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White Pelicans in IL

Discussion in 'Birds' started by eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007.

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  1. eng45ine

    eng45ine

    17,633
    May 11, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    I wasn't aware that White Pelicans migrated through Illinois, but here are a few from today taken with a D2H and 300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR on a monopod. If you care to offer some suggestions to help me improve, please feel free.

    1/3200th second @ f/5.6 ISO 400
    76753644.gif
    Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


    1/2500th second @ f/5.6 ISO 400
    View attachment 88906
     
    eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007
    #1
  2. Glacier

    Glacier

    1,883
    Jan 17, 2006
    Boaz, Alabama
    Frank,

    For birds in flight you did the first thing correctly and that is to keep your shutter speed fast as possible. Both images look very sharp and the placement in the frame is excellent. With the second one being a semi backlit situation it is going to be tough to keep the those bright white leading edges from burning but I don't personally think it's an image killer. Honestly they both look pretty darn good!
     
    Glacier, Apr 6, 2007
    #2
  3. eng45ine

    eng45ine

    17,633
    May 11, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Thanks Andy, I appreciate the honest opinion. I am not hanging my head over these images since I shot these with my gear on a monopod without any type of swival head. As these birds climbed in altitude, I just arched back to aim higher. Pretty crude, but that's the best that I could do. The skies were changing constantly from sunny to cloudy and back.
     
    eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007
    #3
  4. Glacier

    Glacier

    1,883
    Jan 17, 2006
    Boaz, Alabama
    Heck no I wouldn't be hanging my head either!

    Have you ever tried just handholding your rig for flight shots? I use to own a very heavy 500/4 lens and handheld it all the time for flight shots and was always very pleased with the results. ( I'm about to purchase another one hopefully) I think you would be pleasantly surprised. Yes, it flies in the face of conventional wisdom but it can be done with excellent results and it's a whole lot less aggravation when you just don't want to lug a tripod around.
     
    Glacier, Apr 6, 2007
    #4
  5. eng45ine

    eng45ine

    17,633
    May 11, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    I will give that a try tomorrow if the weather holds up, these Pelicans have piqued my interest.
     
    eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007
    #5
  6. Commodorefirst

    Commodorefirst Admin/Moderator Administrator

    20,366
    May 1, 2005
    Missouri
    Frank,

    I have gotten to the point where I handhold a lot of my flight shots. I find the movement of following the bird is more natural handheld vs on a tripod. On a tripod with gimbol mount your body moves a different direction than the bird is flying, where holding by hand you swivel with the bird.

    One thing I also do on blue bird days is shoot with centerweighted metering and perhaps -.3 ev that keeps the blinkies or blown whites down on my white birds, even during midday sun

    Lots of flying white birds here on my family site shot that way:

    http://homepage.mac.com/wadedowdy/Photos/PhotoAlbum61.html

    note the gull flip sequence was shot matrix metering, and you can see the blown whites, but this was nearly 4 years ago, and i have learned a whole lot since then,

    and some on my select site too, but not as many flying birds, but lots of white ones!

    http://homepage.mac.com/wadedowdy/photoart/PhotoAlbum40.html


    I generally shoot white birds either with spot metering metering on the white and +.7Ev to keep them white instead of grey, or I shoot in center weighted and leave alone or minus -.3

    sometimes I do shoot matrix and -.7 to -1.0 EV.
    Cheers, and these are good shots! work out that 300!

    Wade
     
    Commodorefirst, Apr 6, 2007
    #6
  7. eng45ine

    eng45ine

    17,633
    May 11, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Thanks for the tips Wade. I am certainly open for suggestions to improve. I'll be out there tomorrow if the WX holds up.
     
    eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007
    #7
  8. sonuj2

    sonuj2

    2,222
    May 11, 2006
    Naperville, IL
    Great shots Frank! Looks like you are enjoying the new 300 VR!!! Where did you go to shoot these pelicans??
     
    sonuj2, Apr 6, 2007
    #8
  9. eng45ine

    eng45ine

    17,633
    May 11, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Thanks SJ, yes the lens is a thrill to shoot with. I found these Pelican on Lake Nelson in Batavia (1 1/2 miles west of Randall Road and 1/4 mile south of Main Street on Lake Nelson Road). It's about a 25 minute drive from your home. It is north of I-355 and west of Orchard Road.
     
    eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007
    #9
  10. rbsmith

    rbsmith

    1,621
    Apr 13, 2005
    Saltillo, Ms
    Great shots, Frank. I was surprised to see some white pelicans on reelfoot lake last year. I never knew that they came up that way. Go get some more shots of them.

    I sure do wish I had a lens like that.
     
    rbsmith, Apr 6, 2007
    #10
  11. Jeff Lee

    Jeff Lee

    9,081
    May 16, 2006
    Oregon
    I have been to places in Oregon twice in the last year where Browns visit, missed them both times. Nice images and good timing:) 
     
    Jeff Lee, Apr 6, 2007
    #11
  12. eng45ine

    eng45ine

    17,633
    May 11, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Thanks Rex...it's one thing to own the lens, it's another to learn how to set up the camera so the images are decent. I hope to do better on my next visit, either tomorrow or Sunday...my EN EL4 batteries are charging right now!
     
    eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007
    #12
  13. gadgetguy11

    gadgetguy11

    3,272
    Nov 16, 2005
    Kentucky
    My suggestion: Print 'em and hang 'em! They are fantastic! Enjoy!
     
    gadgetguy11, Apr 6, 2007
    #13
  14. greyflash

    greyflash Subscribing Member

    33,089
    Jan 29, 2005
    St. George, Utah
    Frank, that last shot is stellar. The little rudder on the top of their bill is really something and the colors on this shot are excellent. Way to go.
     
    greyflash, Apr 6, 2007
    #14
  15. eng45ine

    eng45ine

    17,633
    May 11, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Thanks Jeff...I was gassed when I saw these guys on the water, I would have never expected them in IL.
     
    eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007
    #15
  16. hangin tree

    hangin tree

    8,564
    Sep 17, 2006
    Northern Alabama
    Way to go Frank, Great In-Flight shots. I fully understand that Clouds and windy one minute and Bright Harsh sun the next. You did a great job with conditions.
     
    hangin tree, Apr 6, 2007
    #16
  17. eng45ine

    eng45ine

    17,633
    May 11, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Thanks Gary, today was a great starting point for me and I hope to improve with each opportunity in the future.
     
    eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007
    #17
  18. dmwphoto

    dmwphoto

    22,474
    Mar 18, 2005
    Richmond, Va
    sure look good to me and I enjoyed some of the advice given here too. I will have to try some of those tips too.
     
    dmwphoto, Apr 6, 2007
    #18
  19. eng45ine

    eng45ine

    17,633
    May 11, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    Thanks Gordon...hoping for a better shot tomorrow, but today wasn't too bad.
     
    eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007
    #19
  20. eng45ine

    eng45ine

    17,633
    May 11, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    I agree Dave, so great advice to make tomorrow's shots even better.
     
    eng45ine, Apr 6, 2007
    #20
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