Show your Bird Portraits

[Krob78]

Willets, Western variety, at Cherry Creek State Park:

(See more full size images at my site)

I see your still having issues getting nice images with that 7D Jon! Seriously, very nice! Thanks for posting!

 

[Krob78]

I believe these are Golden-Eyes, but unsure. Used my wife's shoulder as my monopod. Taken with 5d2 w/600mm.

Yes, female Common Goldeneye. Nice little brood she's got there...six strong?

Actually, she may be considered a Bi-pod, no? Seems to work pretty well for you! Nice image!

 

[Krob78]

Red-Winged Blackbird, taken with my 7d/600mm f6.3 - 1/800 iso 160

I didn't crop the image at all just re-sized.

Nice image Magical, good exposure and nice and sharp!

 

[jrista]

Willets, Western variety, at Cherry Creek State Park:

(See more full size images at my site)

I see your still having issues getting nice images with that 7D Jon! Seriously, very nice! Thanks for posting!

Ah, this was a better day. My lens is still soft...dropped it again after getting it back, so its softish (i.e. I can't resolve feather barbs anymore, regardless of the distance to the bird...where as before the drop I could.) Scaled down, and carefully processed with LR, Nik, and Topaz, I can extract every ounce of quality possible from them though. I just can't get razor sharp shots, which bugs me every time I go out.

Plus...I got these after spending about 30 minutes acting like a bush. Continuing from the debate with RLPhoto...I was wearing camo, had LensCoat RealTree HD on my tripod, Jobu Pro 2 gimbal, and a LensCoat RealTree raincoat on my lens. The birds moved down shore, both directions, when I scooted up. Took a while before they were satisfied that I was just some kind of odd-looking dead bush, and were willing to get close. About another hour after that, they were comfortable enough to allow me to inch closer and closer. Most of these shots are near MFD...so, about five to eight feet out, maybe ten at the most.

Still...If I had a BETTER TOOL, I wouldn't have had to wait at all...I could have set up shop at a distance the birds were more comfortable with, and started getting good shots right off the bat! Wow, imagine that! :

 

[jrista]

Red-Winged Blackbird, taken with my 7d/600mm f6.3 - 1/800 iso 160

I didn't crop the image at all just re-sized.

Nice and sharp, Magical! Love the detail there. Not often you see a blackbird of any kind photographed with care (guess they are too "common and boring" for most people.)

 

[Krob78]

Willets, Western variety, at Cherry Creek State Park:

(See more full size images at my site)

I see your still having issues getting nice images with that 7D Jon! Seriously, very nice! Thanks for posting!

Ah, this was a better day. My lens is still soft...dropped it again after getting it back, so its softish (i.e. I can't resolve feather barbs anymore, regardless of the distance to the bird...where as before the drop I could.) Scaled down, and carefully processed with LR, Nik, and Topaz, I can extract every ounce of quality possible from them though. I just can't get razor sharp shots, which bugs me every time I go out.

Plus...I got these after spending about 30 minutes acting like a bush. Continuing from the debate with RLPhoto...I was wearing camo, had LensCoat RealTree HD on my tripod, Jobu Pro 2 gimbal, and a LensCoat RealTree raincoat on my lens. The birds moved down shore, both directions, when I scooted up. Took a while before they were satisfied that I was just some kind of odd-looking dead bush, and were willing to get close. About another hour after that, they were comfortable enough to allow me to inch closer and closer. Most of these shots are near MFD...so, about five to eight feet out, maybe ten at the most.

Still...If I had a BETTER TOOL, I wouldn't have had to wait at all...I could have set up shop at a distance the birds were more comfortable with, and started getting good shots right off the bat! Wow, imagine that! :

Well, it would have been more convenient wouldn't it! LOL! Just jesting of course with regard to the images, throwing back to someone's ridiculous remark that 7D is a crappy camera, still irks me! Every time I see good or great 7D images I have to smile! ;D

 

[jrista]

Ah, this was a better day. My lens is still soft...dropped it again after getting it back, so its softish (i.e. I can't resolve feather barbs anymore, regardless of the distance to the bird...where as before the drop I could.) Scaled down, and carefully processed with LR, Nik, and Topaz, I can extract every ounce of quality possible from them though. I just can't get razor sharp shots, which bugs me every time I go out.

