Thank you, Roberta.
Indeed, I am blessed with 2-3 nature preservations in our area which generate nice enough backgrounds. There is also some variety of birds here and there. The difficulty usually comes in when one tries to get a close enough and half decent bird shots against one of those backgrounds. The two seldom coincide
Here's two more fairly distant flights (thank god for 800L ) and two closer ones.
Fine, well-exposed looks at this GE, Peter. Highlights looking about as controlled as they can be for this white bird. I'm going with #3 for the GE's sunlight stripiing.
Peter, really love the last four images you posted with 3 & 4 being my favorites.
In 3 the transition of the black to the green and then the backlit wings, gorgeous!
In 4 the reflections, not only the reflection of the egret in the water, but the reflection of the water on the egret, stunning.
Nice job on these, Peter. I like the feel and the composition of the first image. I wonder how it would look with the inclusion of the whole reflection.
The second image look a bit over-processed on my monitor plus I can see some "ghost feet" (two pairs) on the lower part of the real feet, probably the result of some cloning.
Lovely light in the third one with the water reflection on the birds body adding to the image.
4, 5 and 6 are excellent IF captures, with #5 being probably the most difficult one.
#6 shows a nice, translucent, wing feathers display. It also shows a red/magenta cast on my monitor. Easy fix
Last one is sweet! I like the inclusion of the reflection and the soft light. The compo is nice, but I can see the bird a bit higher on the frame. But that is just a personal choice
A job well done, Peter, with a very good control of the whites
Cumpa'
trailhiker wrote:
Fine, well-exposed looks at this GE, Peter. Highlights looking about as controlled as they can be for this white bird. I'm going with #3 for the GE's sunlight stripiing.
Best Wishes,
Steve
Thank you, Steve......the ripple reflection just happened.
birdied wrote:
Peter, really love the last four images you posted with 3 & 4 being my favorites.
In 3 the transition of the black to the green and then the backlit wings, gorgeous! In 4 the reflections, not only the reflection of the egret in the water, but the reflection of the water on the egret, stunning.Birdie
You do see very well Roberta ......the water ripple reflections seem to happen in early mornings, particularly when the full blast of the Sun is not on the bird.
Excellent birdscape pic in # 1 Peter with a great comp too.
#2 looks look very, very sharp in # 2 particularly the back of, and lines on, the wings and the feet also and I'm sure I read that you do very little pp?
Lovely mood in # 3 and a wonderful full wingspread in the second last one.
Martin
Shasoc wrote:
Nice job on these, Peter. I like the feel and the composition of the first image. I wonder how it would look with the inclusion of the whole reflection.
The second image look a bit over-processed on my monitor plus I can see some "ghost feet" (two pairs) on the lower part of the real feet, probably the result of some cloning.
Lovely light in the third one with the water reflection on the birds body adding to the image.
4, 5 and 6 are excellent IF captures, with #5 being probably the most difficult one.
#6 shows a nice, translucent, wing feathers display. It also shows a red/magenta cast on my monitor. Easy fix
Last one is sweet! I like the inclusion of the reflection and the soft light. The compo is nice, but I can see the bird a bit higher on the frame. But that is just a personal choice
A job well done, Peter, with a very good control of the whites
Cumpa' ...Show more →
Cumpa, your eyesight is better than mine. Indeed, there is a cloning ghost there. As far as the colour cast is concerned, you may well be right, however, I just can not distinguish fine grades of colour and tone as well as I used to.
Thanx for your assistance, Cumpa.
Martin Good wrote:
Excellent birdscape pic in # 1 Peter with a great comp too.
#2 looks look very, very sharp in # 2 particularly the back of, and lines on, the wings and the feet also and I'm sure I read that you do very little pp?
Lovely mood in # 3 and a wonderful full wingspread in the second last one.
Martin
Thank you, Martin, indeed, I try not to do any pp if I can help it, but sometimes I do it against my better judgement. What you may see on #2 is the result of over-cropping. I can not even remember what else I did on it because it's an older shot.
Thank you, Lethal, shooting JPG helps.
You are the man I wanted to touch base with re 800mm.
Shots #1, 5 and 6 were done with 800L, those were some real long range shots that I wouldn't even try getting with a shorter lens. Now, the beauty of it was that they were done handheld: the lens weight is still tolerable although not joyful on an old body , and 4 stop IS works like a charm. Granted, the target was large, stationary or slow moving. Under those conditions, 800L sings even in my hands. .
(#2 was done with 400 f/5.6, the others with 500 f/4).
on the lower part of the real feet, probably the result of some cloning. 
