I have used the Ameristep blinds in my setup for several years. They are inexpensive, very light and easy to use.
I bet a blind and a couple of decoys will have the birds coming in close!
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I have used the Ameristep blinds in my setup for several years. They are inexpensive, very light and easy to use.
I bet a blind and a couple of decoys will have the birds coming in close!
House Finch
1DX
1000mm
ISO 3200
f/8
1/500
No flash
http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....14921683-4.jpg
wow . i wish i had that much reach. i doubt it would look that good on a crop sensor though lol.
i take it that wasnt hand-held lol
Awesome tip Joel, I saw that one of the blinds looks a bit like Swamp Thing LOL! The Kwik Camo looks like a light weight and pretty good setup.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joel Eade
Dave
yes .... I was using a tripod but I have used the 500 + 2X TC hand held......very difficult due to the slow AF and only the center point being availableQuote:
Originally Posted by sedwards
This is an image I posted before. It was taken at 1000mm hand held but I find it very hard to hold steady for more than a few seconds and with the slow autofocus it is a low percentage shot. It can be done and in good light the images will be fine even on a crop sensor (actually it could be better due to more pixels on the subject) It is a heavy rig and with the magnification I can only hold it on target for brief intervals.
http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....57930823-4.jpg
Pileated Woodpecker, this afternoon in the backyard
1DX
500mm + 2X TC
tripod
iso 3200
f/8
1/1000
No flash
http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....62034680-5.jpg
Another image from yesterday
1DX
1000mm
ISO 3200
f/8
1/1000
http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....91117849-5.jpg
Joel - The eyes are beautiful.
the first nice day out in 3 weeks and these are the only guys to show up at the feeder
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7277/...f09fa468_b.jpg
Thank you!Quote:
Originally Posted by conropl
It was amazing here yesterday. I saw my first Robin of the year in the morning, and by the end of the day they were all over the place. Also by the end of the day, the trees where filled (literally) with song birds, and the Sandhill Cranes were flying into the corn fields. The sounds were amazing.
With all that going on and the sun out, it hit 40 Deg F and it really felt like spring had finally arrived. It was a tough winter like I hadn't seen in a while, but it just makes you enjoy spring all the more.
Sorry I did not take pictures... I just want to watch and enjoy.
Pat
that is an amazing time...started here about 10 days ago and today it was close to 70 degrees and the birds are getting very vocal in advance of breeding very soon. It will be peak time for the backyard in about 4 weeksQuote:
Originally Posted by conropl
We have robins...and cardinals...and are still waiting for the snow to melt.
hear are a few birds that were in my back yard when i got home tonight.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7278/...74dde446_b.jpg
Spring is definitely in the air. Here is a BIF of the local parking lot cruiser.
http://www.alderimages.com/img/s5/v130/p676837752-4.jpg
http://www.alderimages.com/img/s5/v116/p842900830-4.jpg
Yum!!!! 6 frozen turkey dinners:)Quote:
Originally Posted by sedwards
Eastern Bluebird (female)
1DX
Manual mode, evaluative metering
1000mm
ISO 3200
f/8
1/1000
580 EXII + Better Beamer @ 1/64 power
http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....23671655-4.jpg
I am experimenting a little with higher F-stops than usual and with the 2X converter....I like the extra DOF and I don't appreciate any loss of detail due to diffraction.
The technique only works if the bird sits very still for a few seconds, otherwise the slow shutter speed won't be adequate.
This is an American Goldfinch morphing from winter to summer plumage
1DX
1000mm
ISO 3200
f/13
1/200
No flash
http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....94346418-4.jpg
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joel Eade
As usual, all your shots are excellent, but I really like this one.
I agree. The gaze of the bird, and the detail is great. But I really love the background colors - the background colors match the bird so well (even the gradient).Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayaker72
Pat
Thanks guys!Quote:
Originally Posted by conropl
I do not see Warblers often in my set up but this one has been hanging around for a couple weeks now (a yellow dumped warbler) He seems to like picking up small bits of suet that fall to the ground when the woodpeckers are feeding. The dead leaves in the woods and grass in the lawn make the BG gradient on this one. ( the perch is only about 18" tall )
1DX
700mm
ISO 3200
f/5.6
1/1000
http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....75919681-4.jpg
some geese i saw while out for a drive
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/...cc9b9c7c_b.jpg
take off
Muddy marsh in all its beauty on an overcast day
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2924/...cb7ac7ca_b.jpg
the little cousin coming in for landing
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3746/...87facfd7_b.jpg
an older one from my T3i days
Urban wildlife
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3739/...58de4d3d_b.jpg
my new favorite bird (for now):
Cliff Swallow
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7188/...759bd157_b.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/...23519b4f_b.jpg
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2853/...ac050ff5_b.jpg
and this one came directly from the set of The Hobbit or LOTR
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3786/...9e1598f9_b.jpg
Joel,Quote:
Originally Posted by Joel Eade
The background with the gradient came out really nice - the green adds a little punch of happiness to it.
The bird looks great too!
Arnt
Thanks Arnt! I enjoyed yours as well, especially the 1st Egret image, the 2nd swallow and the Raven. Well done. I bet it's not easy to focus on a swallow in flight!Quote:
Originally Posted by ahab1372
Hairy Woodpecker, from the backyard this evening
1DX
700mm
tripod
manual mode, spot metering with +1 stop of exposure compensation
ISO 3200
f/5.6
1/800
http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....51763457-4.jpg
Thanks Joel,Quote:
Originally Posted by Joel Eade
keeping the swallows in the viewfinder is already difficult enough :). I was lucky that they stayed somewhat high above the ground and were flying slowly (slow for a swallow that is) against the wind for extended periods. Once they go into a dive and hunt lower to the ground - no chance. The 5DIII did a fairly good job with the focus if the settings are right and as long as I kept the AF points on the bird. I did tweak case 6 a bit for that.
The images are heavily cropped to about 2MP. A longer lens ( I used the 70-300L) would help with the pixels on target, but I guess it would be even harder to keep the birds in the viewfinder.
Joel,Quote:
Originally Posted by Joel Eade
I know you pay a lot of attention to the background - but to you actually plan the gradients, maybe by adjusting perch and camera height?
Looks great, even better than a unicolor background.
Yes....that is what I have been trying lately by using the dead leaves in the woods and the green grass of the lawn, adjusting the perch height and camera angleQuote:
Originally Posted by ahab1372
I am gong through my memory cards and cleaning things up for spring.....this was a shot taken a few weeks ago....I wish I had not clipped the wings (I was too close for 500mm) but I like the reflection in the ice so I thought I would keep it. What would you do, keep or delete?
1DX
500mm
ISO 640
f/7.1
1/4000
http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....58909805-4.jpg
Keep :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Joel Eade
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Keep - it's just too funny. I would even crop in on the bird. The bird slipping is kind of funny, and makes the picture more than the reflection does, in my opinion
Keep
Pat
Sent via taptalk
Also keep....