I Feel Pretty

[Andy]

I feel pretty... Oh so pretty...

http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/58184162-L.jpg

http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/58184165-L.jpg

I feel charming... Oh so charming..
http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/58184558-L.jpg

http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/58180295-L.jpg

http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/58180299-L.jpg

http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/58184939-L.jpg
yes, more birds added just for fun, two exposures combined.

I nagged Harry enough that he was able to get some Roseate Spoonbills to show up on Monday late afternoon. :clap Thanks old man!!! I have to hand it to you birders - it's probably one of the toughest types of photography to do well. You're constantly battling exposure - look at these birds - tons of range here, and even exposing at -1.33 you still have trouble with certain white parts.

I have a ton of respect for you birders! You really have to be on your toes with: your ISO (don't use higher than needed); your shutterspeed (stop the action when you want to); aperture (get the DOF you desire). Where's your focus point? There's not much margin for error, as can be seen in the straigh-on shot of the Spoonbill above, the focus point grabbed his body, and not his bill. All of this is also different depending on the bird you are shooting.

Thanks again for a great time, Harry :bow

[Rohirrim]

Great series Andy, love those first few reflection shots. Appreciate your comments on the challenges of bird photography.

[kdog]

Great shots. :thumb

[Stormdancing]

And pretty they are! I like #5 the best even if the focus is on his body.
The reflection shots are cool too.

[wxwax]

Good point about the dynamic range, the few duck shots I've attempted in sunlight made that problem obvious.

[livinginoz]

the first shot is particularly striking. however, i would think with that bill, he would probably have a lisp........i feel pretty, o tho pretty.

[bfjr]

Thanks old man!!! I have to hand it to you birders - it's probably one of the toughest types of photography to do well. You're constantly battling exposure - look at these birds - tons of range here, and even exposing at -1.33 you still have trouble with certain white parts.

I have a ton of respect for you birders! You really have to be on your toes with: your ISO (don't use higher than needed); your shutterspeed (stop the action when you want to); aperture (get the DOF you desire). Where's your focus point? There's not much margin for error, as can be seen in the straigh-on shot of the Spoonbill above, the focus point grabbed his body, and not his bill. All of this is also different depending on the bird you are shooting.


Now here are some true words, but we still get no respect :dunno :lol4

[Awais Yaqub]

Great captures in second focus is on wing i have read it shoud be on face of flying bird cool shots

[Forehead]

...and so little time to get them right the first time or you'll lose the shot and never get another one like that ever again (meant to be read VERY fast)!

Whew!

:bash-- That'd be ME yet!

I feel pretty... Oh so pretty...

[ginger_55]

Andy, I like that first spoonbill so much that I hate to say it, but I am annoyed that you took it and I didn't.

On top of liking the lighting, I like Spoonbills, they remind me of the ugly/beautiful Wood Stork. Since we have no Spoonbills here, and the Wood Storks appear to be wintering elsewhere..............I could only practice on egrets, just didn't seem worth it today. Those head winds were so bad yesterday. And my egrets seem to be in the air these days. Or the water is a bright blue. Or............

Just to tell you that I like your first shot too much!

And the combined shot, it is a good idea. I had already deleted too many of my other flight shots to try that effectively.

On the DOF I read something at Photo.net the other day that I happened to remember and I suspect that it is the only reason that any of my group flight shots were in focus. What someone said is that opening up the aperture a large amt reduces the chance of the camera picking the wrong thing on which to focus, makes it easier to get a lock.

I happened to kind of remember that the other day and it has helped immensely. I have shot my groups at F 5.6 with the 400. They were so far away I am amazed that they were in any kind of focus or that the exposure was at all close to correct. Never has been before. So I am assuming that there is something to that larger aperture thing, and I will continue with it until I get burned and learn more.

ginger

[Harryb]

Hey Andy,

Sweet shots of the spoonbills. You asked for spoonbills and you got them.

It was a lot of fun shooting with you and Ian. The eating was pretty good too.

[Trish323]

Nice shots Andy:clap You can see why shooting birds is really fn though. It presents a unique challenge. The longer one shoots birds the less you can figure out what their next move will be. Glad you enjoyed yourself!

[ehughes]

Very nice Andy, love those reflections... Looks like you guys had fun...