Raptor and Kingfisher

[gluwater]

My first raptor!! WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!

The day started bad when I got to work at 3:30AM. Any day starts off bad when you are at work at 3:30AM. And once I got off of work at 2:30PM I put off all the other things I should have done today and went to forest preserve.

Click on pictures for exif

It started off slow there too. All I got pictures of at first was a frog and then a turtle.
http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/35166948-L.jpg (http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=35166948)

Although, I sort of like this shot of the turtle. I don't mind the right being soo bright and I think the lines of the log and it's reflection lead your eye to the turtle.

I left the waterfront for a while and was just walking, just minding my own business when a Red Tailed Hawk swooped out of the trees and flew right in front of me. I tried getting it in flight but it was getting dark and my 70-200 wouldn't focus fast enough in those conditions, under the tree cover. But I did get this one.
http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/35165898-L.jpg (http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=35165898)

I'm glad I didn't have the 2x TC on because this shot is much sharper IMO than it would have been with it on.

I tried tracking it from tree to tree through the woods but I couldn't get another good shot so I gave up and went back to the river to look for my herons. Well I didn't get any good shots of herons today but I did get a Belted Kingfisher in flight and post dive. I'm lucky that it was soo close to me.
http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/35166157-L.jpg (http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=35166157)
http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/35166056-L.jpg (http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=35166056)

After he left I decided to move down river and found these two getting an after dinner drink.
http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/35166770-L.jpg (http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=35166770)

And what do you know, my buddy showed up again right in front of me and this time I was a little more ready.
http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/35166452-L.jpg (http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=35166452)

Once he was gone I turned back around for my car and found this guy grazing by the river with two friends but I liked this shot the best.
http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/35166865-L.jpg (http://gluwater.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=35166865)

So my day turned out nice after all.

Comments and critiques always welcome, especially about BIF, cause I still suck at them.

Nick

[bfjr]

Good set nick :thumb
Lot's of good stuff to shoot by you and a Kingfisher
and deer now that's something that definitely doesn't hang around us.

I used to work graveyard shifts I know how tough that is too. :rolleyes

[gluwater]

Good set nick :thumb
Lot's of good stuff to shoot by you and a Kingfisher
and deer now that's something that definitely doesn't hang around us.

I used to work graveyard shifts I know how tough that is too. :rolleyes
Thanks Ben. I think I'm getting the hang of this a little better now. I have lived in this area my entire life and never knew there were kingfishers or herons here until I started photography this summer. Sadly I'll be going to night shift soon 2:30PM-11PM so I will not be able to take my nightly walks by the river anymorehttp://dgrin.com/images/smilies/bncry.gif. But now I will get to see what's around in the morninghttp://dgrin.com/images/smilies/clap.gif.

Nick

[Harryb]

Not bad Nick. Your first raptor capture is always a thrill. The deer shots are excellent. Your shots are showing real progress. :thumb

[gluwater]

Thanks Harry. I try to put into practice what you Ben, Jeff and other on here say but sometimes I get so frustrated with bad light or forgetting to check my ISO, the list goes on and on. So thanks for the little ego boost.

I think another part of my progress is I am beginning to learn when certain animals will be in certain places. So I can try to get there before them and hunker down in a good spot and wait them out. I have learned soo much already that I am realizing that I have really only scratched the surface.

Nick

[Harryb]

Thanks Harry. I try to put into practice what you Ben, Jeff and other on here say but sometimes I get so frustrated with bad light or forgetting to check my ISO, the list goes on and on. So thanks for the little ego boost.

I think another part of my progress is I am beginning to learn when certain animals will be in certain places. So I can try to get there before them and hunker down in a good spot and wait them out. I have learned soo much already that I am realizing that I have really only scratched the surface.

NickHey Nick,

I did a lot of shooting before I tried my had at wildlife. I figured how tough can it be? I found out that it was a lot tougher than any other photography I had tried. I shot wildlife for a year before I started getting results I really liked.

First you are shooting subjects that don't want to be shot. Then they like to hang out in bushes or trees and are usually obscured, in shadows or backlit. If they are in the open they will notice you and give you a butt view as they run/fly away. If you shoot with a 300mm they will stay away from you at the range of a 400mm lens. If you buy a 500mm lens they will notice that and move back to the range of an 800mm lens. They are evil creatures and often I think it would have been better if we had bought shotguns instead of cameras. http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/2ar15smilie.gif

Hang in there. Practice good techniques and the results will come. Here's a good website with loads of info on wildlife shooting.
http://www.moosepeterson.com/home.html

[gluwater]

Hey Nick,

I did a lot of shooting before I tried my had at wildlife. I figured how tough can it be? I found out that it was a lot tougher than any other photography I had tried. I shot wildlife for a year before I started getting results I really liked.

First you are shooting subjects that don't want to be shot. Then they like to hang out in bushes or trees and are usually obscured, in shadows or backlit. If they are in the open they will notice you and give you a butt view as they run/fly away. If you shoot with a 300mm they will stay away from you at the range of a 400mm lens. If you buy a 500mm lens they will notice that and move back to the range of an 800mm lens. They are evil creatures and often I think it would have been better if we had bought shotguns instead of cameras. http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/2ar15smilie.gif

Hang in there. Practice good techniques and the results will come. Here's a good website with loads of info on wildlife shooting.
http://www.moosepeterson.com/home.html
So the moral of this story is to go straight for the 800mm and bypass the rest?:lol3 :lol3

Thanks for the link Harry, it looks like it is jam packed with good info.

Nick