Weekend in the neighborhood!

[raptorcaptor]

http://raptorcaptor.smugmug.com/photos/135298725-L-1.jpg

Bit of a stretch!

http://raptorcaptor.smugmug.com/photos/135298720-L-1.jpg

Some strutting!

http://raptorcaptor.smugmug.com/photos/135298723-L-1.jpg

Stilt flyby

http://raptorcaptor.smugmug.com/photos/135300842-L.jpg

SJWS International Airport

http://raptorcaptor.smugmug.com/photos/135300801-L.jpg


Candy corn!

http://raptorcaptor.smugmug.com/photos/135300887-L.jpg

Mrs. Downy hanging upside down!

http://raptorcaptor.smugmug.com/photos/135298739-L-1.jpg

Where the good stuffs at!

[Albert Dickson]

I realy like the Avocet and Stilt shots. What a realy cool set of birds! :thumb :thumb :thumb

[jwear]

:clap :thumb :clap :thumb really good shots just like you said -thanks again fun day :ivar boy did I miss shooting --yep you nail the hummer I will post mine another day :D

[raptorcaptor]

I realy like the Avocet and Stilt shots. What a realy cool set of birds! :thumb :thumb :thumb

Thanks Albert! The birds are starting to get their breeding plummage now, so its good shooting!

[dbaker1221]

you da man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:barb :ivar

[Dick on Aruba]

Great series!
I absolutely love the 2nd capture.

Thanks for sharing,

Dick.

[BigAl]

A really super set, but the avocets take the cake for me :barb

[Maestro]

Wow Glenn, awesome series! Everything is crystal clear and tack sharp!

[douglas]

All fantastic captures, my fav is the guy coming in for a landing :thumb

[raptorcaptor]

:clap :thumb :clap :thumb really good shots just like you said -thanks again fun day :ivar boy did I miss shooting --yep you nail the hummer I will post mine another day :D

Had fun too! Maybe next time we'll have a bit more variety!

[raptorcaptor]

you da man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:barb :ivar
Thanks David!

[ShepsMom]

Your pictures made me laugh! Stretching birds, how cute is that! Love, love, love the last shot. Beautiful composition!! Thank you for showing off :D

[raptorcaptor]

Great series!
I absolutely love the 2nd capture.

Thanks for sharing,

Dick.

Thanks Dick!

[raptorcaptor]

A really super set, but the avocets take the cake for me :barb
Thanks Big Al! What part of South Africa? I grew up in Johannesburg!

[raptorcaptor]

Wow Glenn, awesome series! Everything is crystal clear and tack sharp!

Thanks Stephen!

[BigAl]

Thanks Big Al! What part of South Africa? I grew up in Johannesburg!I'm in Pretoria, but grew up in Natal (long time ago now :D)

[raptorcaptor]

I'm in Pretoria, but grew up in Natal (long time ago now :D)

Long time for me too! Still have family in Joburg.

[bfjr]

Hummer is sweet :super

Ya done good all around:D

Well you and that nice light :lust

[raptorcaptor]

All fantastic captures, my fav is the guy coming in for a landing :thumb

Thanks Douglas! It was a lucky shot :D

[raptorcaptor]

Your pictures made me laugh! Stretching birds, how cute is that! Love, love, love the last shot. Beautiful composition!! Thank you for showing off :D

Thank you! I'm glad I made you laugh! :D

[raptorcaptor]

Hummer is sweet :super

Ya done good all around:D

Well you and that nice light :lust

Thanks Ben!

[Ric Grupe]

All very nice, Glenn.:thumb

This one was the one I liked most. Perfect timing.

http://raptorcaptor.smugmug.com/photos/135300842-L.jpg

[GaryBakker]

Incredible photos RaptorCaptor. I am in awe.

This might be the wrong place to ask this, but I love birds and I love photography. However, I have never had the ability to take photos like these. (Mods, you can move my post if you prefer it elsewhere.)

I'm assuming a very long lens is required. 500? Do people typically use a zoom, or simply crop as necessary?

The biggest question though has to do with focus. No matter what, I can never get photos this sharp. What is the secret?

(PS - I use a couple-year-old Canon digital Rebel, 80-200 zoom lens.)

[raptorcaptor]

All very nice, Glenn.:thumb

This one was the one I liked most. Perfect timing.



Thanks Ric!

[raptorcaptor]

Incredible photos RaptorCaptor. I am in awe.

This might be the wrong place to ask this, but I love birds and I love photography. However, I have never had the ability to take photos like these. (Mods, you can move my post if you prefer it elsewhere.)

I'm assuming a very long lens is required. 500? Do people typically use a zoom, or simply crop as necessary?

The biggest question though has to do with focus. No matter what, I can never get photos this sharp. What is the secret?

