Bush Stone Curlew

[Lance Peters]

Heres one from my recent trip - posted this is Avian recently and some didn't like the BG - I love it, so thought ID share it here as well.

D3
Nikon 200-400VR with 1.7 Converter
f5.6
1/30th
+0.7EV
800 ISO
Matrix Metering
Monopod

Could have increased the ISO some - but still wasn't going to make a huge difference as this was fairly early in the morning.

Dont be shy - what do you think - BG too overpowering.

:)

[Gus Cobos]

Hey Mr. Peters,
I like this very much...sharp details, good color rendition, good head angle and clear sharp eye...the light blue background does not bother me at all...:D Super job my friend, well done...keep them coming...:cool:

[denise ippolito]

Lance, I love it too. The colors are sweet. Beautiful eye! and very nice details throughout. Well done.

[Jeff Cashdollar]

I am on my monitor at work and cannot see that well. A monopod and slow shutter shutter usually can produce soft images, this looks sharp.

Great eye, the BG had to grow on me, but it did. I like the soft colors and it matches the mood of the beautiful subject - great picture.

That eye is fantastic, might it show a tad too much light reflection?

[Christopher Miller]

Hi Lance. The BG color is definitely different from the norm, but I like it. Great HA and eye contact. Like the reflection in the eye. Well done.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Lance

I do like the bg and overall feel The one thing I'm trying to figure out is the eye looks very sharp but the feathers around it not as sharp ... no clue why would you use only ISO 800 with the D3 Would go to 1600 in a heartbeat and more !!!!

[Declan Troy]

I'm impressed that you could find a stone curlew (aka thick-knee) with enough light to get such a good image. In my limited experience they are most apt to be glimpsed fleeing out of the beam of headlights. What is the background?

[Lance Peters]

Declan - the background is actually green grass - this guy was standing on a mound the green grass is behind him.
Found a few of these guys - Brisbane Botanical Gardens and JR slaughter Falls in Brisbane - easily approachable during the day.

AL - I always tend to go with the lowest ISO that I know will get me the result(High ISO fear syndrome left over from film days---LOL) - this combo I know I can shoot on the monopod down to 1/15th - was actually hoping for these guys to provide me with a little action - was hoping to create some motion blurs but as luck would have it they were quite happy to just stand around.

[Bob Miller]

Hi Lance...Nice image but i am afraid the lime background ( although nicely blurred) does not do it for me