This topic is locked to prevent further replies.
birdpix
Loc: South East Pennsylvania
TomO recently posted some photos of a Blue-winged Teal and I suggested that he get lower and that would improve those shots. He has asked me to give some examples so here they are.
Tom's pictures were taken from a boardwalk in a refuge and showed the duck in the water with flowers blooming all around. They were very good photos of the bird but I felt it left the bird somewhat muddled into the flowers. Despite the rather shallow depth of field, quite a few of the flowers around the bird were in focus. I suggested that perhaps he should have laid down on the boardwalk. That would cause the background to recede and become more out of focus causing the bird to be isolated against the background.
Here are a few examples:
Here is a Black-bellied Plover against some rocks. Notice how it blends in a little.
Here is the same bird from a different viewpoint. Note how the bird is isolated against the background.
Here is a Wood Duck as I shot down on it.
Here is the same Duck from a lower perspective. Note how the background has disappeared.
Horned Grebe shot from my car window on a fishing jetty.
The same Grebe shot as I nestled into the rocks about 2 feet above the water. Note how even the water seems to have mellowed out.
birdpix,
Pictures are worth a thousand words!
Thank you for posting these examples so quickly.
There are two boardwalks that I frequent and I'll be trying this technique next trip.
I appreciate your help.
Tom
If I was to do that now I would never get up.
none the less an excellent tutorial.
Thanks. I'll try it today at our local duck pond.
I am not able to get down low but just sitting down makes a difference!
vicksart
Loc: Novato, CA -earthquake country
oldmalky wrote:
If I was to do that now I would never get up.
none the less an excellent tutorial.
This is very helpful and certainly worth trying. Thank you.
Thank you sooooo much!! Really appreciate your help on this and birds in flight!
Excellent examples. There are two things that I always keep in the car: a cheap, folding stool and a tarp. Sitting on the stool and turning on live view lets you hold the camera close to the ground; just turn on live view and use the tilting screen to line up the shot. Awkward with a big lens though. Lying prone on the tarp lets you take a position that gives much better control, makes you less conspicuous, and keeps you clean and dry. Thanks for the reminder: I should use them more.
vicksart
Loc: Novato, CA -earthquake country
Straight Shooter wrote:
Excellent examples. There are two things that I always keep in the car: a cheap, folding stool and a tarp. Sitting on the stool and turning on live view lets you hold the camera close to the ground; just turn on live view and use the tilting screen to line up the shot. Awkward with a big lens though. Lying prone on the tarp lets you take a position that gives much better control, makes you less conspicuous, and keeps you clean and dry. Thanks for the reminder: I should use them more.
Great suggestions. Now...about getting up after shooting....:roll:
Nice shot's and great tip!
birdpix,
This is about as low as I could get from a road next to an impoundment in the Horicon NWR due to reeds and cattails.
Shooting directly into the sun at 4 PM I set at up 800 ISO and
1/4000 on a 100-400L.
I do also need some ID help on this bird who dropped into a shallow pond area while I was looking at shorebirds.
Thanks,
Tom
Stranger in the pond
birdpix
Loc: South East Pennsylvania
Tom O wrote:
birdpix,
This is about as low as I could get from a road next to an impoundment in the Horicon NWR due to reeds and cattails.
Shooting directly into the sun at 4 PM I set at up 800 ISO and
1/4000 on a 100-400L.
I do also need some ID help on this bird who dropped into a shallow pond area while I was looking at shorebirds.
Thanks,
Tom
Tom you have a Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron here. Sometimes you are constrained by the geography and you do the best you can.
Night Herons are generally slow moving birds that are very patient and will wait until a fish swims within reach before it swiftly snatches it up and swallows it. You could wait for an hour before it would move and the attack would be over before you could blink let alone fire the shutter.
When I'm faced with a bird like yours with good light on the body and the face in shadow, I will wait for the bird to move its head a little so it is in the light before I shoot. That will usually get me a catch light in the eye also. That kind of patience will come with experience. Keep up the good work!
Wow. I'm going to try this! Thank you so much!
If you want to reply, then
register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.