Pied Billed Grebe

[Ian Cassell]

Canon 7D
Canon EF400mm f/5.6L
1/2000 sec f/6.3 ISO 400 HH

Crop, S/H, Sharpening in CS5

These guys have a 6th sense and try and stay just out of reach of my 400mm.

[Dave Leroy]

Nice photo Ian.

I like how the bird is coming into the frame diagonally from the corner.

I just wish the headed was opened up just a little bit to give a bit better view.

I sold my 400/5.6 last summer along with a 1.4TC from Kenko I think. It did not require any tape over the pin so auto focus/ although at times slow would still work. It may be a thought to getting a bit closer.

Dave

[Ian Cassell]

Thanks, Dave. I use it sometimes with my Sigma 1.4X and my Sigma 2X, but it won't AF with those. I didn't have the TC with me when I took this one.

[WIlliam Maroldo]

Pretty good exposure and detail, though I wish there was some eye contact. One technique to get closer is to wait for them to submerge, then quickly move closer and stop and remain motionless until they submerge again, and repeat. Be sure to crouch the whole time; they notice you if you are standing whether you move or not. regards~Bill

[Julie Kenward]

Great tip from William! I did the same thing once and it worked quite well.

I also wish for a better HA here because their beaks are so short it almost looks like his head is malformed. A slight turn to the right and it would have been much stronger. Also, I know you're looking to preserve the reflection but the crop feels off to me here. There's not enough room on the top of the frame and he feels like he's sitting too high horizontally. I'd place the bottom of the bird lower and give that head more room and not be so focused on the reflection. At least that's my two cents worth.

[Ian Cassell]

Thanks, folks. I have some more with a better HA, I think. I'll work on them and post one. William, I've tried that and, for some reason, they always re-surface further away than when I started. I think they have it in for me :)