[EdMak]

Phil and Johnny, almost missed these. Top Marks. Ed.

[WesternGuy]

My addition to this discussion - all these images were shot on a trip to Florida in April/May of this year.

#1 Snowy Egret and chicks. This image was shot at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. Tech info: Canon 1D X, 600mm f/4L IS II lens, 1/640 sec. at f/8 and ISO 800.
   

#2 Least Tern in Flight with "dinner". This image was shot at St Augustine Beach. Tech Info: Canon 1D X, 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS lens at 340 mm, 1/1250 sec. at f/11 and ISO 800.
   

#3. Osprey with dinner. This image was shot at the Circle B Bar Reserve at Lakeland Florida. Tech info: Canon 1D X, 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS lens at 400 mm, 1/1250 sec. at f/8 and ISO 800.
   

Comments and questions are welcome.

WesternGuy

[Phil J]

Hi Western Guy,

I really like those, you've readily captured the feeling of 'being there', which I feel is an important facet to any type of nature shot. You (I) get the same feeling from the work of Freeman and EdMac. So well done for capturing that difficult to define X factor with your images.

Best regards.

Phil.

[Phil J]

Whilst on the subject of birds. I took this one some time ago and I've posted it elsewhere on here, but, I'm unable to find it. My apologies for posting the same image on different threads, but I wondered if it may be of interest. I tend to call it, 'Out for a Duck'.

So, Techie Stuff.

Nikon D300, F/5.6, 250sec, ISO800, 200mm, M/Mode-pattern, Manual exp.
One Nikon SB800 off camera to camera left, 30ft from subject, half power, 1/4 CTO gel. Voice activated light stand was my 'brother-in-law' who is himself an excellent photographer. Post Production in PhotoPlus X5.

   

[WesternGuy]

Hi Western Guy,

I really like those, you've readily captured the feeling of 'being there', which I feel is an important facet to any type of nature shot. You (I) get the same feeling from the work of Freeman and EdMac. So well done for capturing that difficult to define X factor with your images.

Best regards.

Phil.

Thanks Phil.

WG

[EdMak]

WG I don't think you are doing justice to your pics, the File sizes are, 79Kb, 16Kb, and 53Kb, as posted.

I, after editing, Make the longest side, approx 2000 Pixels, and when saving, ensure it is just under 1Mb, 800/900Kb is OK.

This one is 800Kb. original about 8/9 Mb, from memory. Save it to your Desktop, then open with windows viewer, enlarge it, and see when it "Breaks up".

If in doubt, upload one of your originals, unedited, post a Link, and I, and probably others, will do as I, or they, see it. It'a worth the effort. Cheers Ed.

[Phil J]

Hi Ed,

I still can't quite believe the amount of detail you've managed to capture with that blooming Swan. With everything else being rendered as it is, the white should have burnt out. Mind you, seeing some of your other work, I shouldn't be surprised at all. Did you have to do much post processing with it?

Regards.

Phil.

[EdMak]

While ago, P/S was a mystery then, still is a bit. This is slightly different process wise than the "Other one" I posted. Think I spent a night, getting to this one. Kept trying various buttons/sliders until I was happy. Here is the original, direct from RAW, which I did use then. Cheers Phil. Ed.

I have remembere,d when I was typing this, when I first saw the RAW version, it was for the bucket. Went back to it many months later, to have a go at ot!!!!

[WesternGuy]

WG I don't think you are doing justice to your pics, the File sizes are, 79Kb, 16Kb, and 53Kb, as posted.

I, after editing, Make the longest side, approx 2000 Pixels, and when saving, ensure it is just under 1Mb, 800/900Kb is OK.

This one is 800Kb. original about 8/9 Mb, from memory. Save it to your Desktop, then open with windows viewer, enlarge it, and see when it "Breaks up".

If in doubt, upload one of your originals, unedited, post a Link, and I, and probably others, will do as I, or they, see it. It'a worth the effort. Cheers Ed.

Thanks Ed . I was a little worried about the "picture police" (long story). I will keep your comments in mind for the next upload and see how it looks.

WesternGuy

[Freeman]

[quote='WesternGuy' pid='95932' dateline='1404071383']
My addition to this discussion - all these images were shot on a trip to Florida in April/May of this year.

#1 Snowy Egret and chicks. This image was shot at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. Tech info: Canon 1D X, 600mm f/4L IS II lens, 1/640 sec. at f/8 and ISO 800.


#2 Least Tern in Flight with "dinner". This image was shot at St Augustine Beach. Tech Info: Canon 1D X, 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS lens at 340 mm, 1/1250 sec. at f/11 and ISO 800.


#3. Osprey with dinner. This image was shot at the Circle B Bar Reserve at Lakeland Florida. Tech info: Canon 1D X, 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS lens at 400 mm, 1/1250 sec. at f/8 and ISO 800.

Smashing. The snowy egrets are stunning. The gift of that snap - also the others to a degree - is that it makes me entirely consumed with the birds, not the photograph. Love it. More please!!! Kind regards Jeff

[Freeman]

    Well, Monday is no bad day for a mini outing and a couple of standard shots of local feathered friends....these are taken overlooking the Nafford Lock near Pershore....I think I wobbled a bit taking the buzzard but he still looks quite dramatic. Apart from sharpening a little, he is not much edited. The goldfinch you know, and the little grey bird is a whitethroat. They are all ridiculously cropped, of course - the buzzard was not much more than a hanky in the sky. Regards, Jeff

[Freeman]

Hi Western Guy,

I really like those, you've readily captured the feeling of 'being there', which I feel is an important facet to any type of nature shot. You (I) get the same feeling from the work of Freeman and EdMac. So well done for capturing that difficult to define X factor with your images.

