Especially for Isable (Izzie) - Birds

[Brownbear]

My Dear Isabel,

As promised a few birds from last week, including one of my favourite pelican images from last year. I haven't been posting as much because I've been busy with work, and also because I'm working hard on improving my photography and trying to developing an artistic vision/style of my own...

With respect to my birds I'm working on improving by finding/using the existing light.... trying to use lower ISO's when possible, paying attention to my backgrounds, and trying to get down lower... It's not easy and these days I'm deleting ten times as many images as I keep.

All photographed with a relatively high iso's with no noise reduction, except in the background of the second image. (Nikon D7100)

1. Pelican

SS 1/2000 f/8 ISO 900 Focal length 300 mm (some grain seen in the shadow areas at 100% viewing)




2. Where to from here?

SS 1/1250 f 7.1 ISO 1000 Focal length 500 mm (1.7 extender)

Needs cropping but I'm undecided on the best crop... Here I used NR on the background. Some grain is seen in the gosling at 100% viewing. I'm not sure if the blurred dandelions in front of the gosling are a distraction, or simply cute.



3. Afternoon Stroll

SS 1/1600 f/8 ISO 1250 Focal length 300 mm

Kind of an odd image, likely only liked by me but they remind me of a married couple taking a stroll in the park in a world without humans.



4. Gosling

SS 1/2500 f 6.7 ISO 1250 Focal length 500 mm (1.7 extender)

I was trying to capture an image of a swallow in flight when I spotted the gosling, and I forgot to adjust my settings. Mama Goose was nearby and started hissing at me which didn't matters.




Tree Swallows

SS 1/1600 f 6.7 ISO 720/800 Respectively... Focal length 500 mm (1.7 extender)

Heavily cropped so the image quality is not the best... At this point in time I decided that I wasn't going to go above an ISO of 800, hence the lower shutter speed which is too slow for an in flight capture of a swallow. And with heavy crops noise is more evident.

5.


6.



Of interest... I have one image of a tree swallow perched on a fence, and in the very next image he/she is in flight but flipped 180 vertically... ie; the swallow flew off in a different direction to which he/she was originally facing. I missed my focus, so I will try again on another day.

The Pelican was photographed in early morning light.. The 1st gosling in poor morning light (ie; too dark). And the remainder on a bright, overcast day, mid morning.

For the finale we have "Mother Goose coming to get me!"

SS 1/2500 f 5 ISO 640 Focal Length 300 mm




Cheers...

[Marie Hass]

Hi, Christina!

I have been thinking of you.

These are Just AWESOME!!!!

The last one made me giggle.

Marie

[Mike Buckley]

This set is wonderful, Christina. #1 and #4 are my favorites. I'm also happy to prove you wrong by mentioning that I, not just you, also like #3.

these days I'm deleting ten times as many images as I keep.

Good for you! If that ratio includes BIF, my hunch is that you'll soon progress to keeping only one out of 100.

[Shadowman]

Nice series, the dandelions are distracting; otherwise nicely done.

[Cantab]

Christina, my favourite is #4, the gosling. I was surprised when I noted the highish ISO and that you were using a tele-extender; neither seems to have done noticeable harm to the clarity of the image.

[Digital]

Christina, I really like #1; however you did a nice job on the entire series.



Bruce

[IzzieK]

+1 to Bruce's comment -- Excellent series...I have yet to photograph a pelican in flight but I am practicing on smaller backyard birds...no luck yet. I particularly like ........ ah, all of them!!! How can I choose? OK the last one is the best and #4 is the cutest because I can almost feel its softness.

I hope you get a little bit of breather from your work...for the sake of photography. Cheers...thanks for the dedication. I am learning a lot...

[Rebel]

Very nice Christina

[Barbara Ponder]

Great series Christina!

[Brownbear]

Thank you Marie, Mike, John, Bruce (Cantab), Bruce(Digital), Izzie, Barbara and Matt. Your comments are truly appreciated.

Marie... I also find the last shot rather humourous.

Mike... Thanks for letting me know your favourites, and that you like #3. Geese are very common here and most folks aren't very fond of this bird but I think they have a quirky charm. I'm getting much better at deleting images, especially BIF. Albeit I do feel a moment of remorse every time I delete an "if only" image... Especially when it is a pelican.

John... Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the dandelions. Yes, they are distracting but also kind of cute because the wet gosling is so messy and rumpled. I might delete him/her someday but I'm not ready to do so, yet.

Bruce (Cantab)
I prefer not to use my extender because I end up missing focus on more images than not. On this particular day I was trying to photograph swallows in flight so the extender was needed, and the brighter light on this day certainly helped. I'm hopeful that Izzie will notice the higher ISO's are sometimes needed and okay.

Thank you, Bruce (Digital), Izzie, Matt, and Barbara.

Izzie...
Note the higher ISO's... Check out the exif data of the postings of BoboBird and Joe, and note that higher ISOs are often needed to get the shot, and that the noise can be minimal. Bobo has posted one owl image photographed at an ISO of 10,000, and his last owl image was photographed at an ISO of 3200... Little birds in flight are harder to capture than large birds in flight which likely means that you'll need to use faster shutter speeds and higher iso's...

I expected that you would prefer the funny image by a smidge... Thank you. It's nice to know that my posts are sometimes helpful.

[bnnrcn]

Very nice set Christina . My best is #4, it is so nice and cute! Nice to see you posting images again

[Brownbear]

Thank you, Binnur. Your comments are always truly appreciated. They are super cute as babies.

Izzie, made me do it. Right now I'm a little swamped with life but for sure I will get back to posting images on a more regular basis.

Very nice set Christina . My best is #4, it is so nice and cute! Nice to see you posting images again

[IzzieK]

............Bruce (Cantab)
I prefer not to use my extender because I end up missing focus on more images than not. On this particular day I was trying to photograph swallows in flight so the extender was needed, and the brighter light on this day certainly helped. I'm hopeful that Izzie will notice the higher ISO's are sometimes needed and okay.

Thank you, Bruce (Digital), Izzie, Matt, and Barbara.

Izzie...
Note the higher ISO's... Check out the exif data of the postings of BoboBird and Joe, and note that higher ISOs are often needed to get the shot, and that the noise can be minimal. Bobo has posted one owl image photographed at an ISO of 10,000, and his last owl image was photographed at an ISO of 3200... Little birds in flight are harder to capture than large birds in flight which likely means that you'll need to use faster shutter speeds and higher iso's...

I expected that you would prefer the funny image by a smidge... Thank you. It's nice to know that my posts are sometimes helpful.

I love funny shots, Christina...my life itself is so serious at times I wonder how I make it through the day...funny shots are a breather...and I am taking notes of your postings on settings and stuff and when I have some good small flying birdies I will upload...to share here. I also moved my bird cage and the water near the bird cage's new position so it is easier to photograph. I now have 4 feet between my shooting area and the cage...and my camera nearby...thank you for all you've done so far. They are the best advice by far...

[purplehaze]

Nice set, Christina. I especially like #1. And the gosling (who can resist?). I was thinking of you today when I browsed to the site of a local photographer I follow and discovered a set of dramatic eagle shots from the Chilkat Valley. If you're interested, you can find them here.

[IzzieK]

Wow...those are all beautiful Janis...all good shots. Thanks for the link.

[Brownbear]

Hi Janis,
Thank you for commenting, and for the link. Indeed, some beautiful eagle images there. I will save for future reference for November this year when the Eagles are back.

For anyone who is seeking inspiration for Eagle photography... Here is a link to Dan's (Northern Focus) images of Eagles.

http://www.northernfocusphotography.com/p478459019

Nice set, Christina. I especially like #1. And the gosling (who can resist?). I was thinking of you today when I browsed to the site of a local photographer I follow and discovered a set of dramatic eagle shots from the Chilkat Valley. If you're interested, you can find them here.

[Cantab]

Dan's photos are superb. Thanks for the link.

[KimC]

Hi Christina, all are beautiful, but IMO, the 1st is very special.

[Donald]

That is a mighty impressive set of images, particularly for those of us who normally shoot landscapes, have tried bird photography from time-to-time and got it spectacularly wrong. It is a real skill. Images like these don't happen just by chance. They require knowledge and skill.

Favourite? - That's not really fair, because it's not about one being 'better' than another. But I have to confess that I think 'Afternoon Stroll' is an absolutely brilliant image. Everything about it is just right.

[davidedric]

Hi Christina,

These are excellent images, but I am most impressed by how your pictures have progressed over time. You are an example to all of us.

Dave