Post your best bird shots!

i picked up a jobu gimbal head yesterday and it is WAY easier to use than the 3 axis hear i had before. i tried to setup my tripod to get a nicer background but it started raining so i had to stand under a shelter. the clouds were very dark so there wasnt much light but i managed a couple decent shots.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5612/...18c6073c_b.jpgIMG_3588 by sedwards679, on Flickr
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5616/...f672455c_b.jpgwoodpecker by sedwards679, on Flickr

Stuart - Your birds keep getting better and better. It is fun to watch the progression. Thanks for sharing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by conropl

Stuart - Your birds keep getting better and better. It is fun to watch the progression. Thanks for sharing.

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thank you very much ! but i have to thank all you guys on here for helping me improve . i learn a lot from this forum , almost every post has something i can use or learn from. you guys are great coaches !

i set up a little different today. i actually did this on the railing for my porch and sit just inside the door . i should have figured this out before it got cold cause now my feet are frozen :(.
this is the only guy that gave me a shot so far but i didnt sit with the door open very long. i like this background but i am actually a little to close. little birds are ok but a bluejay cam by and he wouldnt fit in the frame.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3936/...f0bbacc4_b.jpgsparrow by sedwards679, on Flickr

this is how the setup looks from inside
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5597/...d0009214_b.jpgIMG_4208 by sedwards679, on Flickr

Quote:

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Originally Posted by conropl

Stuart - Your birds keep getting better and better. It is fun to watch the progression. Thanks for sharing.

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Agreed....this last set are very nice. I like the BG better:)

dark eyed junco

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3951/...0c0ba906_b.jpgdark eyed junco by sedwards679, on Flickr

Two from Parker River NWR. Both with the 5DIII, 100-400L

@400, 1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 1000

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5604/...1fe5a698_b.jpgSmall-1538 by kayaker72, on Flickr

@400, 1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 640

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5603/...2060173b_b.jpgSmall-1569 by kayaker72, on Flickr

C&Cs welcome.

Thanks for viewing...Brant

i didnt get off work early enough to go to my favorite bird spot so i settled for these little guys on my back porch.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3941/...7a2cfbd3_b.jpghouse sparrow by sedwards679, on Flickr
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3950/...80cbeb1e_b.jpgIMG_5459 by sedwards679, on Flickr
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3943/...b39014fe_b.jpgfemale house sparrow by sedwards679, on Flickr

then this guy came along and chased everyone away lol

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7559/...068c5f95_b.jpgblue jay by sedwards679, on Flickr

This is a Forster's Tern (I think)

Taken from a boat, hand held....using the 500mm f/4L + 2X converter the keeper rate was extremely low (probably 1%) but this one is decent


http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....02699509-5.jpg

1DX
1000mm
ISO 400
1/1250
f/8

wow. it must be a bitch tryin to keep that guy in the veiwfinder handholding 1000mm !

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sedwards

wow. it must be a bitch tryin to keep that guy in the veiwfinder handholding 1000mm !

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it certainly is, especially since only the center sensor is available and autofocus is slow.....very few keepers out of a couple hundred attempts. We tried to get closer but they would fly away every time.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7485/...6488797e_b.jpgIMG_3751 by sedwards679, on Flickr

Shot with the 7D II

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7506/...862ea50f_z.jpgWorm by hdnitehawk01, on Flickr

This is my first and only "little bird" shot, i think it is a "Blue tit", but here in Italy we call it "Cinciallegra" which reminds a "really happy bird" :D!

Coff coff, i take this shot while i was... in the bathroom looking out the window!

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7466/...bed3c5ca_b.jpg
Autumn, Bird, Blue Tit by jamsus11, on Flickr

Pileated Woodpecker (female) from my back yard set up

1DX
500mm
iso 1600
f/5.6
1/800

http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....94135963-5.jpg

That one's really nice Joel. You timed this one just right to have the right pose.

Dave

Thanks Dave, I like the backgrounds in my yard the best in fall and spring....the color is so nice.

This one of an American Goldfinch with the out of focus golden leaves on the tress in the BG is another one I took recently that I like.

http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....20016372-5.jpg

1DX
700mm
ISO 1600
1/500
f/5.6

Joel, those are really great! Backgrounds as you say are perfect for their subjects.

i ran out of seed in my feeder so this is the only guy that came by today. he wasnt very cooperative as he was always facing away. i think it still came out pretty good for 3200 ISO
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8591/...670ef348_h.jpgIMG_9810 by sedwards679, on Flickr

Great shot Stuart!