Plus...I got these after spending about 30 minutes acting like a bush. Continuing from the debate with RLPhoto...I was wearing camo, had LensCoat RealTree HD on my tripod, Jobu Pro 2 gimbal, and a LensCoat RealTree raincoat on my lens. The birds moved down shore, both directions, when I scooted up. Took a while before they were satisfied that I was just some kind of odd-looking dead bush, and were willing to get close. About another hour after that, they were comfortable enough to allow me to inch closer and closer. Most of these shots are near MFD...so, about five to eight feet out, maybe ten at the most.

Still...If I had a BETTER TOOL, I wouldn't have had to wait at all...I could have set up shop at a distance the birds were more comfortable with, and started getting good shots right off the bat! Wow, imagine that! :

Well, it would have been more convenient wouldn't it! LOL! Just jesting of course with regard to the images, throwing back to someone's ridiculous remark that 7D is a crappy camera, still irks me! Every time I see good or great 7D images I have to smile! ;D

Aye, the 7D is a great tool. Takes skill to use it right, but it can get some great shots. Certainly not as convenient as the 5D III or 1D X with a 600mm or 800mm lens and a teleconverter (or even a 7D with either of those lenses). It also requires you to be a little less respectful of birds and wildlife, as you have to get closer to get similar quality. The key with the 7D is to use as many pixels as possible. Fill the frame, and noise drops, detail improves. Definitely NOT a crappy camera.

 

[Krob78]

Ah, this was a better day. My lens is still soft...dropped it again after getting it back, so its softish (i.e. I can't resolve feather barbs anymore, regardless of the distance to the bird...where as before the drop I could.) Scaled down, and carefully processed with LR, Nik, and Topaz, I can extract every ounce of quality possible from them though. I just can't get razor sharp shots, which bugs me every time I go out.

Plus...I got these after spending about 30 minutes acting like a bush. Continuing from the debate with RLPhoto...I was wearing camo, had LensCoat RealTree HD on my tripod, Jobu Pro 2 gimbal, and a LensCoat RealTree raincoat on my lens. The birds moved down shore, both directions, when I scooted up. Took a while before they were satisfied that I was just some kind of odd-looking dead bush, and were willing to get close. About another hour after that, they were comfortable enough to allow me to inch closer and closer. Most of these shots are near MFD...so, about five to eight feet out, maybe ten at the most.

Still...If I had a BETTER TOOL, I wouldn't have had to wait at all...I could have set up shop at a distance the birds were more comfortable with, and started getting good shots right off the bat! Wow, imagine that! :

Well, it would have been more convenient wouldn't it! LOL! Just jesting of course with regard to the images, throwing back to someone's ridiculous remark that 7D is a crappy camera, still irks me! Every time I see good or great 7D images I have to smile! ;D

Aye, the 7D is a great tool. Takes skill to use it right, but it can get some great shots. Certainly not as convenient as the 5D III or 1D X with a 600mm or 800mm lens and a teleconverter (or even a 7D with either of those lenses). It also requires you to be a little less respectful of birds and wildlife, as you have to get closer to get similar quality. The key with the 7D is to use as many pixels as possible. Fill the frame, and noise drops, detail improves. Definitely NOT a crappy camera.

Agreed, I love mine but I never imagined I'd be grabbing the 5d3 so much more than the 7d for my wildlife shots. I really expected to use it primarily for portraiture as the 7d just isn't as good for that, with regard to location shoots, IMO...

I still love my 7d but if you were to ask it, it would probably tell you I don't!

 

[Don Haines]

Red-Winged Blackbird, taken with my 7d/600mm f6.3 - 1/800 iso 160

I didn't crop the image at all just re-sized.

WOW!

