A Brace of Sage Grouse

[Josh_Houchin]

Taken in Montana last year, these two birds sit above my fireplace now.

 

[randyphotoforum]

shame they aren't still flying around Montana

that image and your actions disgust me, you take a pic of 2 beautiful DEAD birds instead of a pic of 2 beautiful live birds

I can sorta understand hunting for food but for wall trophys, no way

 

[Designer]

I can sorta understand hunting for food but for wall trophys, no way

The meat was eaten. The meat is not part of the mount.

 

[Josh_Houchin]

^^^ This. I will not get into an argument about hunting ethics. I will only say death is apart of life....

 

[deeky]

I've noticed in a lot of your pics - think of it as a portrait. You are missing major pieces of both faces. A little turn here, a tip of the beak there would make a big difference. Unfortunately those are details I too haven't noticed until it's too late and I'm back home.

 

[Josh_Houchin]

I've noticed in a lot of your pics - think of it as a portrait. You are missing major pieces of both faces. A little turn here, a tip of the beak there would make a big difference. Unfortunately those are details I too haven't noticed until it's too late and I'm back home.

Something more like this?

 

[Low_Sky]

I do think the second one is better than the first, but photos of dead animals usually just don't do it for me. I like seeing animals looking natural, which would mean either alive or well taxidermied (and only interested in person for taxidermy). The birds in the first photo are posed in an especially unnatural fashion, and it just turns me off.

Technically, the first one seems a little underexposed, or flat.

 

[Warhorse]

I loves me some butter braised Partridge!

 

[deeky]

Something more like this?

View attachment 66137

Yes, that's what I'm talking about. Very happy to have the face, but great breast feathers framing them.

 

[Tiller]

in the first picture, it looks like you have birds for arms! I could not figure out what I was seeing for a while.

 

[18.percent.gary]

Subject matter aside... they just look like mediocre snapshots to me.

 

[RichieT]

Nice brace you got there. My favorite bird around here is the ruffed grouse. I like to take pictures of my hunts for the memories of the trip and for the friendships. From a strictly photographic point of view, it is very difficult to get a good photograph out of a trophy shot. Just like most portraits without catch lights in the eyes looks, well, dead. There is something unnatural about the positioning of the animals that creates a disconnect in the pictures that is hard to overcome. For me, there are times I go into the woods to shoot with a gun, and other times to shoot with a camera. Wildlife, from a photographic point of view, looks best in its' natural surroundings.

 

[Josh_Houchin]

Subject matter aside... they just look like mediocre snapshots to me.

Which is why I am here to learn and to improve.

 

[Josh_Houchin]

Nice brace you got there. My favorite bird around here is the ruffed grouse. I like to take pictures of my hunts for the memories of the trip and for the friendships. From a strictly photographic point of view, it is very difficult to get a good photograph out of a trophy shot. Just like most portraits without catch lights in the eyes looks, well, dead. There is something unnatural about the positioning of the animals that creates a disconnect in the pictures that is hard to overcome. For me, there are times I go into the woods to shoot with a gun, and other times to shoot with a camera. Wildlife, from a photographic point of view, looks best in its' natural surroundings.

I enjoy documenting hunts with the camera from start to finish. I really enjoy trying to show the detail in the birds that you cannot see from a shot of them on the ground or flying. But I can kind of see where you are coming from. I am moving to Alaska this year and I am excited about getting a chance to hunt and photograph Ruffs.

 

[RichieT]

Nice brace you got there. My favorite bird around here is the ruffed grouse. I like to take pictures of my hunts for the memories of the trip and for the friendships. From a strictly photographic point of view, it is very difficult to get a good photograph out of a trophy shot. Just like most portraits without catch lights in the eyes looks, well, dead. There is something unnatural about the positioning of the animals that creates a disconnect in the pictures that is hard to overcome. For me, there are times I go into the woods to shoot with a gun, and other times to shoot with a camera. Wildlife, from a photographic point of view, looks best in its' natural surroundings.

I enjoy documenting hunts with the camera from start to finish. I really enjoy trying to show the detail in the birds that you cannot see from a shot of them on the ground or flying. But I can kind of see where you are coming from. I am moving to Alaska this year and I am excited about getting a chance to hunt and photograph Ruffs.

Nice!! Good luck in Alaska. Didn't know Ruffs ranged that far. Good luck trying to get a shot of them. They like the thickest tangles you can find and generally flush behind you. That pretty much guarantees at some point you smack an unforgiving piece of wood with your barrel (either shotgun or lens.) You should also try some macros of either different groupings of feathers or even individual feathers for a different perspective.