I've been more or less off the site for a week with a combination of computer problems, (thanx Dave in LA), and long work hours. These shots are from a week ago when I took the yak to a local lake. I shot a lot with the 400 f5.6L and a 36mm extension tube.

As always, constructive criticism appreciated.

Images are best viewed at full size at the link provided.

The gbh were everywhere, and I saw as many as 11 at one time. Here are a few shots.

1 ]link


2 link


3 link



And then I got the tube out...

4 link This one really looks better big.


5 link


6 link


7 link I forgot to put this one in earlier - full frame.


8 link


9
link


10 link Anybody know what this plant is? Central VA, and grows in or near shallow water - appears to be a small shrub.


Thanx for looking ~ Ron

Very beautiful, all of them. I awe at #5

Very nice variety Ron

Garen

I know this board is bird crazy Ron, but I'm with Dick on this one. My vote is for #5 although they are all really splendid.

= Ed =

You had the beauty light on for those lovely GBH's Ron and they look good with a tube jk of course on the tube Man you grabbed my utmost attention with #5, that is a splendid shot, incredible light and awesome detailing, love it! The water lillies are very nice, and I have found they are not easy ones to get good shots of. Last one is very cool, sweet details!

Karl

Hi Ron, great job on all these beautiful lighting and details

alan

Hi Ron,
Sorry to hear about your computer downtime.
The whole series look sharp! I like #1 for its vivid details, and the clear reflection. The composition seems to be very symmetrical, not that there's necessarily anything wrong with it. I'm just wondering if there is an alternative. #7 has got good exposure on the bird. Question: how did the background get blacked out? Did you use a flash?
Welcome back.
Andy

Love the set. Great variety from birds to flowers. 5,7 and 10 are my favorites Ron.
Harsha

Great job with the tubes Ron! You tried some things that I never think to and that has given me some inspiration I never think to use tubes at the long end of focus, you have some interesting results. I'm really liking the detail on the bird in 2, wow does that add a lot to the image. The fantastic light just piles on the beauty. I too was WOWed when I go to 5. Very cool indeed. I know the temptation to shoot water lilies, I struggle with getting them right so I can't offer anything there. I do like the B&W conversion, if that was mine I would print it.

Tim

Beautiful set Ron,

they'll look better to me once I get my monitor calibrated again - right now it's driving me nuts.

Lil

Very nice series Ron.
I really like the depth, clarity and 3-D quality of the first GBH. Nice BG and reflections too.
Detail, texture and lighting on the B&W Lilly makes it a gorgeous image. Like Tim said, print that baby! I wonder if you can pull some more tonal range out of it in PP?
Reflections and color in 5 are very pleasing.

JayT

I'm bird crazy so #2 is it for me!

Great job on them all Ron.

Chad

Great series, and no5 real winner for me.

Howard.

Beautiful images. 10 is a buttonbush flower,Cephalanthus occidentalis.A water loving shrub.

Dick on Aruba wrote:
Very beautiful, all of them. I awe at #5

Thanx Dick. I knew that shot had potential when I looked through the viewfinder.
Ron

GAREN wrote:
Very nice variety Ron

Garen

Thanx Garen ~ Ron

Edward Rotberg wrote:
I know this board is bird crazy Ron, but I'm with Dick on this one. My vote is for #5 although they are all really splendid.

= Ed =

Thanx Ed ~ Ron

Great set there Ron Once I have finished playing with the tubes on my 70-200 might try them on the 400

Carl

Karl Witt wrote:
You had the beauty light on for those lovely GBH's Ron and they look good with a tube jk of course on the tube Man you grabbed my utmost attention with #5, that is a splendid shot, incredible light and awesome detailing, love it! The water lillies are very nice, and I have found they are not easy ones to get good shots of. Last one is very cool, sweet details!

Karl

Thanx Karl. The gbh were very spooky. I had trouble getting close and finally decided to not bother them at all. I must have taken at least 50 shots of that variety of plant, and the one posted is my favorite. I don't even try to shoot the white water lilies in bright overhead light. Early or late works, and sometimes bright shade is ok, but I can't keep the ss high enough with the 400 in the shade while in the yak. The button bush with hover fly was fun...
Ron

b.a.smith wrote:
Hi Ron, great job on all these beautiful lighting and details

alan

Thanx Alan ~ Ron

thunderbird wrote:
Hi Ron,
Sorry to hear about your computer downtime.
The whole series look sharp! I like #1 for its vivid details, and the clear reflection. The composition seems to be very symmetrical, not that there's necessarily anything wrong with it. I'm just wondering if there is an alternative. #7 has got good exposure on the bird. Question: how did the background get blacked out? Did you use a flash?
Welcome back.
Andy

Thanx Andy. I struggle with "reflection" shots - how should it be cropped? If you would like, I could send you the uncropped file and maybe you could do better - I'd like to see your input. On #7, it was easy. I just moved the sun to where the heron was in direct sunlight and the bg was in full shade. Spot metering helped too.
Ron

harshaj1 wrote:
Love the set. Great variety from birds to flowers. 5,7 and 10 are my favorites Ron.
Harsha

Thanx Harsha ~ Ron

Tim Kuhn wrote:
Great job with the tubes Ron! You tried some things that I never think to and that has given me some inspiration I never think to use tubes at the long end of focus, you have some interesting results. I'm really liking the detail on the bird in 2, wow does that add a lot to the image. The fantastic light just piles on the beauty. I too was WOWed when I go to 5. Very cool indeed. I know the temptation to shoot water lilies, I struggle with getting them right so I can't offer anything there. I do like the B&W conversion, if that was mine I would print it.

Tim

Thanx Tim, but I hate to spoil it for you. I didn't use the extension tube until after I shot the gbh. I've wanted to shoot that water plant for several years, but it's small enough that I couldn't do it with the 400. I was lucky enough to find it early while the drops were still there. The conversion - if I printed every shot I wanted to, there would be no empty wall space, and the photsos would be several feet thick. .
Ron

Excellent Work Ron !!!
My fav the # 7 full frame....
P.L