Best regards.

Phil.

Hey, Phil, Thanks! Hope you feel the same about this shot of a baby kingfisher I took yesterday. I only had a few seconds glimpse before it disappeared. Regards Jeff


Thanks Phil.

WG

[brianapenney]

Here is one from a while ago
Eagle

[WesternGuy]

A few more from my collection. These were taken on safari in Tanzania back in February 2014.

Lilac-breasted roller. These are a slightly small bird about the size of a robin. They are quite common in the parks of Eastern Africa. In my opinion, they are the most colourful bird in Africa, at least among the ones that I have seen so far.
Tech info - Canon 1D X, 100-400mmL IS Lens + 1.4 (III) Extender at 530mm, ISO 800, 1/400 @ f/8, EV +1/3.

   

This is a Blacksmith Plover that I caught just as it was stretching its wings and I got the reflection.

Tech info - Canon 1D X, 100-400L IS lens + 1.4X(III) Extender at 560mm, ISO 800, 1/200 @ f/6, EV +1 2/3.

   

This is a Secretary Bird. This one was gathering nesting material.

Tech info - Canon 1D X, 100-400L IS lens + 1.4x(III) Extender at 530mm, ISO 800, 1/400 @ f/8, EV +1/3

   

As usual, comments and questions welcome.

WesternGuy

[Freeman]

A few more from my collection. These were taken on safari in Tanzania back in February 2014.

Lilac-breasted roller. This is a Blacksmith Plover. This is a Secretary Bird.

As usual, comments and questions welcome.

WesternGuy

Hi WesternGuy I am familiar with the roller and my goodness what a super shot - the colour and texture are just right, bold and yet delicate. Dazzling.

The Blacksmith plover pulls me back to Africa, I just want to be there (the best I can do is Singapore for the F1 plus lots of birding in a few weeks' time). Brilliant shot.

The secretary bird is very special, a rarity, and you have captured wonderfully his purposeful strut. All the natural wonder and atmosphere of the continent summed up in this shot. Bearing in mind the fleeting moments you had to capture these pictures, everything seems (to me) so right. Are these going in the present competition???? If you have more Afr5ican species to share I for one would love to see them. One question if I may: manual, aperture or shutter speed settings? Cheers! Jeff

[WesternGuy]

Thanks Jeff, glad you like them. These were all shot Aperture priority.

Not sure what competition you are referring to. I tend to not enter competitions as the "sponsors" often want unlimited rights to my images, forever, to do what ever they want with them and I am to about to give away "wholesale" rights to my images.

WesternGuy

[Freeman]

Hi WesternGuy

Here's the link to the July birds competition: http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/Thread...-In-Flight

I'm not aware to what extent you would be giving away rights to your pictures, but subject to that, would be so good to see some of your shots in the competition.

Regards Jeff

[WesternGuy]

Hi WesternGuy

Here's the link to the July birds competition: http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/Thread...-In-Flight

I'm not aware to what extent you would be giving away rights to your pictures, but subject to that, would be so good to see some of your shots in the competition.

Regards Jeff

Thanks Jeff. I just returned from 10 days photographing Grizzlies in Alaska, so I may not have the time to get an image into the July competition, but I will see if I can find one that meets the requirements. It would be interesting for me to see how my images are accepted.

WesternGuy

[Freeman]

Thanks Jeff. I just returned from 10 days photographing Grizzlies in Alaska, so I may not have the time to get an image into the July competition, but I will see if I can find one that meets the requirements. It would be interesting for me to see how my images are accepted.

Hi WesternGuy

Well, I would just love to see some of those grizzly pictures! Hope you had a great time. As to the competition, it would be great to see a snap or two from WesternGuy there. As far as I can see, the judges do not offer comments on individual pictures or give reasons for their selection. It would be quite a helpful advance if that were possible but seeing others' entries surely makes us all raise our game. The rules for this competition do not state that the pictures have to be recent (as they do for other months competition) so I hope you get chance to raid your picture archives. In any event, kind regards, Jeff

[EdMak]

If comments are wanted, post in Photo Critique section.

http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/Forum-Photo-Critique


Ed.

[Freeman]

An aggressive avocet harries a family of ducklings

[Dean]

   
One of a few bird images I was happy with from recent trip to New Zealand. Taken with a Canon f5.6 400mm lens, 1/640 sec at f10. Canon 60D camera.

[katsukurimedia]

Dear friends

Having kicked off with a Bird Photography Resources thread, it seems like a good idea to add a further linked thread or two. This one invites you to share your bird shots and if it pleases you, we would love to know some background and details of the shots.

Come on guys, let's see your best birding shots ...and the rest - they don't have to be perfect or even close! Mine aren't for sure, but let me start you off with a common or garden English bird.....

Regards all and very much looking forward to seeing your bird photos....Jeff

Wow that shot looks awesome!

[EdMak]

Sony a290 Tamron 18/200 @ 100mm 1/320 @ F8 ISO 400.

Not sure if this qualifies for a Selfie, I am reflected in the bird's Left eye!! Ed.

[Phil J]

Another stunning EdMac shot. I don't know how you achieve such consistency, but I'll have a bucket full please!!

Best regards.

Phil.