BIF Shooting - Practicing what I preach

[NorthernFocus]

I'm forever recommending that new BIF shooters find a location frequented by seagulls and practice on them. Last week I did just that. I had tuned my bodies to the 500mm lens just prior to heading out on a week of shooting. So while waiting for something to happen with the bears I shot a few gulls to see how the gear was working. I also toyed around with some different plug-ins during PP.

I just love shooting BIF.

[Kodiak]

…I shot a few gulls to see how the gear was working…

I think your gear is working ok, check! :-)

[IzzieK]

Did you use the D810 in these shots? I was about to say the sea gulls are like shooting an airplane but I was wrong when I tried to categorized shooting it that way ... birdies are a different kind of shooting skills than that. I like #2 for the extra water drops by its feet. Excellent shots.

[Stagecoach]

Beautiful series Dan, difficult to pick favourites but I'll go for 4 very closely followed by 2.

[deetheturk]

Wonderful series Dan!

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks, guys. Izzie these were shot with D4/500mm VR. Gulls make good practice because they move relatively slowly without a lot of dipsy doos.

[Manfred M]

Great images, Dan.

I get very nervous when I see gulls; they have a history of using me for target practice. I think it might be a family trait, as my brother has had a similar history with these birds...

[Bobobird]

Excellent series Dan.

[Wavelength]

Very nice series....

[Shadowman]

BIF can be fun and challenging, sometimes a little blur works as well. Nice captures.

[jprzybyla]

Nice series Dan, they make me want to get to the coast to shoot some pelicans and terns.

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks for looking/commenting, folks.

That's not good, Manfred. With as many gulls as there are in the world, that could be annoying.

Speaking of so many gulls, isn't human nature interesting. Regardless of beauty, usefulness, etc, we tend to overlook things that are commonly available. In the context of bird photography, gulls, pigeons, and canada geese (to name a few) are quite pretty birds. And yet most people aren't interested in photographing them. On the other hand a bird like say... the Califonia condor which is quite hideous to behold, is much sought after. Fickle

[ied]

Beautiful series. I like them all. So nice and sharp in detail.

Irene

[bnnrcn]

Very nice images

[chauncey]

I just love shooting BIF

Could be because you're so damn good at it.

[Donald]

Could be because you're so damn good at it.

Or .... That's why you're so damn good at it.

[chauncey]

Donald, the operative word is "was" good at it...thanks though.

[Otavio]

I think gulls are beautiful birds (besides being common and, thus, good to practice). People usually better valor the rare stuff, but sometimes we have great things and moments just in front of us and we let them pass without the proper attention, just because they are not rare. You proved the opposite, Dan; the common have its value! Great series. I really like them all. Cheers,

[Nicks Pics]

I like how the blurred trees are in the background of one of the gulls. It allows the scenery to be seen without being distracting.
In all my little experience I have had very little success with BIF, mostly because by the time the bird fills enough of the frame it is very hard to fallow, thus I usually get the tail-end

Also curious about your camera settings? Great shots!

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks for all the comments, folks. Regarding being good at BIF shooting, well we don't post the ones we miss do we?

Actually these darn gulls ruined the bear shooting in this spot. They have learned to follow the bears to pick up scraps of fish. So when a sow and two cubs finally came out the gulls surrounded them making it very difficult to get a clean shot. I'm still culling but don't think I came away with much useful material