Birds 2013

[aster]

Hi Mark, Pat and Robbie,

These are most amazing! Right moment and the right place with the right photographers....

You each are like the wildlife watchers with dedication and hard work. For some it's cold out there, so more of the credit. : )

Keep shooting and sharing guys and gal.

Yildiz

[Birma]

Wonderful pictures pictures Mark, Pat and Robbie. The buzzard is lovely Mark - hope you are well recovered from the long walk and ready for more. That Fieldfare is great Pat - often the way that some of the best finds are after visiting the main destination . Love the colours in your pictures Robbie - all superb!

[Dr. Harout]

I'm jealous

[mvanrheenen]

Again masterfully done Robbie! I hope I can get my shooting to your level one day!

Mark

[mvanrheenen]

Some from yesterday and today.

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)



Greylag geese (Anser anser)





Mark

[mvanrheenen]

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)



King of the geese! (Greylag geese)



All shot handheld with the a580, 70-300G or 70-400G.

[Dr. Harout]

Great shots, Mark. (Admit that you are jealous too from Robbie's shots...)

[mvanrheenen]

Great shots, Mark. (Admit that you are jealous too from Robbie's shots...)

Thanks Doc and yes, I am jealous of the skills Robbie has! I am not afraid to admit it.

[Greg Beetham]

Robbie's shots are of course great eye candy but I'm not over the moon with the plastic look, I tend to like your shots for the more natural look Mark.
Greg

[mvanrheenen]

I can understand that Greg, but from a technical point Robbies images are superb. By that I not only mean photography techniques, but also the way he's able to find his subjects, get this close and having an eye for getting just that moment. In my opinion, Pat has this too but she has a different style, which I like very much too. That is what I'm jealous of.

I'm planning to develop some of those techniques for my own once I get a hide and a half decent tripod. The tools he is using helps, but as you know, that's only the first 10%.

[caporip]

Not up to the extremely high standard elsewhere in this thread but liked the "odd one out" in this shot:-



A900 and 70-400G

[Greg Beetham]

I can understand that Greg, but from a technical point Robbies images are superb. By that I not only mean photography techniques, but also the way he's able to find his subjects, get this close and having an eye for getting just that moment. In my opinion, Pat has this too but she has a different style, which I like very much too. That is what I'm jealous of.

I'm planning to develop some of those techniques for my own once I get a hide and a half decent tripod. The tools he is using helps, but as you know, that's only the first 10%.

Mark I’m impressed with photographic skill, capture and application in Robbie’s (and Pat’s) photos too, don’t worry about that.
This is my take/opinion (whatever) on the main difference between your bird photos (and mine) and Robbie's (and Pat’s for that matter), they both get closer (or in the zone) and have time to shoot non-alerted (or on a lower state of alertness/alarm) birds.
The background usually takes care of itself with the right magnification and distances ratio using high quality lenses that can handle larger apertures without sacrificing image quality, you can also do some clever stuff with the background if you are of a mind and have the shopping ability.
It’s more like staged shooting than what we do, out in the open taking shots of opportunity is much more difficult to get results anywhere near what can be achieved from a strategically placed hide.
That’s why I admired that hide-less photographer last year who posted all those African birds and photographed them in natural context, it was awesome bird photography in my book.
To even place a hide well takes very careful observation of the particular target, if there is a nest, if it has a favorite perch or observation point, the area it likes to frequent most of the time, what it eats, where is the food source, lots of stuff.
Even with a hide at the right distance (and height) from the subject there is still going to be an element of luck involved with the usual things, foreground grass stem, twig, background detail with unwanted item/s, the direction of the light and the strength of it.
You have a good lens that already has produced photos of equivalent quality to Robbie’s or Pat’s, the main difference is the distance penalty and ‘take what you get’ backgrounds, I think the hide will be a good enhancement generally speaking, probably a lot less shooting photos and a lot more fussing but will offer the potential eventually you’re looking for I think.
Greg

Ps caporip that gull looks like its friends played a practical joke on it with a cartoon flash bomb.

[david antony]

Great shots Mark, I especially like the Heron.

Remarkable shots Pat & Robbie.

Thanks to all for sharing.

[RobbieA]

Some lovely images Mark... sorry I'm not up to your standards with my "plastic" pics Greg.. The entire idea for me as a photographer is to get smooth backgrounds and not like a birder would want with recognizable backgrounds. Please also do not kid yourself, it takes a great deal or work and patience to get the shots...

[mvanrheenen]

Some lovely images Mark... sorry I'm not up to your standards with my "plastic" pics Greg.. The entire idea for me as a photographer is to get smooth backgrounds and not like a birder would want with recognizable backgrounds. Please also do not kid yourself, it takes a great deal or work and patience to get the shots...

Thank you Robbie and I know how much work and patience those kind of photographs cost. That's why I admire them so much.

Do you use a hide and prepared environment for these shots or not?

I just walk hours on end through an area with my camera mounted on my monopod on my shoulder looking for any kind of movement and listening for any kind of sound. I find this fun and relaxing, especially if I'm alone in the woods. It sharpens ones senses and helps you get in a peaceful state of mind and thought. Also, it's pretty hard sneaking up to a bird this way, which is a nice challenge but frustrating at the same time. Also, getting yourself knee deep in a bog is fun, except when you get home and the missus sees you getting in the house that way