Osprey dives! First 4 from GMOS (4 pics)

[CyberDyneSystems]

Such a blast,. too much info and images to sort out!

For now,. I have a few choice favs and some odd ones ;)

I liked the motion blur on this panning shot with low shutter speed...
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ycid3u&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1


SPLASH!
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yciitk&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yciitq&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ycxq1f&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1

[Scottes]

Sweet shots CDS. I've got about 20 shots taken slightly after your Splash shot... I'll have to work on the timing next year, for sure.

Keep them coming!

[PacAce]

Nice shots, CDS. All of them are great! I like the motion blurring of the first photo, too. :)

[AdamG]

GREAT SHOTS, CDS! How close were you?? IIRC, you recently acquired a 500mm prime, right? Great technique too; the osprey's head is always tack sharp.

[cactusclay]

Wow, great shots CDS.

[boomer1959]

To COOL Cyber :D

[ssim]

Way nice. http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_smile.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_smile.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif

Gotta get to work on mine.

[Airedale1]

Wonderful captures! Number 3 is my favorite.

[sparker1]

All are really good shots. You guys had a wonderful outing.

[cfcRebel]

Wow! I agree, #1 is very cool! I would frame it and hang it on my wall. I like #4 too! u guys are amazing! http://www.initial-d.com/forums/images/smilies/worship.gif

[Raj]

WOW ! I dont know what else to say, they are all just awesome pictures ...

[CyberDyneSystems]

Thanks Guys,
Adam, some were shot with 1D MkII on the 500mm and the others were the 20D with 100-400mm... in both cases that works out to approx 650mm framing with the crop factors.

Scottes.. wait.. there's more.. if you don't have a shot of this.. you will NOT believe what the Osprey's talons are doing a split second BEFORE impact! It's something I never saw with the naked eye,. and never got a glimpse of on film last year.. but I have these two totally blurred shots where the Osprey is no more than about 6 inches from impact............

I'll work on getting them posted.....

[montreal]

Wow!

I love them all and I think the first one is very special.

Question: how do you manage to focus when the subject is moving so fast? Please tell me most of your pictures from the same series (all the ones you didn't post) are out of focus :o

[Ballen Photo]

Great series CDS. Your technique is improving. ;)
I like the fourth shot showing its wingspan, and having the Fish "On the HOOK". :D
-Bruce

[Skip Souza]

Whooo boy, CDS, that first one is fantastic. So powerful.

[herderdog]

Boy!! those are neat :cool:
I think the first one is superb.
He is really intense.

[LazyPhotographer]

All are great, but the first one is awesome!

[tommykjensen]

Fantastic.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Wow!

Question: how do you manage to focus when the subject is moving so fast? Please tell me most of your pictures from the same series (all the ones you didn't post) are out of focus :o

Thanks :)
Sure some get messed up.. but I'm able to keep most in focus..
I try to keep an eye in focus at all times.. the third image above for example is the fifth in this series;
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=588452#post588452

And here's the ones I could not keep focused.. this is the moment before impact.. about 6 inches or less from the water.. the Osprey are at there fastest,.. and the photographer in trying to keep the impact in the frame stops panning.. the frame taken thus is blurred by the birds fast motion and the camera pan slamming on the brakes..... (in hindsite.. to get this exact shot in focus a "follow though" would most likely be required.. sacrificing the "impact" and "exit" shots that would follow)

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yciitn&outx=750&quality=70&original=1&noresize=1&nostamp=1

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yciiuf&outx=750&quality=70&original=1&noresize=1&nostamp=1

Scottes,. Check out the talons stretched waaaay out in front!
This is absolute split second action where they thrust the talons forward.. you could never see this with the naked eye!

[witchy]

Amazing. All of these pics I have seen are just amazing!

[IanD]

Excellent CDS! I really have to get on my images and post a couple. I'm sure I have a shot or two of an Osprey flying away from us.:)

[Scottes]

Scottes,. Check out the talons stretched waaaay out in front!
This is absolute split second action where they thrust the talons forward.. you could never see this with the naked eye!
Yeah, that's amazing alright! And to think that they go from the "dive" position to that position in a split second, too. Nice, even blurred!

