Show your Bird Portraits

[AlanF]

Me too! And they have the excellent habit of perching on high twigs with clean backgrounds

That debate about depth of field and backgrounds in bird photography really got to me - one of the first things you learn is to look for clean backgrounds. Half the fun of bird photography is getting pics of common birds in interesting poses with the right background, another half is rare birds in any background, and the third half rare birds under ideal conditions. It's nice having 150% fun.

 

[ISv]

A female Superb Fairy-wren about to disappear back into the undergrowth.

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Very good shot Shire guy - you got the right moment!

 

[ISv]

That debate about depth of field and backgrounds in bird photography really got to me - one of the first things you learn is to look for clean backgrounds. Half the fun of bird photography is getting pics of common birds in interesting poses with the right background, another half is rare birds in any background, and the third half rare birds under ideal conditions. It's nice having 150% fun.

It's why we use to take photos, no?
If one is professional photog it may get up to 200% fun (counting the paycheck!) but I don't know how many of them are missing some %%% from the firs 3/4 (and how much of that %!)... Anyway, after your post I feel kind of 100% happy (especially when I can get that good photo when the conditions are good). What I'm missing is the rare birds in ideal conditions but it's not that bad: I have a goal !

 

[shire_guy]

I really like this shot!

Thank you Click.

 

[shire_guy]

A male European stonechat. He was very bold and stayed in place a while, which was handy because this was an instance where the long MFD of this lens was a problem - I thankfully had time to walk back to get him in focus.

R6, RF 800 f/11 + RF Extender 1.4x; 1120mm, 1/500sec, f/16, ISO 2000.

Nice capture.

 

[shire_guy]

Very good shot Shire guy - you got the right moment!

Thank you ISv.

 

[Maximilian]

These are the first coot chicks of the season at our local ponds.
5D4, 100-400L II+ TC, @560 mm.

 

[scyrene]

Speaking of backgrounds, here's what can be achieved at f22! A skylark with a mouthful of food for its babies. Again I had to walk away from it to allow the lens to focus, and indeed to get the whole bird in frame! No doubt diffraction has robbed a little critical sharpness but at this distance and magnification it's not a problem imo.

R6, RF 800 + 2x; 1600mm, 1/1000sec, f/22, ISO 4000.

 

[AlanF]

Speaking of backgrounds, here's what can be achieved at f22! A skylark with a mouthful of food for its babies. Again I had to walk away from it to allow the lens to focus, and indeed to get the whole bird in frame! No doubt diffraction has robbed a little critical sharpness but at this distance and magnification it's not a problem imo.

R6, RF 800 + 2x; 1600mm, 1/1000sec, f/22, ISO 4000.
View attachment 209253

Nice shot. The 800 does have its limitations as a walk around lens because of its long mfd and narrow framing, but it works fine at at long distances is very useful. I went out with it yesterday to where it could be the best lens for me, but I stuffed the RF 100-400 in my jacket pocket just in case...

 

[scyrene]

Nice shot. The 800 does have its limitations as a walk around lens because of its long mfd and narrow framing, but it works fine at at long distances is very useful. I went out with it yesterday to where it could be the best lens for me, but I stuffed the RF 100-400 in my jacket pocket just in case...

Thanks! Yeah I had both lenses with me yesterday, and for the first time both extenders. A matter of judging whether subjects were likely to be near or far at each point (to keep lens swapping to a minimum), based on habitat, and a lot of luck. Heat haze is the big problem with the 800 at longer distances, but even then it's fantastic for record shots.

 

[cooldood]

These are the first coot chicks of the season at our local ponds.
5D4, 100-400L II+ TC, @560 mm.

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Another nice pic but them things are as ugly as a bucket of butt holes.

 

[Click]

Another nice pic but them things are as ugly as a bucket of butt holes.

LOL I totally agree with cooldood's comment.

Very nice shots, Maximilian.

 

[Maximilian]

Another nice pic but them things are as ugly as a bucket of butt holes.

I would call them "strange looking", but maybe their parents think the same.
Because I could observe a behaviour where one of the adult birds kept going after one of the chicks, see below.
It was almost a hunt, and I still think about the reasons (foreign chick, too many beaks to feed...)
I left the pond with all four chicks alive and together.
The next day, I counted only three chicks. And on Monday there was just one left.
Of course there could be other reasons as well, predators...

 

[scyrene]

I would call them "strange looking", but maybe their parents think the same.
Because I could observe a behaviour where one of the adult birds kept going after one of the chicks, see below.
It was almost a hunt, and I still think about the reasons (foreign chick, too many beaks to feed...)
I left the pond with all four chicks alive and together.
The next day, I counted only three chicks. And on Monday there was just one left.
Of course there could be other reasons as well, predators...

View attachment 209254View attachment 209255

It's a well documented phenomenon. The parents bully the chicks, and some will die.

 

[cooldood]

Here turtles get most of them.

 

[cooldood]

I would call them "strange looking", but maybe their parents think the same.
Because I could observe a behaviour where one of the adult birds kept going after one of the chicks, see below.
It was almost a hunt, and I still think about the reasons (foreign chick, too many beaks to feed...)
I left the pond with all four chicks alive and together.
The next day, I counted only three chicks. And on Monday there was just one left.
Of course there could be other reasons as well, predators...

View attachment 209254View attachment 209255

 

[Click]

Another guy with a good sense of humour. I like that.

 

[Click]

Speaking of backgrounds, here's what can be achieved at f22! A skylark with a mouthful of food for its babies. Again I had to walk away from it to allow the lens to focus, and indeed to get the whole bird in frame! No doubt diffraction has robbed a little critical sharpness but at this distance and magnification it's not a problem imo.

R6, RF 800 + 2x; 1600mm, 1/1000sec, f/22, ISO 4000.

Nicely done, scyrene.

 

[cooldood]

Speaking of backgrounds, here's what can be achieved at f22! A skylark with a mouthful of food for its babies. Again I had to walk away from it to allow the lens to focus, and indeed to get the whole bird in frame! No doubt diffraction has robbed a little critical sharpness but at this distance and magnification it's not a problem imo.

R6, RF 800 + 2x; 1600mm, 1/1000sec, f/22, ISO 4000.
View attachment 209253

If you are looking to isolate the bird from the background, why not shoot wide open?

 

[Maximilian]

View attachment 209259

I feel with you and your Monday syndrome.
And I have no problem using my photo for displaying it.
Next time, I would feel more comfortable, if you'd ask before you use it.
Thank you for your understanding.