Critique please, PP, color etc is what I am looking for.
As far as removing sticks and such I wouldn't do it in this situation. I want to keep the actual surroundings feel that it has.

ISO 640, F/5.6, 1/200 shot with the 7D II and the 500mm F/4 IS I.
Processed in LR. Very slight Noise imp used, I didn't take it to far because it covers up the rain.

Thanks

Hen in the Rain;

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7581/...a34c60df_z.jpgTurkey Hen (1 of 1) by hdnitehawk01, on Flickr

I like the "rain" in the background.

In my opinion the histogram of the picture is too much in shadows-highlights range, so i would enhance the contrast (stretching the histogram closer to his extremes) and add a bit of "warm" to the image (to contrast a bit the gray effect of the rainy day).

Andrea

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jamsus

I like the "rain" in the background.

In my opinion the histogram of the picture is too much in shadows-highlights range, so i would enhance the contrast (stretching the histogram closer to his extremes) and add a bit of "warm" to the image (to contrast a bit the gray effect of the rainy day).

Andrea

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Thanks Andrea;

In LR
This is adjusting white balance up +300 to warm it up
Contrast +20
I could have taken the contrast up to +25 then it got destructive.
What do you think?

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8624/...7b1877c7_z.jpgTurkey Hen (2 of 1) by hdnitehawk01, on Flickr

Yes, i like it, is not invasive and i think it's appropriate for the picture.

I think you could also "isolate" (magnetic lazo tool on photoshop) the Turkey from the rest of the picture and increase a bit the contrast, maybe a bit the saturation and the sharpness on it... but it's just an experiment!

sorry..image too small I will re-post

I like the repost...here is my suggestion...First a vertical crop then I used Viveza to increase saturation of the light blues and light browns, darken the green and dark brown. After that I added a slight vignette using Color Efex Pro. What do you think?

http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....08955573-3.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joel Eade

I like the repost...here is my suggestion...First a vertical crop then I used Viveza to increase saturation of the light blues and light browns, darken the green and dark brown. After that I added a slight vignette using Color Efex Pro. What do you think?

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Thanks Guys;

Joel;

Yes vertical portrait crop is best, tall turkey I had already thought that would be a natural crop.
I had several that were shot in portrait, one I posted in another thread. They were shot at 700mm, farther away and the heads were not as sharp.
I like the way the green came out on your change. After you changed it makes the previous pictures green area look blown out. Is Viveza something you use often to PP?
I looked it up and it looks like a whole sweet of tools.

I use it whenever I want to alter a select color in part of an image. The same thing can be achieved using layers and color range or select colors but Viveza is much easier and faster

Following on your advice Joel, I don't have Viveza but tried to see what I could do with LR color, I couldn't get the colors as deep though.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7524/...61b9fe4d_z.jpgTurkey Hen (4 of 1) by hdnitehawk01, on Flickr

Also another pose;

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7583/...8c7f79bd_z.jpgTurkey Hen (3 of 1) by hdnitehawk01, on Flickr

Very very nice....I like the pose of the second one with the bird looking toward the camera;) Looks like you have a winner there....the new 7D is doing great!

Pileated WP (female)

1DX
700mm
ISO1600
f/5.6
1/500

http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....74084721-5.jpg

Stunning Joel. Pileated WPs are so cool.

"Lift off"

http://www.alderimages.com/img/s3/v23/p74445028-5.jpg

Wow...love the high key effect on this hawk...gorgeous! I would try to increase the contrast and sharpness of the bird just slightly. Great shot.

White Breasted Nuthatch

1DX
500mm f/4L Version I + 2X TC Version III
ISO 3200
f/8
1/1000 sec

http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....29568020-5.jpg

Eastern Bluebird

1DX
700mm
ISO 3200
f/5.6
1/400

http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....79254345-5.jpg

Downy WP (F)

1DX
700mm
ISO 1600
f/5.6
1/200
580 EX II + Better Beamer @ 1/128th power


http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....64075426-5.jpg

Hairy WP (M)

1DX
700mm
ISO 1600
f/5.6
1/320
No flash


http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....65937118-5.jpg

I've been looking through memory cards and organizing/cleaning and archiving things for the end of 2014, I found this image which I had not processed from earlier this year.

1DX
700mm
f/5.6
ISO 1600
1/320

http://joeleadephotography.zenfolio....55471918-5.jpg

Nice work Joel. I like the ones where the background has a bit of gradient look like the Bluebird. It may be transition between grass to dirt or something?

Dave

Thanks Dave. It is leaves on the ground and bare grass