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Thread: We will defend our territory

  1. #1
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
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    Default We will defend our territory

    This past few days I have been shooting American Avocets at the height of their breeding and activity season in Palo Alto Baylands nature preserve, California. Combination of light and BG offers unique opportunities here. My main focus was habitat and behavior in breeding season. During mating, Avocets protect their breeding ground ferociously, fending off great egrets, snowies, ibises and even get into dog fights with black-necked stilts. Of course when the harriers approach they have no second thought about leaving ;) The great egrets often put up no resistance and prefer getting about their business of hunting. But snowies are more naughty. This guy landed in Avocet territory and was immediately surrounded by 3 defenders, they dive aiming for the head to scare the snowy but once they were on the ground snowy fights back trying to jump on them!

    This is one frame that shows the interaction, notice the high breeding plumage.




    This photo was difficult to get since both of the birds need the right pose at the same time and focus needs be perfect, it happens in a split second. Here I took the TC off for maximum AF speed and also to fit both birds in the frame, I grabbed pre-focus on incoming Avocet before landing and locked AF using AF-ON button and then released just before pressing shutter, 5D locked instantly and here is the result. I used -2/3 EV to protect the subtle tones in the whites and f/8 aperture to maximize dof for both birds.

    Canon 5D MKII and 500 f/4 at f/8, 1/1600sec ISO 400: sw: Canon DPP, I ran selective NR on BG to blur distracting elements (image had no visible noise)

    Here is a larger version to see the fidelity and details of this image. I will post more Avocet flight shots this week.

    Last edited by arash_hazeghi; 03-24-2010 at 02:46 AM.
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    Man-o-man , Spectacular acttion shot in great light, both birds in great mood of fight and nice BG
    Top Class !!!!
    TFS

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    Just loved the DOF here Bhai, great IQ, superb light and the action makes this a winner..

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    Superb image here, Arash. Thanks for the details on how you were able to achieve this. Big impact with all that action!

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    Excellent excellent capture in great light.
    Even on my piddly monitor, the detail is astounding.
    Thanks a ton for sharing the behavioral notes too.

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    Arash, a definite IOTW candidate I'd say. Just perfectly executed. I like how the whites are handled, the DOF and the poses. Do you think a little room at top will make it better?

  7. #7
    Ofer Levy
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    Superb shot!!!!!!!!! Another vote fot IOW !!!

  8. #8
    Fabs Forns
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    Extremely well done, that camera can do wonders in the right hands.
    Detail and action are tops for me!

  9. #9
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
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    Thanks for nice comments guys!
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    IMO this is by far the best image of yours that I have seen. To get two perfect head angles, one of the birds in flight, and in the same plane of focus is amazing. Someday, I will visit the Baylands.

    Great job!!

  11. #11
    Manjesh Lingamurthy
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    Hi Arash

    Super shot.

    Amazing details on the birds. Beautiful light. Great action.

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    :eek::eek::eek::eek: National Geographic stuff!!

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    Great picture nice stop action clear and a good BG

  14. #14
    Laura Pipkin
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    Fantastic action!

  15. #15
    david cramer
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    A beautiful image, Arash. Detail and exposure are all very good. Action and eye contact is excellent.

  16. #16
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
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    Thanks a bunch guys :)
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