I wanted a different image than just looking left and right, so was waiting for it to flap its wings. Would love to hear your views.
Facts about Paddyfield Pipit:
id tips: Coloured like the female house sparrow. Streaked with brown on breast. A slim bird with slender bill and long tail with white outermost feathers.
Habitat: Grassland, stubble fields, fallows and marshy ground.
Distribution: Subcontinent; Sri Lanka.
Canon EOS 1D Mark II, Canon EF 400mm f2.8 L IS USM, EF 2xII. ISO 400, f8, 1/125, full frame.
Look forward to your comments.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi
Last edited by Sabyasachi Patra; 06-18-2009 at 05:32 AM.
this is a fantastic shot with nice action captured.
More Plus Plus is that you have the bird in front of you.
i've worked on the image as i feel it would be good to have bit darker and less contrast.
Ran NR as well.
I like the concept. The action captured looks rather like an overweight hummingbird trying to take off. I like the one foot down, one moving, and of course the wings. The head is sharp enough.
I would consider cleaning up the white wash, and maybe cloning out the OOF plant in front of the rock.
Exposure wise, something between your version and Mital's.
Good to see variations from the standard portrait.
I prefer the original. As mentioned the plant and whitewash are distracting. I'm amazed at how sharp the head is with the shutter speed and how much the bird was moving.
Saby, this behaviour is similar to our Rufousnaped Lark. A flutter of the wings, raising one foot and giving out a call. I like the direct front on view, and sharp where it counts. Due to the front on position, I would have maybe placed him centrally in the comp.
Mital: Thanks for your repost. I will try tweaking the raw and see.
Randy: I don't clone. So the plant (parthenium - it is a exotic weed) remains. The white portion is the bird droppings. So I guess it is the favourite rock of this particular bird.
Axel: I was already using ISO 400. Due to the short distance the depth of field is very shallow. So I guess the stone didn't get covered.
Aidan: Only two shots have come sharp in the beak and eye when viewed at 100%.
Stuart: I was using a Gitzo and Wimberley combo. Normally I keep the controls loose as I find tightening the knobs makes it difficult to shift when the bird is looking in another direction. I could have moved to a centred composition when I saw that the bird is going to flap its wings. But then decided to keep it this way. However, I a few people have told me that centred would have been better. I am still thinking about it.
A question for you guys: Do you tighten the knobs of the wimberley or keep it loose?
I normally have just a little drag on my knobs. I balance the rig each time I mount it or change something.
If I have a stationary subject and have time to try for max. stability, I will snug the knobs.
Paddyfield Pipit wing flap
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