dolina, I'm almost tempted to change my residence. The tropics sure have beautiful birds and at least one great bird photographer!
Jack
Jack
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Show your Bird Portraits
- Thread starter 1982chris911
- Start date
Northbird
"Be a rainbow in somebody else's cloud" - Maya A.
Canon 7D MK I, 600 F4 MK II, 1.4TC MK II.
Sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) by Tony Varela Photography, on Flickr
Sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) by Tony Varela Photography, on Flickr
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Graylag Goose
Rarely found with migrating Canada Goose populations, these primarily Russian geese sometimes cross-breed. There are a few that follow a population of Canada Goose to City Park in Denver, and they can often be found around Duck Lake, a breeding ground for Double Crested Cormorants.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 600mm f/4 L II
Handheld
And, as a friend put it when I showed her this:
"It's a little bit of you in the birds eye view!" - Referring to my dark silhouetted figure reflected in the birds eye.
Rarely found with migrating Canada Goose populations, these primarily Russian geese sometimes cross-breed. There are a few that follow a population of Canada Goose to City Park in Denver, and they can often be found around Duck Lake, a breeding ground for Double Crested Cormorants.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 600mm f/4 L II
Handheld
And, as a friend put it when I showed her this:
"It's a little bit of you in the birds eye view!" - Referring to my dark silhouetted figure reflected in the birds eye.
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Since I now have a wider lens I thought I'd post a shot of my "observatory" that some of you have had an interest in. It's a real shanty being about 1/3 of a small barn attic (maybe 6'X8'). The actual observatory as seen above is 28" square with a two way mirror to the side of the camera opening. At the base of the mirror is a seed tray so I can observe a bird 2" away on occasion (woodpeckers have chipped away at the edge)! The 1D IV is just visible on a Jobu inverted gimbal.
A cheap TV and video camera (taped to the mirror) alert me to the arrival of a visitor while I'm in the chair reading and there is a heater to take some of the chill off on a cold winter day. I stand on a cut down stool when there is action. My plan is to add shooting openings with mirror on 3 sides and a simple small door on the other. I enter via a trap door from a ladder where this shot is taken from.
There is a boot with camouflage material that shrouds the lens but sometimes it can be a little cold on the hands if the wind is blowing. On the coldest days the electric heater will be positioned right at my toes. There is a 12" diameter hollow stump with 4" hole (nesting box) for a hopeful tenant off to the right, mounted on the roof. Rent is free.
Trouble is it's so cozy (styro insulation) that I can be caught napping at times!
Jack
A cheap TV and video camera (taped to the mirror) alert me to the arrival of a visitor while I'm in the chair reading and there is a heater to take some of the chill off on a cold winter day. I stand on a cut down stool when there is action. My plan is to add shooting openings with mirror on 3 sides and a simple small door on the other. I enter via a trap door from a ladder where this shot is taken from.
There is a boot with camouflage material that shrouds the lens but sometimes it can be a little cold on the hands if the wind is blowing. On the coldest days the electric heater will be positioned right at my toes. There is a 12" diameter hollow stump with 4" hole (nesting box) for a hopeful tenant off to the right, mounted on the roof. Rent is free.
Trouble is it's so cozy (styro insulation) that I can be caught napping at times!
Jack
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That's a pretty awesome setup, Jack! What luxury! 
I usually have to rough it out in the cold and wind and snow to get my shots this time of year. It's suddenly warmed up though, so maybe my birding in the near future will be less bone-cracking cold.
I usually have to rough it out in the cold and wind and snow to get my shots this time of year. It's suddenly warmed up though, so maybe my birding in the near future will be less bone-cracking cold.
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Hi Jack.
That looks like a fabulous setup, a cheap TV tuned to the favourite channel! ;D occasionally used to spot birds. ;D ;D
Looks like you need some sort of chair suspended from your hide so you don't have to stand on a stool!
Keep up the good work.
Cheers, Graham.
That looks like a fabulous setup, a cheap TV tuned to the favourite channel! ;D occasionally used to spot birds. ;D ;D
Looks like you need some sort of chair suspended from your hide so you don't have to stand on a stool!
Keep up the good work.
Cheers, Graham.
Jack Douglas said:Since I now have a wider lens I thought I'd post a shot of my "observatory" that some of you have had an interest in. It's a real shanty being about 1/3 of a small barn attic (maybe 6'X8'). The actual observatory as seen above is 28" square with a two way mirror to the side of the camera opening. At the base of the mirror is a seed tray so I can observe a bird 2" away on occasion (woodpeckers have chipped away at the edge)! The 1D IV is just visible on a Jobu inverted gimbal.
A cheap TV and video camera (taped to the mirror) alert me to the arrival of a visitor while I'm in the chair reading and there is a heater to take some of the chill off on a cold winter day. I stand on a cut down stool when there is action. My plan is to add shooting openings with mirror on 3 sides and a simple small door on the other. I enter via a trap door from a ladder where this shot is taken from.
