Here are some photos taken with the 300mm F4 and the D300 camera. I just purchased the lens last week. These are taken near Renaca, Chile about 3 miles north of Vina Del Mar. I had an overcast day, so it was a bit of a challenge to get good contrast. All are taken using a monopod, except for the flight shots which were hand held.
congratulations on your new lens. The 300mm f/4 is a great lens. Which version did you get?
In regards to your photos...
# 1 - - Nice focus & colors, sharp. But you have the pelican right smack in the middle of the shot. I think it would have looked better following rules-of-third.
# 2 - - Nice focus on the gull in flight... I presume this is a crop If it is, give the gull some space to fly into. Right now it looks like it's about to hit a wall. So I'd recommend more space forward.
# 3 - - corp of previous shot? Same problem as # 2
# 4 - - probably looks better in a larger version. This way it looks a tad cramped... Is this also a corp? Give the birds some space....
# 5 - - Is nice - - I wish it was presented larger & I think one of your best shots.
# 6 - - Nice Cormorant, but bird is yet again in the middle of the screen - - off set, off set, off set Rules-of-thirds looks great & it would make that shot wonderful.
# 7 - - Nice shot - again I wish it was presented larger & this is your best shot. It is clean, sharp, the bird is facing us. If a crop - - again a tad more room forward in the direction the bird is flying would be nice.
I hope this is not too harsh. It's well intended. If you have any questions - - please feel free to PM me.
oh you got Lil's attention.. you posted pelicans... she loves pelicans they appear very sharp and colors look nice and pleasing to the eye.. only thing I would like to see is a tad larger size posted.
Your comments are welcome and not harsh in any way.
You are absolutely right on all your points. The rule of thirds is key. I confess that in this series I was really testing the lens and trying to see how tigthly the crops would work. My wife back in the US is partial to close ups and they were for her as well.
I just moved to chile to launch a new network for CNN and I have begun to shoot birds with an eye to building a gallery of birds from Chile. This was the first step.
As I build the gallery I wil use wider shots and a variety of poses.
Thanks also for indentifying the Cormorant. I have not been able to find it in my bird books, wihch is one reason I want to create the gallery for others. to use. There doesn´t seems a good online resource for Chilean birds with images.
Is that a Juvenile? I have some shots of a larger bird whch are all black. Those are likely adults.
Thank you again for the comments.... got the message....... bigger , wider and rule of thirds.
If it is, give the gull some space to fly into. Right now it looks like it's about to hit a wall. So I'd recommend more space forward.
Rules-of-thirds looks great & it would make that shot wonderful.