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Archive 2014 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack

  
 
CaddisCO
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


I stopped in Walden Ponds early in the morning the other day, and it was overcast and very foggy. There were a bunch of birds flying low over the calm water, getting bugs from the surface and probably from the air. I used this as an excuse to practice tracking erratic flight patterns with a long lens, using the "both eyes open" method to try to keep the lens on the birds as they darted all over the place. Man, was that hard, but after a while I started to get the hang of it a little bit.

The fog and lack of contrast made for unusual looking scenes, as you can't see where the air ends and the water begins. With reflections, this looks strange, but kind of interesting. And the processing that I did on them to bring out the colors makes the look kind of like watercolor paintings, I think. I believe the birds are Violet-green Swallows.

As usual, C&C is welcome. In particular, I would like to know what you think about the first three shots. Interesting, or too odd?

1.
http://kevinr.smugmug.com/photos/i-nX3vZDk/0/XL/i-nX3vZDk-XL.jpg

2.
http://kevinr.smugmug.com/photos/i-kp27PWV/0/XL/i-kp27PWV-XL.jpg

3.
http://kevinr.smugmug.com/photos/i-2hnjq96/0/XL/i-2hnjq96-XL.jpg


I guess I like Avocets. I got a couple more shots of them as the fog burned off.

4.
http://kevinr.smugmug.com/photos/i-v8c982s/0/XL/i-v8c982s-XL.jpg

5.
http://kevinr.smugmug.com/photos/i-kwNkSNs/0/XL/i-kwNkSNs-XL.jpg


Not the most exotic bird, but I think this one came out well. Female Red-Winged Blackbird, I believe.

6.
http://kevinr.smugmug.com/photos/i-V7MkMt7/0/XL/i-V7MkMt7-XL.jpg




May 11, 2014 at 10:01 PM
morris
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


The last 4 are my picks. They are beauties Kevin

Morris



May 11, 2014 at 10:05 PM
eyelaser
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


Great shots...not so sure about the upside down portion....but great flight shots never the less.
Eric



May 11, 2014 at 10:31 PM
a4guy
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


Good stuff Kevin

Ron



May 11, 2014 at 10:32 PM
philshoots
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


Oh man. Fantastic post- Spot on technique, as a longtime wildlife film cameraman shooting with both eyes is just the ticket for small speedsters. I tend to pop my tracking eye open and closed switching to my camera/focus eye. All manual focus AF can't keep up. This can be very fatiguing as you know, but it works for tracking zoomers. They will definitely develop your operating skills.

Yes they are Violet greens - great images of a very charming swallow. Respect for capturing them in flight. That said we are in agreement the reflections are oddly jarring, for me anyway, not sure if it's the angle but they somehow seem out of place. The first one not so much but the second looks, with all respect to you, wrong due to the ill matched reflection. My favourite is the final IF and that is one jolly good swallow shot to be proud of - I wish it was mine.

Great work on challenging birds to shoot IF. Please continue working them, shot envy can be mutually satisfying! Thank you

Phil

PS - Swallows are a personal favourite, you can see some here.
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1290528/0#12308300



May 12, 2014 at 12:58 AM
kmunroe
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


it's a nice set Kevin


May 12, 2014 at 03:49 AM
CaddisCO
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


Thanks for the comments Morris, Eric, Ron, Phil, and Kenny.

philshoots wrote:
That said we are in agreement the reflections are oddly jarring, for me anyway, not sure if it's the angle but they somehow seem out of place. The first one not so much but the second looks, with all respect to you, wrong due to the ill matched reflection.


Yup, they are a bit strange, particularly the second one. I posted them because they are different, and I wanted to get people's reaction to whether they are different in a positive way or a negative way. Seems like the latter. They make me look at them twice to figure out what the heck I am seeing.



May 12, 2014 at 07:35 AM
KCollett
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


Nice set of images Kevin. Good job in tracking the swallows.


May 12, 2014 at 07:46 AM
Herb Houghton
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


Cool species, that violet winged swallow. TFS, I like them all.


May 12, 2014 at 02:57 PM
surfnron
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


The first two area bit odd, but kind of neat Kevin. 3 is super - congrats on getting the little speedster in the frame, and sharp. The last three are all very nice ~ Ron


May 12, 2014 at 03:28 PM
David Leask
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


Fine shots Kevin, well done.
David



May 12, 2014 at 03:33 PM
CaddisCO
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Just thought I would change things up a little with those first couple of shots!


May 12, 2014 at 04:50 PM
teked
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Another Walden Ponds variety pack


Kevin, these are terrific. Excellent work.

Ed



May 13, 2014 at 09:07 PM





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