finimage

Hi this is an early attempt at photographing the Aurora. From the

North East of Scotland in February 2014. I'm still refining the

technique.

Pushed and pulled in Lightroom, perhaps a little too much?

Yeah, just noticed it...dust spot! Price of editing when tired!

Cropped shot of a Mute Swan swimming head on, Loch of Strathbeg,

Aberdeenshire.

Shot last weekend on complete chance! Went to see if there was anything happening at the Beach/Bay in Aberdeen...nothing, Sea was flat calm, strong wind blowing offshore. As I drove along the Esplanade I saw a flock of birds on the verge...found a place to pull over, jumped in the back seat and used the car as a hide, even passing joggers weren't distracting these guys from feeding they moved off (Some joker slamming a car door few meters away) before I got a chance at a shot with a Jogger in it...one to try for in the future.

Pulling back a bit we get the Sea too...more contextual, less about the birds?

The images on this thread (including the main one above) were all hand held shots taken in a gale. With a 500mm lens things were tricky to say the least many, many rejects...here are a few shots that help to set the scene. I'm wishing I'd sorted out my brand new Stealth gear bean bag...it's ready now so just need the weather to settle a bit!

This group of Redshanks & Turnstones were sheltering in the lee of a rocky outcrop on the Ayrshire shore. With little cover I was amazed they hadn't moved further up the coast where there is a lot more shelter and less exposure to the stormy sea. More amazing was one of the Redshanks only had one shank (leg) it coped with every gust and burst of spray despite not having the most sheltered spot.

This was one of the first images I shot, lighting was still tricky but I love how you can see the effort in kicking off to catch the wave. The waves were faster moving and bigger than the guys were used too. Still put on a good show...will be keeping an eye on the weather and tide!

Another of many images of the Terra Natura Tigers...spent ages watching these guys and could do it all again tomorrow!

Sleepy and keen to get my image ready to post first thing..I made the school boy error of not making the most of the image...getting the 'threat' from it!

Cropped to bring the eye into the action, as I had intended the photo to do...the original has too much surrounding the subject..the feel is lost...have I gauged this right?

New and improved version???

Trying to travel light left me at a disadvantage when it came to taking night shots along the Southbank on the River Thames in London. There were a few compositions/view points that just weren’t feasible.. nothing to rest against or prop the camera up on or against so I’m now on the hunt for a cheep light weight tripod that’ll go in the suitcase, I had a plastic one I bought from Jessops years ago, it served well so will look for a contemporary version.

All in all I was impressed as the images came out better that I had anticipated, digital giving the advantage of knowing whether it’s acceptable or just too blurred. This one I have stopped back 1 stop in View NX as I felt the sky was too bright and that the Blue light on the London Eye could use more depth. Perhaps worth further refinement but for now I’m happy with this…though I’d like to go back with a tripod and have another crack at it!

Hope you enjoy.

Regards

Finlay

With much patience and stealth a few 'Birders & Photographers' moved down a fence line behind some low cover. Early Morning light warming the scene. The Crane kept wandering back and forth up and down the hill the field sat on...then between bails. The game was up when a car alarm went off.

Sitting watching a small flock of Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin with them, when they rose and did a figure of eight across the sandy shallows of the lagoon, then turned and headed off on a bigger circuit. I caught this image as they turned to come back, just as they flew towards the point I'd be shooting directly towards the sun, just caught them before they became silhouettes, one of my favourite images from the weekend.

Local group doing a demonstration of Taiko Drumming at the Gordon Barracks during the Thomas Blake Glover celebrations recently.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Blake_Glover

Mike, that is brilliant! Yes I know what I was referring to was ability to cope with more challenging lighting...perhaps I'm getting it wrong? With the D40x I've found and this could be my lack of DSLR experience and I'm very rusty from my old Film days. (I fear I may have just pulled a bad workman excuse for not pushing my image enough in PP)

Regards

Finlay 

Set out with friends to spend 2 day photographing Aircraft at the RAF

Leuchars Air show. Most likely the last one as the RAF are leaving the

base in a year or so and it was the Centennial Celebration of Aviation in

North Fife...in the UK for that. Much to our dismay it was a very wet start

to both Friday & Saturday. So dodging heavy showers and battling

against very changeable lighting I'm pleased I got a few good

images...though nothing on what my friends got last year when the

lighting was a lot more favourable. Really pushed the limits of the D40x,

time to get serious about a D5100(?) or similar.

Watching some Herons, heard a stromash on the water front hidden beyond

a small stand of trees, then up pops this lovely Marsh Harrier who hovers for

a moment then drops into the tree tops for a breather. Wonderful moment.

For a change when out taking Natural History photos the subject was getting too close...had to back off from full extension on the zoom, a pleasant change! Usually cursing not being able to get close enough!

How embarrassing! Just realised there was something wrong with this image! Went to the original processed Raw file...the price of doing things in a rush...had knocked the Fine adjust function and 'cooled' the whole image down...egad! Anyway fixed it please see:

The Corrected image

../photodb/photo?photo_id=14078072

Shooting at ISO400 has sadly left the image a little noisy. Timing and luck

both crucial in photographing these guys.

Heartbreak Bar, Benidorm Beach front. Rafael Raposo 'shredding' some

extremely fine guitar playing with the band Off Limits.

Reworked the image after some tweaks to the screen settings to the Netbook...a faff but think it's been worthwhile.

Thanks. Was shot through glass. I'm also working from my netbook at the moment. I'll have another try at this.