Here's another from my trip to Kaua'i in January, a Nene ("Hawaiian Goose") at Hanalei NWR. Technically considered wild and "countable" (for those who play the bird listing game), all the Nene in Hawai'i today descend from recovery programs in the second half of the 20th century, and so they're quite comfortable with human presence. In other words, they're among the easiest subjects out there.
The sky was cloudy but bright enough for some decent color, but not bright enough for a very fast shutter. I also had to move fast because I was twisted backwards and hanging out the window of a car handholding the 500 (a long story... short version is that this "NWR" is really a working farm and visitors have to yield to all manner of heavy, mobile machinery on the refuge's one-lane road). Anyway, I only got a few cracks at f/6.3 before we almost got run over by a tractor. At that aperture the DOF was still not enough to get the tip of the bill. I did get a few more images like this one where the bill tip and the neck were both in better focus, but they're pretty flat images without the bird's head turned toward the camera, so this one ended up as "the one".
Comments appreciated.
Canon 50D, 500mm f/4L, 1/800 at f/6.3 (+0.5 in post-processing), ISO 500, evaluative, manual exp., handheld.
Hi Geoff
Wonderful portrait. This is a good example of what it could have been had you have been able to place the camera in a way to have the face parallel to the sensor. Perhaps a thought for next time. I would love to have seen the detail in the neck feathers is why I am saying that. Good stuff! :)
Love the portrait and the excellent eye contact you captured in this image. A beautiful species !! I agree about the possible angle of photographing. thanks for sharing.
The state bird of Hawai'i - Nene
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