 

[serendipidy]

Willets, Western variety, at Cherry Creek State Park:

(See more full size images at my site)

Will it be Willets? Yes ;D
Really great shots and worth what you had to endure 8)

 

[jrista]

Willets, Western variety, at Cherry Creek State Park:

(See more full size images at my site)

Will it be Willets? Yes ;D
Really great shots and worth what you had to endure 8)

YES, Willets indeed! Thanks for viewing.

As it turns out, I found a slightly easier way out onto those shores. Its through thickets and brambles, and grasslands covered in about an inch of water...but, there is far less chance of permanently losing a shoe to sucking mud.

 

[serendipidy]

jrista.....by the power not vested in me, you are hearby awarded the photographers Purple Star for injuries sustained in the line of duty ;D

-edit-

I think this would make a cool thread..."What I had to go through to get the shot"

 

[Krob78]

jrista.....by the power not vested in me, you are hearby awarded the photographers Purple Star for injuries sustained in the line of duty ;D

-edit-

I think this would make a cool thread..."What I had to go through to get the shot"

I would like to wade and make my way through all that stuff to get the shot but I'm always worried about these...

I saw one grab a huge Great Blue Heron a few weeks back and in one fell swoop, it was gone!

 

[rpt]

jrista.....by the power not vested in me, you are hearby awarded the photographers Purple Star for injuries sustained in the line of duty ;D

-edit-

I think this would make a cool thread..."What I had to go through to get the shot"

I would like to wade and make my way through all that stuff to get the shot but I'm always worried about these...

I saw one grab a huge Great Blue Heron a few weeks back and in one fell swoop, it was gone!

Wow! Thankfully none of those kind of creatures were at the lake that I went to

I guess the 100-400 helps

 

[bjd]

Just the thrush from our garden who chose to build her nest in the shed, at head level, directly across from the shed door.
She's sat on 4 eggs at least. Unfortunately there's not too much light there, so this was taken at
ISO 25600.
Cheers Brian

 

[bjd]

jrista.....by the power not vested in me, you are hearby awarded the photographers Purple Star for injuries sustained in the line of duty ;D

-edit-

I think this would make a cool thread..."What I had to go through to get the shot"

I would like to wade and make my way through all that stuff to get the shot but I'm always worried about these...

I saw one grab a huge Great Blue Heron a few weeks back and in one fell swoop, it was gone!

Make sure you take a macro Ken, then you can get some real close up shots...........Apparently you just need to stare them down. I've heard.

 

[bjd]

Willets, Western variety, at Cherry Creek State Park:

(See more full size images at my site)

Great shots, I think the first two really do it for me. I think its the colours that I like, and thats spoilt a bit by the sand at the bottom of the third one. But please don't take that as criticism.
Cheers Brian

 

[bjd]

Click on image for full size

More on :
http://www.wildlife-photos.net
http://www.birdpix.nl/album_search.php?search_type=pic_username&search=Edward+van+Altena

Fabulously sharp and great colours, I assume you had plenty of light. Would you mind sharing the EXIF data and which equipment you used please?
Cheers Brian

If you click on the image it will open the images on my website.
All exif information is underneath the image.

Greetings ,

Edward.

Edward, duuh I guess I could have though of that. Fabulous shots on your web site.
Thanks
Brian

 

[jrista]

jrista.....by the power not vested in me, you are hearby awarded the photographers Purple Star for injuries sustained in the line of duty ;D

-edit-

I think this would make a cool thread..."What I had to go through to get the shot"

Hah! Ty!

 

[jrista]

Willets, Western variety, at Cherry Creek State Park:

Great shots, I think the first two really do it for me. I think its the colours that I like, and thats spoilt a bit by the sand at the bottom of the third one. But please don't take that as criticism.
Cheers Brian

Oh, I certainly don't take it badly. I totally agree. These little guys love mud flats, so it was rare to get a shot where it was just them and the water. I prefer the cleaner water-only shots, too. Sand in the foreground isn't quite as bad...it tends to blend in better than dark mud does...but sandy shores are rarely where they hunt.