Diving Osprey

[Mike McCarthy]

Well.....

NOT EXACTLY.

Perhaps osprey diver is more appropriate? Thought this was kind of humorous. Was out in the boat battling 40mph gale and 3' waves on the way back from a morning shoot. Stopped by one of the local osprey nests to see what's up. Noticed the chicks have arrived. Yippeee. Nothing spectacular about the shot..but notice the diving mask in the nest. I figure one of the adults picked it up on the beach. Some poor kid is looking all over the beach for his missing dive mask. ;)



Thanks for looking.

PS. None of my "usual" photoshop sillyness applied to this image...although perhaps one is needed...adding the rest of the diver's gear (ie. tank, BC vest, fins, etc.) :eek::D

[Maxis Gamez]

What in the world??? LMAO!!

Excellent capture Mike.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

This is too funny! It really asks for a PS version of the osprey wearing his cool diving gear. :)

[Alfred Forns]

Smart birds Mike !!!! I think they are using the mask when diving !!!! :):)

[Fabs Forns]

Mike, what would you not think of?????? This is hilarious, I'm sure the Osprey was SOOOOOO proud when he brought this home!

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Love it. A fantastic capture and great find Mike. Congratulations !!!!

[Blake Shadle]

That's too funny!!! It's like a nest ornament or something.

[James Shadle]

Mike,
I have photographed some wierd stuff in Ospery nest, but this takes the cake!
James

[Mike McCarthy]

Thanks folks. This was quite a laugh when I noticed the mask. Those goofy osprey are always bringing junk back to the nest to get in the way of my shots. Silly birds... junk is for Red Sanford. *-)

[Cheryl Flory]

Mike, what kind of situation do you have where you can get that level with the Osprey nest? I thought I was doing well just getting shots of the Ospreys flying to the nest high above.
Cheryl

[Mike McCarthy]

Mike, what kind of situation do you have where you can get that level with the Osprey nest? I thought I was doing well just getting shots of the Ospreys flying to the nest high above.
Cheryl

Must be an optical illusion?? The nest is a good 15' or so in the air. Not sure why it looks like I'm straight on. Maybe the nest is built on a crooked post ?

[Jim Poor]

Longer focal lengths tend to decrease the apparent height because as you move farther back the angle becomes less steep.

[Blake Shadle]

Mike, what kind of situation do you have where you can get that level with the Osprey nest? I thought I was doing well just getting shots of the Ospreys flying to the nest high above.
Cheryl

Hi Cheryl! If you can increase the distance between yourself and your subject while maintaining magnification you decrease the sharp angle of view.

Check out my little PS drawing :D

[Blake Shadle]

Longer focal lengths tend to decrease the apparent height because as you move farther back the angle becomes less steep.

Jim, you totally stole my thunder TWO minutes before I was about to unleash it!! ;) :D

[Cheryl Flory]

Mike, that I understand. But there is no distance that I could get where the angle of view would show me what is down inside the nest on the top of the cell tower! :)

Almost had a chance to be able to get a lift in the fire truck's ladder/bucket up to a different nest. but when the firefighters saw I would really take them up on their offer, they rescinded it. lol

Cheryl

[Jim Poor]

Hi Cheryl! If you can increase the distance between yourself and your subject while maintaining magnification you decrease the sharp angle of view.

Check out my little PS drawing :D



Jim, you totally stole my thunder TWO minutes before I was about to unleash it!! ;) :D

Ah, but a picture is worth a thousand words. I think it should be copied to Educational Resources.

[Mike McCarthy]

I follow the perspective/angle thing...Jim & Blake...but I usually shoot my ospreys with my trusty 200mm prime from close distances. Closer is better IMO ..rather than using a long focal length. Eliminates a lot of atmospheric disturbance..not to mention that shake thing with high magnification. I shoot mostly from my boat so I like the 200mm much better than my 400mm, although I will use it from time to time. I often wonder though... how I got the even or down in look with that 200mm. I know I'm below the nest...despite it looking like I'm above it. It must be magic *-)

[Blake Shadle]

I follow the perspective/angle thing...Jim & Blake...but I usually shoot my ospreys with my trusty 200mm prime from close distances. Closer is better IMO ..rather than using a long focal length. Eliminates a lot of atmospheric disturbance..not to mention that shake thing with high magnification. I shoot mostly from my boat so I like the 200mm much better than my 400mm, although I will use it from time to time. I often wonder though... how I got the even or down in look with that 200mm. It must be magic *-)

Oh ya, if you can maintain good perspective at a shorter focal length, there's no reason not to use the shorter focal length... unless you need more shallow depth of field. f/4 is much more shallow at 600mm than it is at 200mm (worlds apart).

I agree, magic is the most likely answer.

[Jim Poor]

I'm luck in that I have a nest a eye level or lower really close to a little point of land out on a river. It's on an ugly man-made platform though.

[Mike McCarthy]

Oh ya, if you can maintain good perspective at a shorter focal length, there's no reason not to use the shorter focal length... unless you need more shallow depth of field. f/4 is much more shallow at 600mm than it is at 200mm (worlds apart).

I agree, magic is the most likely answer.

:cool: I hear you on the DOF with the super teles. The 200mm also gives you much greater room for error in a rocking boat. (not to mention is light and hand holdable all day long) :D Even though I understand (and use to my advantage at times) the distance/angle/focal length thing... sometimes I'm still scratchin' my head with some of the images I take. I know I have a decent angle of view....a very short distance from the nest..but I'm clearly below the birds and their nest..but some of these shots you'd swear I was eye level or above them. Just awful weird. I do like it though.

Flight shots are another story. Obviously you can get the bird banking or flying off kilter a bit and it looks like you are level with their flight path..even though you are 30' below them. I have my local ospreys trained right. they fly crooked when I'm out shooting them. ;):cool:

Here is an example. Taken from the boat with the 200mm lens. This looks like I took it at eye level...(or close) ..right? It was taken from below the nest. I was really close..as this was about full frame with the 200mm. Kind of "magic" how it looks like I was level with the birds...huh?
\

[Robert Amoruso]

I have seen some pretty weird stuff to but not quite this good.

[Judd Patterson]

Wow, that is awesome Mike. Great Osprey nest ornamentation! :)

[Mike McCarthy]

Thanks Judd. I'm keeping an eye open for a nest with some camera gear in it. Prefer it's the brand I'm using. Hope the birds are not too attached to the big lens and fancy camera body. *-)