(PS - I use a couple-year-old Canon digital Rebel, 80-200 zoom lens.)

I usually shoot with a 400mm DO F4 and I use a 1.4 or 2x TC as the situation permits. I also shoot with short lenses depending on what I shoot.
Sharpness comes with practise, but there are some general rules that help.

Use a good tripod, and head. ( I shoot with a Gitzo tripod with a ballhead, and a Wimberly Sidekick-This is a basic gimbal setup that uses balance to give you stable motion when shooting)

Make sure that you shutter speed is high enough to catch any motion.

Most of the time you can keep the aperture fairly wide open.

Learn to hold the camera so it doesn't move too much when you press the shutter (even on a tripod).

Shoot a lot of pictures!:D

[GaryBakker]

Thanks for your response RaptorCaptor. I appreciate the advice.

I'm surprised that you use a tripod and still are able to get those action shots of the waterbirds (for example). Birds, in my experience, are nervous creatures and never stay in one spot for very long. That you are able to aim, focus, and shoot to capture these moments is admirable.

I assume TC means teleconverter? Doesn't using this negatively affect the overall lens quality? Though upon reflection, seeing your photos, the answer is clearly not.

Again, words cannot express how impressed I am with the photos you posted in this thread. I know I'm fawning, but heck. You deserve it.
:bow:bow

[raptorcaptor]

Thanks for your response RaptorCaptor. I appreciate the advice.

I'm surprised that you use a tripod and still are able to get those action shots of the waterbirds (for example). Birds, in my experience, are nervous creatures and never stay in one spot for very long. That you are able to aim, focus, and shoot to capture these moments is admirable.

I assume TC means teleconverter? Doesn't using this negatively affect the overall lens quality? Though upon reflection, seeing your photos, the answer is clearly not.

Again, words cannot express how impressed I am with the photos you posted in this thread. I know I'm fawning, but heck. You deserve it.
:bow:bow

You lose a little sharpness with the 1.4 and even more with the 2x, but sometimes it is still worth it! Take a look at the gimbal heads and you will understand how much easier it is to shoot birds in flight! :D

[GaryBakker]

Take a look at the gimbal heads and you will understand how much easier it is to shoot birds in flight! :DSheesh. I'm such a doofus.

To give you an idea of how much of a rank amateur I am, I didn't know there were such things as a Ball Head tripod and gimbal attachments. After doing some research I can now better understand how you can do nature photography using these tools.

This is somewhat akin to woodworking, where often the right tool is more important than having extraordinary skill. (Too bad this is not also true for golf.)

RaptorCaptor, one last question: To capture some of the shots you have, you need a pretty fast shutter speed. But you can only open up your 400mm lens to F4. What do you do when you have twilight? Or deep shade? Or heavily overcast skies? (I notice that most of your shots are in full daylight, so perhaps this isn't a problem.)

Thanks for indulging me, and educating me. I appreciate it.

[raptorcaptor]

Sheesh. I'm such a doofus.

To give you an idea of how much of a rank amateur I am, I didn't know there were such things as a Ball Head tripod and gimbal attachments. After doing some research I can now better understand how you can do nature photography using these tools.

This is somewhat akin to woodworking, where often the right tool is more important than having extraordinary skill. (Too bad this is not also true for golf.)

RaptorCaptor, one last question: To capture some of the shots you have, you need a pretty fast shutter speed. But you can only open up your 400mm lens to F4. What do you do when you have twilight? Or deep shade? Or heavily overcast skies? (I notice that most of your shots are in full daylight, so perhaps this isn't a problem.)

Thanks for indulging me, and educating me. I appreciate it.

Usually with overcast you have ample light, but for low light situations you use a flash, or do a different type of photography.

http://raptorcaptor.smugmug.com/photos/135731321-L.jpg

Low light with a flash - I acccidently shot this at iso 200, usually I shoot iso 400.

[Harryb]

Outstanding set Glenn and congrats on your 1,000th post:clap

[raptorcaptor]

Outstanding set Glenn and congrats on your 1,000th post:clap

Thanks Harry! 1000 posts... I guess I've been slacking! :dunno

[Zygote]

What a great neighborhood! I really like them all :clap

[raptorcaptor]

What a great neighborhood! I really like them all :clap

Thanks!

[kdog]

Really great shots, Glenn. You're getting outstanding results from that DO.
Love the compositions, but I give the hummer shot a '10'. :thumb

[raptorcaptor]

Really great shots, Glenn. You're getting outstanding results from that DO.
Love the compositions, but I give the hummer shot a '10'. :thumb

Thanks Joel! The DO still seems to work after splitting it in two pieces, and having it put back together! Very delicate lens.

[sskoutas]

You've got yourself one very nice series here... very cooperative poses! I like the hummingbird the best, but they all have wonderful saturation and color.