Been having a absoulete ball with these guys - they are on my way to work - so I shoot on the way to work, at lunch time and on the way home - been experimenting with all different types of light and weather (I got drenched to the bone yesterday).
Havent had time to process much yet - too busy shooting.
Have stopped trying to approach on foot and now use the car - the car does not bother the at all - can drive within 5-10 feet of them - have had to stack out the Sigmonster with extension tubes :)
D3S
Sigmonster @ 800MM
F8
1/200th
1600 ISO
-1.3EV
Matrix Metering
Braced on car window
Sharpened and cropped - wish some of the grasses were not were they are - but does really show the habitat.
Amazing birds -- the eye seems so out of proportion to the head. Good detail and exposure. Must be fun to get so close (but tough to get a lower angle when shooting out of the car window). Were it mine I might be tempted to remove several blades of grass at the tip of the bill, but I know you're not disposed to doing that sort of thing.
I love the subject, and feather/ eye detail is excellent. Personally I would have not be happy with the OOF vegetation blocking parts of the bird, and I have plenty of images with the same problem!! Removing them by cloning is possible, but a pain in the neck and way too much trouble for me at least. The only solution I've come up with, other than being lucky and avoiding the problem in the first place, is simply increasing the DOF to bring those nasty strands in sharp focus, along with the subject. I seems to me that if they are clearly identifiable, as opposed to something blurry blocking the view, these things seem to be much more acceptable, by the viewer, as the part of the environment, which they are. regards~Bill
Where is the guy nesting? It looks like a girder in the BG. If you are doing an article about how they do-habit with man, it is perfect. IAC the eye is the star of the show for me.
And great low angle.
Dont worry - have been working hard ;) Will have some that will be up to par - just have to get around to processing them.
Jackie - Not testing as yet - this guy is having a rest - in a local park - extremely close to the road like 5 feet - so really hoping that they do not get hit by a car at any stage.
;)
Last edited by Lance Peters; 07-22-2010 at 05:22 AM.
Assume the position
