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Fox kits and mom
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May 12, 2022 11:22:03   #
Swifti
 
Had a mama fox build a den under my shed! First time I ever saw a fox in our neighborhood, so was very excited for this opportunity!


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May 12, 2022 11:26:22   #
Vanderpix Loc: New Jersey
 
Wonderful captures! Ain't it grand when the fates send you such wonderful photo ops! You certainly made the most of that opportunity. What was the equipment used?

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May 12, 2022 11:32:36   #
UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT
 
Excellent set! Cute animals.

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May 12, 2022 11:36:12   #
bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY
 

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May 12, 2022 11:36:40   #
Swifti
 
It truly was a gift - a parting gift! we’re moving in July! I have a Nikon d500 with the Nikor 200-500mm lens.

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May 12, 2022 11:46:20   #
phlash46 Loc: Westchester County, New York
 
Wow!!

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May 12, 2022 11:57:22   #
luvmypets Loc: Born & raised Texan living in Fayetteville NC
 
Very nice!! I love #1 (wall hanger) and #3 (very cute)

Dodie

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May 12, 2022 11:58:08   #
photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA
 
Swifti wrote:
Had a mama fox build a den under my shed! First time I ever saw a fox in our neighborhood, so was very excited for this opportunity!


Well captured!

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May 12, 2022 12:20:16   #
Matt_F Loc: Wausau, Wisconsin
 
Great pictures!

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May 12, 2022 12:21:57   #
DebAnn Loc: Toronto
 
Swifti wrote:
Had a mama fox build a den under my shed! First time I ever saw a fox in our neighborhood, so was very excited for this opportunity!


Well done! Nothing much cuter than a baby fox.

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May 12, 2022 12:32:17   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 

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May 12, 2022 13:20:41   #
amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
 
Very nice shots taking advantage of a unique opportunity! Well done.

However, I hope you don't mind a little constructive criticism...

The 2nd, 3rd and 5th images seem pretty soft. There are several possible reasons for that and they can be improved with some sharpening techniques.

It could be a lens issue... I couldn't tell from the ISO the exact lens, but see it was 500mm in several cases.

Or it could be a filter on the lens.

Or are you shooting through a window or a screen?

Camera shake might be part of the problem, too. You're using a very low ISO that's causing slow shutter speeds, too... ISO 160 in all the images where I could see the ISO. That's forcing you to use 1/30 to 1/150 shutter speeds, which are risky with active subjects and a 500mm lens on a DX camera!

I presume you're using a tripod! Even so, why not use ISO 800 or 1600 and the much faster shutter speeds those would allow?

It doesn't seem to be a focus issue... the plane of focus appears to be just about right where it should be in each image. (In other words, it's not a focus error and lens "calibration" wouldn't change anything.)

EDIT: I just looked closer at the 1st image, which is among the sharpest ones (and a neat pose!). It's the same low ISO 160 as the others, but appears better light let you use 1/200 shutter speed and that might be the difference. Also, I noted that a Nikkor 200-500mm is the lens you're using. I don't use that lens, but hear good reports about it and have seen a lot of very good work done with it. Why did you stop down to f/7.1? Is it sharper slightly stopped down? The stop down is another reason for slow shutter speeds, though. It also makes for a bit less background blur, where more might be better. This 1st shot is quite good, so I didn't look at the EXIF earlier... but when I did I wanted to compare to the others. The other three I noted use the same ISO 160 and even slower shutter speeds.

Again, this is all meant constructively because these are otherwise very nicely done images that deserve to be the best they can be.

P.S. Be prepared... Foxes often use the same den to raise their families year after year, if left relatively undisturbed. So you will probably see them return next Spring.

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May 12, 2022 13:33:09   #
Swifti
 
Thank you for the critique; I am still a novice. Shots 1, 4, and 5 were shot through a window. And, no tripod for any of them, all handheld. Will try raising my ISO, though, for sure.

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May 12, 2022 13:39:26   #
amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
 
Swifti wrote:
Thank you for the critique; I am still a novice. Shots 1, 4, and 5 were shot through a window. And, no tripod for any of them, all handheld. Will try raising my ISO, though, for sure.


The window is probably the biggest issue.

Raising the ISO and getting a faster shutter speed will definitely help. So would a tripod! These shots are actually not bad, considering they were done hand held with a 500mm lens on a DX camera!

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May 12, 2022 13:47:24   #
Swifti
 
Thanks! We are actually packing up to move, so I couldn’t find my tripod, lol. As for the window, mama fox is very skittish - as soon as she hears my door handle click, she’s on alert and likely to bolt. But she has been leaving the cubs on their own more, and I was able to have a nice outdoor session with them the other evening from my patio.

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