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Thread: Smack-dab in Wagtail World

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    Default Smack-dab in Wagtail World

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    The sight of the forest wagtail filled Old Money (a photographer friend of mine) and me with birding zeal. Old Money and I were on the dirt track running through the Magic Forest near the East China Sea in Yangkou, Jiangsu. While Old Money collapsed the legs of his tripod, I outflanked the wagtail by going off-road through the forest. I reached my position and hit the dirt. Like infantrymen, Old Money and I closed in from opposite ends. At a distance of about 15 m I stopped crawling. The wagtail was moving my way. At 11.9 m, the bird took a short flight. I captured the first full downbeat. Dendronanthus indicus is a bird of East Asia. As the name implies, forest wagtails spend most of their time in wooded areas, usually on the ground. A flight shot of one is no common achievement, if I may say so. By lying on my belly and striking, snakelike, just as the bird took off, I've put you smack-dab in the wagtail's world.

    Device: Nikon D3S
    Lens: VR 600mm F/4G
    Focal Length: 600mm
    Aperture: F/5.0
    Shutter Speed: 1/4000
    Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
    Exposure Comp.: +0.33
    ISO Sensitivity: ISO 2500
    Subject Distance: 11.9 m
    Photoshoppery: Not much. Noise reduction on OOF BG. Sharpening of parts in focus. I decided on a strongly horizontal crop to eliminate the OOF foreground and to heighten the sense of lowness to the ground.
    Last edited by Craig Brelsford; 05-13-2011 at 09:25 AM.

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    This photo illustrates how we did it. That's Old Money in the BG.

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Hey Craig, thanks for sharing your set up to get this shot. Well timed for the take off, with a good wing position. In pane #2, did the little guy take off from the position we see him at?

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Craig:

    Sounds like a well executed battle plan.
    Pano crop was the perfect choice here. Like the full down wing position, kicked up foot,low shooting angle.

    How big of crop here? Looks like a pretty small fellow.

    Cheers

    Randy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stuart Bowie View Post
    In pane #2, did the little guy take off from the position we see him at?
    Hi, Stu. In answer to your question, not quite. But the situation was very similar.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Stout View Post
    Craig:

    Sounds like a well executed battle plan.
    Pano crop was the perfect choice here. Like the full down wing position, kicked up foot,low shooting angle.

    How big of crop here? Looks like a pretty small fellow.

    Cheers

    Randy
    Hi, Randy. I'm using about 50% of the frame here, maybe less.

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    Brilliant composition and a very helpful description to go with it. Really inspiring.

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    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
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    Nice and interesting shot.
    I like the walking bird, would like to see a large shot of that.

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