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Thread: Sunrise silhouetted Loon with babies

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    Default Sunrise silhouetted Loon with babies

    Taken yesterday AM on my favorite lake. This lake has over twenty five nesting pair of Loons and is just amazing to spend time on! Unfortunately the wind whipped up and turned the day into work.



    Nikon D300 _ Nikon 300mm F/2.8 with Nikon 1.4x TC (taken from boat)
    ISO 400 ~ F/5.6 ~ 1/200 sec ~

  2. #2
    Octavio Campos Salles
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    Beautiful comp, love the shallow depth of field here.

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Mike:

    A striking image. I am envious about your loon population. At last count there were only 500 nesting pairs in the entire state of Michigan. One of the pairs that has been a reliable subject in the lake I visit abandoned their nest because of swans moving in.

    I have been contemplating permanently muting those mute swans.

    The picture is very nice as presented. As Octavio mentioned the DOF does provide good isolation, but because of the location of elements, I would be curious to see what greater DOF would do to keep more of the foreground water in focus.. You would have had to push the ISO up a bit, but no problem with the D300.

    In the end, I suspect your choice is the best one, but I keep trying to encourage myself to change my setup as I work a subject. My personal version of OOTB :)

    By the way, I might have to take a road trip to Minnesota and poach some loon pictures on your lake !! :):)

    Randy

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    Love it Mike. Your timing is impeccable! The colour is rich and I love the low angle. I think a very very slight CCW rotation is needed to straighten up the water.

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    Very nice composition, nice ambient and colores, wonderfull birdscape! Congratulations!

  6. #6
    Axel Hildebrandt
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    Great light and mood. I might crop a tad off the bottom.

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    Oops, just realized I didn't add the last "0" in 1/2000 sec. DOH!!!
    Thanks for the kind words so far.
    Axel, I thought the same thing, but I'm one of those 3:2 crop ratio guys. I do have room around it so a diiferent crop could be done. ;)
    Randy, If you ever get to Minnesota make it between the last weekend in may and the first two weeks in June... thats the best time frame for babies in the central portion of the state. Also, let me know and I can help you out.
    Last edited by Mike Lentz; 05-31-2009 at 09:39 AM. Reason: added words

  8. #8
    Fabs Forns
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    I know, I know, we have to go there one summer!
    Beautiful, Mike.

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    Beautiful image, Mike, with a nice mood to it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fabs Forns View Post
    I know, I know, we have to go there one summer!
    Beautiful, Mike.
    Yes you and Al do! We tried last spring, maybe next spring will work out. I'm heading to Charleston S.C. for a while coming up so the Loons (baby riders) are pretty much done for me this year. But you know I'll take you out if you can make it up anywhere from the last weekend in May through the first two weeks in June.

    Thank you, Grace!:D

  11. #11
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Mike beautiful setting, and great DOF. I like the large rising sun, and the colours it has created on the water. Great image.

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