Day 27: July 2010 Photo-a-Day Thread

[Colin Southern]

5 Days to go!

[rick55]

Canon 500D, EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, 580EX at -1 stop FEC for fill, full EXIF, PAD slideshow.

We're finally getting some action again at our bird feeder. We didn't have it up last year, I just put it back up a few weeks ago, and it's taken a while for the birds to find it. This is a Black-topped Chickadee.

I set up the camera on a tripod, with the flash bounced off an umbrella for fill, and used an active USB extension cable and a hub to work tethered from inside the house.

Cheers,
Rick

[Klickit]

How do you manage to get so close? The birds around here are quite shy.

[Klickit]

Rain over hills



You will all be getting bored with the same views, but we should be moving soon.

[rick55]

How do you manage to get so close? The birds around here are quite shy.

I set up the tripod, then retreated to a reasonable distance. The camera was at about 5m, but I was another 15m or so from the camera. The only problem was that the camera heats up in live view mode. At one point the "camera temperature" value in the EXIF was 70C! It didn't shut down, so I don't suppose it hurt the camera, but it didn't make me happy. I'm going to try to change the setup tomorrow so I can see the feeder: that way I can use tether but not live view.

Cheers,
Rick

[rick55]

You will all be getting bored with the same views, but we should be moving soon.

Not at all. This is a sort of thing I've thought many times I'd like to get an image of, but have either not had a camera, or have messed up. Well done, Kit!!

Cheers,
Rick

Cheers,
Rick

[carregwen]

Rick

Good shot. I tried something very similar yesterday. Our feeder is about 6 ft from the kitchen window. I clamped a dark blanket over the open window just leaving a small space for the camera lens. I mounted the camera on a tripod inside the kitchen. I used a Sigma 70-200 @ 180mm. I was trying to get the woodpecker that comes to the feeder, but he didn't show up yesterday.

[Peter Ryan]

Rick

Good shot. I tried something very similar yesterday. Our feeder is about 6 ft from the kitchen window. I clamped a dark blanket over the open window just leaving a small space for the camera lens. I mounted the camera on a tripod inside the kitchen. I used a Sigma 70-200 @ 180mm. I was trying to get the woodpecker that comes to the feeder, but he didn't show up yesterday.

Hey Rob,

Did you have a look at the dainty little seeds in Ricks feeder compared to the stones in yours. You must have some tough birds down your way - Woodpeckers or Stonepeckers or something.

[carregwen]

Hey Rob,

Did you have a look at the dainty little seeds in Ricks feeder compared to the stones in yours. You must have some tough birds down your way - Woodpeckers or Stonepeckers or something.

These are peanuts (Woodpeckers like them) There's another feeder with fine seeds in.

[Antonio Correia]

Curious these posts about feeders.
I bought a small box to feed the birds an many were coming.
But the food was vanishing too fast. One day my wife went to the garden and there was a rat eating it. Rats are dangerous for Humans and I placed the cage above, on the air with some wires. I have to buy one of those cadges Rick uses...
-
Meanwhile I went this morning under 37 Centigrade - Ac on in the car with windows open, very pleasant - and I drove in the Serra da Arrábida.
I made some shots showing you the factory and from the land itself.

The last one is from the same point of view as yesterday but with another camera and another lens. The 20D with the 70-200 at 70

[triggerhappy]

Some shot I got last weekend.

Mark

[Antonio Correia]

Mark, where is the shot for today ?
Is the light in the foreground from the car ?

[carregwen]

PAD gallery

A tricky balancing act of art boards, lights, camera. The lamp filament is lit, but only on dimmed power level (didn't want it to blow out the detail)

EXIF

On black

[triggerhappy]

Mark, where is the shot for today ?

Ooops// Sorry. I'll do it next time. (^_^)v

Is the light in the foreground from the car ?

Nope . That was from street light.

Mark

[rick55]

Very nice shot, Rob: I like the death grip on the side bar. The window doesn't seem to cause any problems. If I had a nice long lens, that would be a good way to go. From our dining room window, 1200mm would be just about perfect. A good excuse to buy one, no?

Cheers,
Rick

[rick55]

Curious these posts about feeders.
I bought a small box to feed the birds an many were coming.
But the food was vanishing too fast. One day my wife went to the garden and there was a rat eating it. Rats are dangerous for Humans and I placed the cage above, on the air with some wires. I have to buy one of those cadges Rick uses...

I actually do both: that feeder hangs from wires that come from two trees. So the feeder is in the middle of open space between the two trees. We have about a million squirrels, and if you just hang a feeder from a branch, they'll figure out how to get to it. They're unbelievable.

Meanwhile I went this morning under 37 Centigrade - Ac on in the car with windows open, very pleasant - and I drove in the Serra da Arrábida.
I made some shots showing you the factory and from the land itself.

I like the 4th, showing the cuts on the mountain: it's probably depressing to see when you live there, but it's a good image.

Cheers,
Rick

[Antonio Correia]

I actually do both: that feeder hangs from wires that come from two trees. So the feeder is in the middle of open space between the two trees. We have about a million squirrels, and if you just hang a feeder from a branch, they'll figure out how to get to it. They're unbelievable... Rick

There are no squirrels here but there are rats as I told you about. May be they are also so acrobatic as squirrels and get the food even suspended on wires like I have now ...

... I like the 4th, showing the cuts on the mountain: it's probably depressing to see when you live there, but it's a good image. Cheers, Rick

It's the price of the progress Rick.
It is a petty thought because - I was told - that there are certain parts of the mountain just sustained to hide the holes from the sea and the view of the roads.

And there are also people who is working there and need their jobs ...

Thank you for commenting Rick

[Dave Humphries]

Well, I went out to see if I could add to the forum's collection of wheelie bin shots

But I found this sat on top and started shooting at yesterday's settings; it let me get to minimum distance - the wide aperture gives a different look. It is quite a small beastie, < 1/2 inch long.



Nikon D5000 + Nikkor 105mm f2.8 VR2 Macro: 1/250s f/4.5 at iso1600

I took more, at one stop greater each time to f/11 at 1/45s, but there's something about these wide open ones that appealed to me for PP - at least the lack of DoF looks deliberate

Took me a while to find a composition I liked though, and I'm still not sure about the crop, so C&C welcome.

Here's the f/11 shot;


Thanks,

[ScoutR]

Wow! This one is amazing and you know what I think about bugs. The limited DOF and the plain background really work, and OM goodness the focus on the face, and the way it is rubbing it's legs together getting ready to wreak (sp) some damage. This is a great shot.

[rick55]

Fantastic night shot, Mark. Lots of textures, and the exposure is managed very well.

The bulb is brilliant, Rob (no pun intended). All the layers of reflections are wonderful: they make the subject horribly tricky to manage, and you've used them to make the shot.

The macro shots are both winners, Dave, and the first one is exceptional - I absolutely love it. One suggestion on the second, how about rotating it about 40-60 deg CW? It makes the fly seem to be coming at you more, I think, instead of having its attention off to the side.

Cheers,
Rick