearl View Post
    You get close.. best one yet, not sure that stopping down helped that much as you were so close but you would know...
    Drive up to Portland, I can take you to shoot Ospreys and Harriers, guaranteed if that interests you.
    Light gets summer here soon.
    Serious.
    In all seriousness, that would be great. I have to polish the final four chapters of my book by May 31st, and them I'm likely to take a camping and birding road trip through NorCal and OR to unwind, covid permitting of course. Maybe we could work something out.....

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Dorian, I like the low POV and raised foot. The saturation perhaps is a tad too much for my tastes, but you were there and it does offer some richness. What does surprised me is that there is no detail in the legs and I'm guessing that the subject was slightly angled based on the tail going slightly out, it's not quite parallel to the sensor.

    Just a thought, but addressing the Contrast issue within LR and easing on the blacks, does, IMHO offer more finer detail to show through and the plumage has a more softer look & feel.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    Hi Dorian, beautiful Sandpiper still on my bucket list. Love your low POV. Comments by others noted. Thank you for sharing.
    Joe Przybyla

    "Sometimes I do get to places just as God is ready to have somebody click the shutter"... Ansel Adams

    www.amazinglight.smugmug.com

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    Lovely low angle and the pose with raised foot. Steve has covered the points well to take this up a bit.

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    Low angle and light are right on. Really digging that mud covered foot. Background and framing are another plus.

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    Nice image, I'll like the underground. Perfect light also. Waders in breeding plumage often are pretty colourful.

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