Post your best bird shots!

[Raid]

Hi Andy

I have seen this effect a number of times and I don't like it, just wanted find out what causes it. I used to think it was branches and leaves moving, but if you look at the edge of the fence palings (light to dark transition) you can see it there as well.

If I had 1% of the ability of Joel, Bob W or Denise I could earn some money out of photography, alas I will just have to do this for fun.

Tony

[Joel Eade]

Hi Andy

If I had 1% of the ability of Joel, Bob W or Denise I could earn some money out of photography, alas I will just have to do this for fun.

Tony

Thanks Tony, I appreciate your kind words and would love to know your ideas about how to make money with bird photographs!

[Joel Eade]

It wasn't really created, that's just what you get using that lens with extender at f/8 on a subject 10 metres away with a background about 11-12 metres away, then cropping to nearly 100%. I'm not sure I really like the effect, especially when compared to some of Joel's smooth backgrounds, but I don't have photoshop, nor the time to learn it.

I really need the birds to come closer to isolate them from the background, or wait for the 500mm L II to arrive so I can take these shots at f/4 instead.

I think you're correct Andy ... just too much depth of field and not enough bokeh combined with some noise as well...and all of that compounded by a large crop.

I think your correction is right too...try to get the birds farther from the BG and use a wider aperture. I don't know what software you have but it isn't too hard to smooth some of it in post processing.

[Joel Eade]

American Goldfinch
1D MKIV
500mm
f/5
ISO 1600
1/1000
No flash

BG is a 3 acre patch of trees starting about 40 feet behind the bird. They are all sort of grey because no leaves this time of year.

[Raid]

would love to know your ideas about how to make money with bird photographs!

On my trip to Antarctica, I would review the photos I had just taken in the common room, as it had large screen HDMI TVs. I had a number of people ask me for copies of my pictures and they were even prepared to pay for them. I provided them to anybody who wanted them for free; why!

The reason is simple, the photographer who accompanies some of these trips is Richard Sidey. For me to charge for my pictures would be called "Obtaining Money Under False Pretense".

Your work is definitely on a par with Richard's, you just need to make a name for yourself.

Tony

[Kayaker72]

Andy...good to see you posting...I also thought the background was a PP "effect." Interesting that it is not.

Great shot Joel....and the high kudos above are well earned. Your shots are on par with any I've seen.

Thanks Joel and Steve. I am glad you liked the ABEs.

[Joel Eade]

On my trip to Antarctica, I would review the photos I had just taken in the common room, as it had large screen HDMI TVs. I had a number of people ask me for copies of my pictures and they were even prepared to pay for them. I provided them to anybody who wanted them for free; why!

The reason is simple, the photographer who accompanies some of these trips is Richard Sidey. For me to charge for my pictures would be called "Obtaining Money Under False Pretense".

Your work is definitely on a par with Richard's, you just need to make a name for yourself.

Tony

Thanks again Tony, that is a very nice compliment, I am trying.

[Joel Eade]

Hairy Woodpecker
1D MKIV
500mm
Tripod
ISO 1600
1/640
f/4.5

[Kombi]

The pictures in this thread are really inspiring, clear and nice compositions.
I'll post a couple more pictures from last weekend, but will be a while before I get some stunning pictures like I see here.
Thanks for the inspiration.


EOS REBEL T2i
ISO 100
Exposure 1/125 sec
Aperture 5.6
Focal Length 269mm
Lens 70-300mm f/5.7-45
hand held

EOS REBEL T2i
ISO 100
Exposure 1/250 sec
Aperture 5.6
Focal Length 260mm
Lens 70-300mm f/5.7-45
hand held

[Joel Eade]

Downy Woodpecker

Taken at nearly sundown with flash used as main light resulting in nearly black BG