Best laid plans

[PopsPhotos]

Plan ahead! I've had that drummed into me so many times, it has become Ho, hum.

Today is slight overcast, sun at about 35 degrees above the horizon and lots of activity about the bird feeders. Finches in full mating flutter. I went out to the truck and got the big tripod and carefully set it up in the doorway to the screened back porch. I grabbed the N80, mounted the 70-210 and screwed it onto the tripod. I attached the remote cable, set the lens to 210 and the aperture to 32 and locked it for automatic operation. Set the camera to Program and was all set.

All most. I'm at the front of the camera, on the steps. The camera is on the steps, in the doorway. The other door to the house is locked. My keys are on the kitchen table. hmmmmmm

After I got the camera, tripod and all out of the way, got behind it so I could shoot and got the focus and aim back, the birds had gotten bored and had all left.

Would one of you come over and smack me upside the head, please.



Pops

[Radu Dinu Cordeanu]

Did You see me?
Radu Dinu

[PopsPhotos]

This is what I was shooting for. Not what I would call a good one, but getting there.

Nikon N80, 70-200 @ ~180, F6.8 1/800th Kodak GOLD 200 film
No post processing except sizing to 1000x677 pixels for posting.

Pops

[carregwen]

Pops

If you rearrange your feeders you can create more of a 'stage set' for them. That way you can get a better backdrop, avoiding the clutter - perhaps you could shoot from lower down? Watch it though, otherwise the birds will be wanting to join the actors union and be tipping themselves for Oscars.

[PopsPhotos]

Unfortunately, the feeders are the property of, and under the sole control of, SWMBO. They are arranged for best viewing from the screened porch and moving them will result in that infamous "fate worse than death."

Pops

[Dave Humphries]

Unfortunately, the feeders are the property of, and under the sole control of, SWMBO. They are arranged for best viewing from the screened porch and moving them will result in that infamous "fate worse than death."

How about doing something behind the feeders then?

Swap out, or mask off, the wire and posts?

Surely that won't upset SWMBO will it

Or get your own feeder(s), but that may be interpreted as an AOW (act of war )

[PopsPhotos]

AOW, indeed.

The background behind the fence is the neighbor's. I'm working on them to let me clean up that tree. I'm not too worried at the moment, because I'm just working on gaining experience, at the moment. If you have seen some of my other Goldfinch pictures, you will see that the background can be cleaned up pretty well, after cropping. The angle from which I will shoot my serious pictures isn't as bad for background as is that one in this thread.

Pops