Got up early

[jeeperman]

Wanted to catch the birds as the came into the bay. While on the walk in I made a couple of handheld lowlight attempts. I already had my 70-400 inplace anticipating the birds after sunrise and decided it would be fun to see if I could hold things together in such light. I think I faired ok but a tripod would have helped. Next time I won't leave it in the car.
C&C always welcome

[FlyingSquirrel]

Paul,

I was just there a couple weeks ago. It's a really great place to shoot!

You got some beautiful photos. I like the middle one the best. Nice leading lines...it's too bad the path gets cut off visually on the right, but that's not your fault of course, it's just the lay of the land (though I wonder what would happen if you moved to your left a little..of course that would change the rest of the composition as well). On the last image, I feel like the top is out of balance and doesn't add too much to the photo. I think a square crop of the bottom of that photo, or even a crop of the middle horizontal 1/3 leaving out the bench from the bottom, would be a stronger composition and bring more focus to the sky, trees, and path. Great job on these, you captured the mood and feeling of the location perfectly. Reminds me what is available if I would just force myself to go to bed early and get up early...

[dje]

Paul I like #3 the best. The composition and light in this is great IMO. I guess we can stay tuned for the birds ?

Dave

[jeeperman]

Thanks Matt and Dave. I need to get out early and do some more stuff like this. When I do, I will use my tripod to allow the use of a little more DOF. I really was not expecting any coloor in the sky and when I saw it, couldn't pass it up.


Dave, there was not much going on this morning and as soon as the sun began to crest the trees the clouds moved in and killed all the light. I was able to catch a couple and then home I went. I posted the Woody here..... Duck for Thanksgiving?

[PhotoByTrace]

I think you did very well hand-held! Lovely dawning sky... nice day to be giving thanks. I actually like the third one best though a tripod would have certainly given you the opportunity for more clarity; of course that may have waylaid your mission and led you to be preoccupied with the landscape and miss the ducks.

[jeeperman]

Matt, this park is one of if not the best in town bird spots. The winter is good for the migraters and things really pick up in the early spring. It is the most diverse area on the lake.
There is a Flickr site dedicated to birders of this Park. The only images posted there are from this park, if you are interested. http://www.flickr.com/groups/1686348@N22/

[jeeperman]

Thanks Trace, you hit the nail on the head. I was on a mission. Although....turns out I would have been happier having just focussed on the landscapes today, but it was not the plan.

[FlyingSquirrel]

Thanks for the link to that Flickr group. I had an old account on Flickr but I never uploaded anything. I just updated my account and joined the group. Maybe I'll upload some stuff. There are some pretty radical photos in that group. I just ordered a Canon 7D yesterday so I'm pumped about that. I was sooooo close to getting a Canon 400mm f5.6L but decided that would be financial suicide. Darn.

[arith]

Superb light; I like them all but the vertical aspect ones are my favourite.

[bowneracing99]

Number 2 is great, kind of dismal, In an aesthetically pleasing way! This is seattle?

[Mike Buckley]

I seem to be the only one to prefer the first one. It definitely works for me.

[Bobobird]

Excellent shots though taken without sitting for hours planning one.

Wish I had this kind of versatility. I see the 'scapes but am usually too much in a rush to my birds that they get ignored most of the time.

[jeeperman]

Thanks Bobo, That was my issue here. I was on a mission to get to the waters edge. So I just stopped and shot and moved on. I could have walked the 40yrds back to the truck and grabbed the tripod but it was not the plan and I was in a hurry. But not so much that I could give it a go.

[jeeperman]

Thank you Steve.
Thank you Bownerraccing99 {real name?} Yes it is in the Seattle area, Kirkland.

Thanks Mike, I like it as well but wish there was less movement on my part.

[ggt]

Thanks for getting up early and showing us what is there. Now, I don't have to.

Seriously nice perspective on all of them. The low light makes it difficult to get any real sharpness--??? I don't know how I'd deal with it.

[jeeperman]

Thanks Gretchen, no the low light was only one factor to the somewhat softness. The fact I was handholding a rather large lens in that low light made it a chore. Had I used my tripod that was warm and cozy in my truck they would have been sharper.

[captivating]

These are beautiful! I love the first of course but the second and third as well! I love it at dawn or just as the Sun peeks over the horizon denise
PS Good job!