...or I'm just really crap
Usually my photos look like I've got Parkinsons, I have a hard time getting sharp results. Birds don't make it any easier, why did God have to go and give them wings ? Why ? Why!??
I went to my usual bird spot, or one of my usual spots really. I have two spots roughly on the same route. It's a protected area so there are only a few paths you are allowed on, so getting close is hard.
As I aproached the road leading to the entrance of the area I saw something lurking in the trees, I had to shoot this guy across a busy road. It's the closest I've actually gotten to any bird of prey...sad aint it ?
The cars going 50mph only 10 feet away didn't bother it, but me at the other side of the road, well, that's just scary! So it flew off. (it may look like a different shoot due to the blue sky, but it's actually the same bird only some 3mins later as I caught up)
This area is covered in geese, there are probably some 1000 on the 1 mile stretch. As many as there are, they are not much of a subject due to all the plants and grasses, all you see are necks, they hardly ever fly. Every so often you catch a few of the lazy buggers in the air, probably new arrivals.
So why do I go there ?
Well, I'm really there for our local rarity, white herons (yea, I forgot the english name ). They stay as far away from humans as possible, so to get a close up is really hard, only airborne you get a chance to get "close".
When you actually enter the protected area there is one blind and there is an observation hut, and from neither of these you see any birds...great placement
It's no wildlife I know, but it's function is Wildlife related, so I'll post it anyway, this here is the hut :
After some 3 hours the sun was almost gone with no nice sunset to shoot. I was cold to the bone and couldn't raise my Bigma anymore, I almost dropped my camera trying to get the cap on, and pushing buttons...I just didn't have strength. Darn was I cold, and now my arms hurt like hell, all because of cold hands and wrists...next time I'll bring gloves.
P.S. C&C welcome.
Edited by mercapto on Dec 29, 2007 at 11:50 PM GMT
Mercapto
Well for all the 'whining' ha, I think you got some good shots! Slow the car down, have the window dropped and roll or creep to a stop for the perched bird shots. They don't mind the car but certainly are gone if you open a door.
I don't think the flight shot is the same bird, and that is nice flight shot.The bird on the island may be a comorant? Not sure?
Nice (white) Egret shot, great exposure!
I really like your B&W shot of the blind! Nice composition!
I feel you pain Merc. But hey, you're out there shooting even though you're not satisfied with your work. With that kind of effort in poor conditions you are going to reap some rewards soon. Any of the good shooters here have struggled and gone through the same thing. Heck, I feel like throwing all my gear in the lake after seeing some of the excellent posts here.
Thanks for the nice comments
I'll keep at it, just get used to the whining
It's a comorant yea, the only birds I can always find.
I have some 30 shots of the egret, this is the only "good" one.
But uhm, I'm not using a car...I don't own a car
I do everything from the comfort of my own...bike.
I peddle 30 minutes, bother the birds for some 2-3 hours and peddle back 30mins. And that's the closeby areas
). They stay as far away from humans as possible, so to get a close up is really hard, only airborne you get a chance to get "close".