Bif images GBH & RTH

[daniel_tong1]

<p>Once it starts (see earlier thread) , the rest is easier now<br>

I took these a couple hours ago in Durham region. Lens used is my only A300mmF4. All manual exposure & focus. I usually shoot in burst and adjust the focus on the fly. (re the first 2) I normally take these type of shots faster than 1/1500s to deal with the camera shake issue. Shake reduction had to be off as well as I was panning</p>

<p><img src="http://www.pbase.com/danieltong/image/111353258/original.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://www.pbase.com/danieltong/image/111353261/original.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://www.pbase.com/danieltong/image/111353256/original.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://www.pbase.com/danieltong/image/111353253/original.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://www.pbase.com/danieltong/image/111353712/original.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://www.pbase.com/danieltong/image/111353707/original.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>For the heron shots, I positioned myself on their flight path and I did some relatively close up shots filling 1/4 of the frame</p>

<p>Daniel</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>Nice, Daniel. You've obviously found some good spots to get some interesting birds reasonably close.</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Congrats, Daniel, you've really taken it to a new level! Herons with with nest building material is pretty unique--I don't think I've seen that in photos before. </p>

[daniel_tong1]

<p>Dave, Andrew<br /> <br /> I need to get in close and I need to locate them. And it is now the best time as they are building up nests in their rookeries with exact location. But those locations are usually high up and difficult to assess. I somehow have found out where they are to pick up those branches and I waited on their flight path. That was it. Thanks for taking time to comment. <br /> <br /> From a photography point of view, images of their nests with distracting branches are pointless. It is better off just to see and hear them - and it is rewarding to spend time just to appreciate what they are doing up there.<br /> <br /> Daniel </p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>Guys, if BIF is birds in flight, what is gbh and rth? Help out an old film crumudgeon. Thanks.</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>My guess from someone who doesn't know squat about birds:</p>

<p>GBH = Great Blue Heron<br>

RTH = Red-Tailed Hawk</p>

[brad_n]

<p>Daniel,<br>

Very Nice pics of two of my favorite birds.<br>

I must say that I think your GBH technique is way too complicated. Here is how to do it: position yourself near a bunch of GBHs and wait for them to do something interesting (virtually anything they do is interesting) or sometimes they'll just sit there doing nothing and that can look really interesting too. Take a picture. Bird photography could not be easier or result in more interesting pictures, you don't need a $5000 lens for great pics and, at least in NJ, they stay all year!<br>

That's why the GBH is my favorite bird.<br>

If I wasn't so tired I post some of the 80 of so GBH and GBH BIFS I took this am.</p>

[daniel_tong1]

<p>Brad<br>

I recall you have a DA*300mm and I saw quite few great birdie shots from you as well. But again I could be wrong. I think the going rate of my manual focus A300mm F4 is no more than $400 top. Not $5K. I wish I had the luxury (in Toronto area) of getting myself near a bunch of GBH</p>

[brad_n]

<p>Daniel,<br>

JSoory, that was just a poor attempt at being funny. The $5k remark was not directed at you but rather myself and my constant feeling that I need something really big and expensive. The nice thing about GBHs is you don't need that fancy expensive gear since they are so large and slow and low to the ground. Concerning the lens: your are right AND you win hands down. It may be because I wear those varilux bifocals, don't know, but I have trouble focusing manually. I nearly always use autofocus for BIFS when they are far enough from the background. In the woods I use "manual assist" letting autofocus get me close and then manually tuning it in.</p>

<p>Yesterday was a stellar bird day for me - I am lucky to live in a great place for birding! From 6:30AM until 10:30 AM: 4 GBH (sometimes 4 simultaneously!), 4+ Osprey, 2 snowy egrets, 1 great egret, 2 adult black-crowned night herons plus 1 juvie, 2 RTH, 2 Bald Eagles, 1 Merlin, and several dozen cormorants. Now I didn't get photos of them all and all of the photos I took are not keepers, but it sure was exciting.</p>

[daniel_tong1]

<p>Brad,<br /> <br /> I wear glass as well for my retirement age eyesight too. Anyway I envy the locale you mentioned with lot of closer subjects.<br /> <br /> Today Apr 17 I went back first thing in the morning to the same flight path of the heron as they are finalizing nest building. They are about done. And I got this one likely with better light and pose I believe.<br>

<br /> It is a different pose from the first image above. <br /> <br /> <img src="http://www.pbase.com/danieltong/image/111417088/original.jpg" alt="" /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Daniel</p>