Crappy light this morning

coastalconn · May 22, 2013

It has been foggy and overcast here the past couple of mornings.. I'm starting to get the Tokina 300 F2.8 figured out a little. I think I shot most of these almost wide open. F3.5 I think. Comments welcome.

1 - Lift off. I just like this one for some reason...

Red Tail hawk lift off by krisinct, on Flickr

2- Fly by.. too bad about the clipped wing...

Red Tail hawk by krisinct, on Flickr

3 - This was with the 1.4x TC, but I had some strange flaring going on. Cropped aggressively

Great Horned Owl by krisinct, on Flickr

4 - Not as sharp as I like and a strange halo on his head, but I liked the compostion. Heavily cropped...

Snowy egret by krisinct, on Flickr

ZimPhoto · May 22, 2013

I like #1 too. I think it's an action the makes it. Kinda like..."Here I go!!!! Jumping into action."
#3 is good too, strange flaring aside, it's got the classic owl "whach you lookin' at Willis" feel to it. I like it.

another good set. Thanks for sharing.

sm4him · May 23, 2013

I really like #2 and 4, especially 4--nice composition like you said. Also, the fact that I have yet to even get an egret sighting, never mind a photo, may affect my opinion about it.

I haven't shot anything since last Saturday; seems like it's been a month! Just too busy with work and some other things. But THIS Saturday, I'm going out on a boat with this guy who says he knows an island where there are eagles with babies (which I'm hoping are fledging; most everything else here has), osprey, herons, black-crowned night herons (he says 100s of them, I doubt that, but just a couple would be great, as I haven't gotten them yet!), egrets and ducks.

He's gotten some really nice shots of some of them, and he's not really even a photographer, so I'm hoping it'll be a good outing--supposed to be a really beautiful day (finally--haven't had many of those!) too!

sashbar · May 23, 2013

I like No 1 as well, because of the tail color and dynamics. Pity the wing is clipped.
No 4 is nice as well. I would have cropped it even more.
No 2 would be great if not the wing again, and clipping it here is a bit worse because the composition is classic.
Good shots overall

jedirunner · May 23, 2013

I like the action in #1 (I'm really drawn to his feet and keep thinking of Napoleon Dynomite's "Do the chickens have large talons?") and the composition of #4.

Kevin

baturn · May 23, 2013

The first two are exactly the kind of thing I have been striving for but failing miserably. Out of focus, motion blur and missed opportunity to name a few of the poor results. So, I thank you and many of the other bird photographers on here for the inspiration to keep trying and practicing.
I very much enjoyed the first. Nicely done.

hopdaddy · May 23, 2013

Hi Coastalconn, On #1 I would clone out the "In focus" greenery top left ,to push the viewers eye stronger to the main subject ,I would not change the crop. #2 I would simply Build the wingtips back using the clone tool and parts of the remaining wing . #2 is a strong photograph ,the viewing angle is good as well as, the eye contact pulls the viewer in ,Good job ! #3 For me the perch is too dominate and the complete photo could go much tighter on the bird . some selective dodging (Face /bird's right eye) and burning (The perch ) . I would even do some selective blurring of the Bg, It's a bit busy. #4 I find this one to be the best( As is ) might could use a bit of noise reduction but not on the bird ,you handled the whites pretty good especially seeing as it was back-lit . all in all ,a good set for a flat looking day .

coastalconn · May 23, 2013

But if I burned the perch wouldn't the forest catch on fire?

Judobreaker · May 23, 2013

You know... I really don't like you when you say you had crappy light this morning and all of the result photo's you post are better than my best bird shot ever... -.-

Aloicious · May 23, 2013

your GHO's look so much skinnier than the ones I see out here. #3 is my fav, but mainly because I like owls hah....in a strictly photographic sense, IMO #4 is the best of the bunch.

coastalconn · May 23, 2013

Aloicious said:
your GHO's look so much skinnier than the ones I see out here.

This one seemed really small, maybe it is a first year? I know a pair lives in the spot I go to, but this one seemed less shy than the bigger ones. I spent the last 4 months trying to find a nest (never found one) so I'm not really sure if it could be a young one or just a skinny male?

Homeboy_Matt · May 24, 2013

Amazing!!! Great shots!!!!

Aloicious · May 24, 2013

coastalconn said:
Aloicious said:

your GHO's look so much skinnier than the ones I see out here.

Click to expand...

This one seemed really small, maybe it is a first year? I know a pair lives in the spot I go to, but this one seemed less shy than the bigger ones. I spent the last 4 months trying to find a nest (never found one) so I'm not really sure if it could be a young one or just a skinny male?

yeah that could definitely be. I was thinking it might be a long eared owl which are really similar and smaller/skinnier than the GHO's, but the facial markings aren't quite the same as the Long eared owls either.