Show your Bird Portraits

[stevelee]

Stevelee, I actually used my old 100mm macro non L version. Luckily they don't scare to easily around here so your able to get very close. You can even feed them, if they are in a good mood. The hardest part was to get the Sandhill crane to look at me straight on. I wasted many shots trying.

I have that lens, and I really like it. I just don't have sandhill cranes around, tame or otherwise.

That makes the picture all the more remarkable that you really were close to the bird, also that you got the eyes so sharp with the limited depth of field. Did you focus manually? Autofocus would have zeroed in on the front of the beak without further direction, wouldn't it?

 

[Ryananthony]

Stevelee, I actually used my old 100mm macro non L version. Luckily they don't scare to easily around here so your able to get very close. You can even feed them, if they are in a good mood. The hardest part was to get the Sandhill crane to look at me straight on. I wasted many shots trying.

I have that lens, and I really like it. I just don't have sandhill cranes around, tame or otherwise.

That makes the picture all the more remarkable that you really were close to the bird, also that you got the eyes so sharp with the limited depth of field. Did you focus manually? Autofocus would have zeroed in on the front of the beak without further direction, wouldn't it?

I believe I was using single point autofocus using the center point and recomposing. There was a lot of movement between both the crane and I, so I don't think I could have used manual focus with much luck. Others might have been able too, but I'm not the most experienced with manual focus. And like I said, I wasted many shots trying. ;D I honestly didn't even know I caught it blinking until the images were on the computer. I was just very lucky, one of the most straight on shots were with its eyes closed.

Edit:
This is what I was originally going for.
_YAN4796 2 by Ryan Kelly, on Flickr

 

[lion rock]

Click and Jack,
Thank you.

Another one from here. They are as common as pigeons in the US. When flying, they squeak, too, like a dove.
-r

 

[knkedlaya]

Eagle

 

[jprusa]

Bluetit

Nice shot Alan!

 

[Click]

Alan, Lion rock and knkedlaya

Very nice shots, guys.

 

[Jack Douglas]

knkedlaya, looks like it's raining cats and dogs. Must have been challenging getting that shot. What is it and where. Nice.

Jack

 

[IslanderMV]

Snowy in the dunes.

 

[Click]

Snowy in the dunes.

I love this bird. Nice shot, Jeff.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Snowy in the dunes.

I love this bird. Nice shot, Jeff.

+1 I envy you Jeff!

Jack

 

[lion rock]

more.
-r

 

[Click]

more.
-r

Nice. well done, lr.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Riley, for you.

Jack

 

[Click]

Hi Jack,

Very nice picture!

 

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks click. I think she is probably less than a year old. Here's the other angle that is less appealing.

Jack

 

[Click]

...Another very nice shot.

Well done, Jack.

 

[Ryananthony]

Very nice portraits, Jack.

 

[lion rock]

Jack,
thanks.
nice one.
-r

Riley, for you.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks guys.

Jack

 

[AlanF]

Your favourites - beautiful ones Jack.