There is a boot with camouflage material that shrouds the lens but sometimes it can be a little cold on the hands if the wind is blowing. On the coldest days the electric heater will be positioned right at my toes. There is a 12" diameter hollow stump with 4" hole (nesting box) for a hopeful tenant off to the right, mounted on the roof. Rent is free.
Trouble is it's so cozy (styro insulation) that I can be caught napping at times!
Jack
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Jon, you and I are in the same boat in winter but your spring will be sooner!
Graham, you have hit it on the head.
How I've mulled over what would work for sitting! Yes it's possible but everything I think of is clumsy and potentially seriously in the road for banging into. It's pretty cramped up there, especially when a second person happens to be included (can only fully stand in the center). One thing one can't fall backwards since the enclosure is at most 6" back and the edges of the roof are there, about 2" as a ledge for one's arms so it's a good stand, not to mention needing considerable latitude to operate the gimbal. Maybe someone has a spare robotic arm they'd like to donate.
Now there is another small barn that's bigger and it's more back in the bush and ......
Alas it's full of old Ford Falcon parts (actually so is this one).
Jack
Graham, you have hit it on the head.
How I've mulled over what would work for sitting! Yes it's possible but everything I think of is clumsy and potentially seriously in the road for banging into. It's pretty cramped up there, especially when a second person happens to be included (can only fully stand in the center). One thing one can't fall backwards since the enclosure is at most 6" back and the edges of the roof are there, about 2" as a ledge for one's arms so it's a good stand, not to mention needing considerable latitude to operate the gimbal. Maybe someone has a spare robotic arm they'd like to donate.
Now there is another small barn that's bigger and it's more back in the bush and ......
Alas it's full of old Ford Falcon parts (actually so is this one).
Jack
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Jack Douglas said:Since I now have a wider lens I thought I'd post a shot of my "observatory" that some of you have had an interest in. It's a real shanty being about 1/3 of a small barn attic (maybe 6'X8'). The actual observatory as seen above is 28" square with a two way mirror to the side of the camera opening. At the base of the mirror is a seed tray so I can observe a bird 2" away on occasion (woodpeckers have chipped away at the edge)! The 1D IV is just visible on a Jobu inverted gimbal.
A cheap TV and video camera (taped to the mirror) alert me to the arrival of a visitor while I'm in the chair reading and there is a heater to take some of the chill off on a cold winter day. I stand on a cut down stool when there is action. My plan is to add shooting openings with mirror on 3 sides and a simple small door on the other. I enter via a trap door from a ladder where this shot is taken from.
There is a boot with camouflage material that shrouds the lens but sometimes it can be a little cold on the hands if the wind is blowing. On the coldest days the electric heater will be positioned right at my toes. There is a 12" diameter hollow stump with 4" hole (nesting box) for a hopeful tenant off to the right, mounted on the roof. Rent is free.
Trouble is it's so cozy (styro insulation) that I can be caught napping at times!
Jack
Jack,
Don't forget to add a small refrigerator + beers for summer time.
I like it
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Mallard Portrait
Loved the reflections in this one. He was right at the limit of my close focus range, so detail was extremely high, yet the image has kind of a softer feel to it.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 600mm f/4 L II
Gitzo GT3532LS + Jobu Pro 2
Loved the reflections in this one. He was right at the limit of my close focus range, so detail was extremely high, yet the image has kind of a softer feel to it.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 600mm f/4 L II
Gitzo GT3532LS + Jobu Pro 2
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Those small birds....they are fast! I am new to this. I started this week with the small birds.
My location was a hiding hut. I came there at 06:00 am. Way too early, it was still dark. But I had time to install myself. It was about 1 degree Celcius. I was happy to have some warm coffee with me.
Anyway, I setup my 5D MKIII and the new 100-400 II. My first big test for this lens. I tought I needed the extender (1.4xIII) but most of the birds were pretty close. The f/5.6 was tough early in the morning. At around 08:00 I could go down to 800 ISO and using the tripod with slower shutterspeed. About 9:30 things became better for ISO and shutterspeed.
I loved this type of photography! Though there was a small bird - I think he suffered from ADHD - and flying constantly against the window and ticking. I am sure he knew I was there or got an assignment from he friends/family to wake me up so I would put some birdfood for them :
My location was a hiding hut. I came there at 06:00 am. Way too early, it was still dark. But I had time to install myself. It was about 1 degree Celcius. I was happy to have some warm coffee with me.
Anyway, I setup my 5D MKIII and the new 100-400 II. My first big test for this lens. I tought I needed the extender (1.4xIII) but most of the birds were pretty close. The f/5.6 was tough early in the morning. At around 08:00 I could go down to 800 ISO and using the tripod with slower shutterspeed. About 9:30 things became better for ISO and shutterspeed.
I loved this type of photography! Though there was a small bird - I think he suffered from ADHD - and flying constantly against the window and ticking. I am sure he knew I was there or got an assignment from he friends/family to wake me up so I would put some birdfood for them :
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