Spotted Sandpiper
The Woodlands, TX
D300s, ISO 320, f9, 1/500, + 0.3 EV.
One from yesterday.
Spotted Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
The Woodlands, TX
D300s, ISO 320, f9, 1/500, + 0.3 EV.
One from yesterday.
Very nice presentation with the perch..the rock in the water with the moss on. Great eye contact, perfect HA, light and sharpness.Techs are perfect IMO. My only wish would be to see the second foot. Very well done.
Moving into shorebird set-ups :) I love the light, exposure, perch, and BG. I might darken he moss on the rock just a tad.
Well Done!
Outstanding Alan. I agree about making the green stuff just a bit darker. Just a matter of individual taste.
Cool little island, good angle, pose and sharpness. The bird could go a bit darker for my taste.
This is just super Alan. Love the whole setting here and pose.
Beautiful image as usual my friend! I agree with Axel regarding darkening it down a bit - here is a repost with some levels, S/H and cooling filter to get more blue in the BG. Please let me know whether you think this is an improvement.
Cheers! ;)
Love the image and the repost. Thanks Ofer. Alan, great set-up. I did not know that you had these guys in your little backyard. And with waves yet!
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
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Alan, I really like the image and the set up. Also your e book is just awesome. I got mine on Thursday and can't wait to try some of the techniques and set ups. Great information!!
Best,
Howard
Alan--The moss on the rock is an easy spot to be out of place and element. Especially with the dry dirt showing under the moss. I'm no moss expert, but this type shown is seldom if ever seen in a stream. I think thats true, but in any case, the setup looks contrived. The closer cropped moss stuff that actually grows from the rock would be what you would want I feel.
But the real reason I wanted to throw in my comment on this one was the possibility I saw for other comps. What I really think is so cool is the head and tail wake ripples formed around the rock. Given a dark to almost black soaking wet rock say(something foreboding looking-moss or moss-less) , and a view where you might back up some and encompass more surface of the water showing on either side--maybe a lot more water territory in fact, and if that water was say turbulent and interesting, I'm believing that a feeling of this gentle delicate bird on an isolated "island" refuge fighting the relentless power of the current "life", could be a strong image theme. A bit of a philisophical rendition emphasizing the struggle. And if the water is smooth other than when it hits someting like the rock, now that could bring a whole other feeling to the table--one of isolation and aloneness. At any rate the set up looks to be inspiring for many possibilities, so I think your on to something.
Paul
Last edited by paul leverington; 12-19-2009 at 08:21 PM.
Jeez, I thought that I was being facetious when I referred to this as a set-up. Now I am not so sure.... Alan, what's the story?
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.
Yep ! story behind ? Natural or setup ?
Does not take away from a very good photograph regardless.
Chas.
I gotta admit, I love that you guys don't know if it's a set up or not :-)
Yes, this is a 100% set up. Watching the feeding habits of Spotted Sandpipers, they always return to the same spots to feed about every thirty minutes. They were flying over to a piece of wood laying in the spillway of this fresh water lake, so I introduced this mossy rock near the driftwood and they took to it very quickly. Paul is right on the money. I doubt that the moss would survive in full sun like this and I did add a little extra moss (good eye Paul) (I also have those other images you mentioned paul) That's the story.
Thanks Alan for sharing your secrets....;)Originally Posted by Alan Murphy
Your photography and field work are an inspiration to so many photographers all over the world - thank you!!
Had me fooled. Ofer, have you seen the info on Alan's new CD book?
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.
Hi Artie, not yet but I am definitely going to get one....;)
Great perch, pose and BG. I agree with darkening it a little. Excellent as usual!
Not being a moss expert myself, I wouldn't have thought of it. Either way it's a great photo and I like the repost the best. Your CD arrived yesterday and I am so very happy that you shared you secrets.
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