[birch]

WOW

What else can one say? You are very privileged to have an opportunity to photograph such stunning birds!

[PacAce]

Thanks :)
Sure some get messed up.. but I'm able to keep most in focus..
I try to keep an eye in focus at all times.. the third image above for example is the fifth in this series;
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=588452#post588452

And here's the ones I could not keep focused.. this is the moment before impact.. about 6 inches or less from the water.. the Osprey are at there fastest,.. and the photographer in trying to keep the impact in the frame stops panning.. the frame taken thus is blurred by the birds fast motion and the camera pan slamming on the brakes..... (in hindsite.. to get this exact shot in focus a "follow though" would most likely be required.. sacrificing the "impact" and "exit" shots that would follow)

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yciitn&outx=750&quality=70&original=1&noresize=1&nostamp=1

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yciiuf&outx=750&quality=70&original=1&noresize=1&nostamp=1

Scottes,. Check out the talons stretched waaaay out in front!
This is absolute split second action where they thrust the talons forward.. you could never see this with the naked eye!
Hey, CDS, we must have been shooting the same osprey 'cuz I have a couple of similar shots, too, with the talons wide open and ready to impact the water and grab a fish or two. And mine were blurred, too. :confused: Kind of reminded me of the position the great gray owl takes just before impacting the hard-packed snow to grab a vole a foot under the snow. :shock:

BTW, did you notice the juvenile eagle flying overhead when we were shooting the ospreys. I didn't realize what it was at the time (just found out after reviewing my shots) but I did notice that this bird didn't have the usual white underside like the other ospreys. I thought maybe it was a female or a juvenile osprey. And I saw him quite often, too. I just mention this because we were complaining that we weren't seeing enough of the eagles. That's funny because it was right over our heads all the time. :lol:

[Scottes]

I just mention this because we were complaining that we weren't seeing enough of the eagles.
Ian saw PLENTY of eagles... :wink:

[IanD]

Ian saw PLENTY of eagles... :wink:
The lobster rolls were making my eyesight go funny:):):):):):)

[PacAce]

The lobster rolls were making my eyesight go funny:):):):):):)
That's 'cuz you're supposed to eat them, not put them over your eyes to get rid of the bags under the eyes...which, btw, don't really work unless you're using cucumber slices. :mrgreen:

[Rob612]

Way to go, CDS !!!! Love particularly #s 1 & 4

[montreal]

Thanks Cyberdyne. But do you use AF or MF? I presume AF. Do you select a focus point or do you trust the camera will "find" the subject itself? If you select the focus point yourself, do you take the one in the center or one of the side ones?

Sorry if all this sounds too basic but I'm curious.

[AJ Montgomery]

CDS, what an awesome sight! Too bad the first shot did not work out better. The series is very cool and I especially like the one talon grab!

[cfcRebel]

Wow, the last two images make me speechless!

[CyberDyneSystems]

Thanks Cyberdyne. But do you use AF or MF? I presume AF. Do you select a focus point or do you trust the camera will "find" the subject itself? If you select the focus point yourself, do you take the one in the center or one of the side ones?

Sorry if all this sounds too basic but I'm curious.

No problem,

I think you'll find that my techniques is pretty much the same as the rest of us who went to G.M.O.S.

Manually select a single focus point,. in this case pretty much allways center point,.. I use Custom Function 4-1 so when a bird dives behind a tree I can let go the AF button.. and just try to keep that focus point on the eye,. useing AI servo and the rear * focus button. I try not to use "burst" so much as choosing the moment.. (but still a few burst get away).. I like to be able to release the shutter and press again to re-meter when the bird goes from sky for background to trees and stuff.. the light is dramatically different then. Some of the earlier sequences I did not do this so well and ended up very overexposed.

[PhotosGuy]

Great shots! I 'specially like the motion blurring of the first photo!

[GTogs]

Absolutely Amazing captures.

[montreal]

Thank you Cyberdyne!

[Chris1le]

Great shots Cyber. Although you are not helping with my desire for a 500mm lens! :D Once again great shots.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Great shots Cyber. Although you are not helping with my desire for a 500mm lens! :D Once again great shots.


Thanks Chris. :)
FYI,. all pics in this thread were 100-400mm on the 20D ! ;)