Best Heron EVER! 11 shots w/ 200mm 1.8 WARNING

[CyberDyneSystems]

Last night I went back to find Big Blue.
I ended up stumbling into the best series of Great Blue Heron shots I've ever managed.....


He was in a different spot, but still accesable...
I spotted him at the end of a peninsula.. about 3/4 mile hike,
I grabbed the 200mm and MkII and set out.

I was able to inch my way out to a small bush and hunch down beside it..

Blue new I was there.. but he's getting more and more used to people in the city park;

... so he gave me my familiar greeting ;)
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya955e&noresize=1&nostamp=1


Before going back to Fishing in ernest...
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya955b&noresize=1&nostamp=1


Didn't take him long to spot a nice tasty sunfish
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya9554&noresize=1&nostamp=1


He missed at first...
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya9552&noresize=1&nostamp=1


Slippery fish.. barely got his tale!
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya9555&noresize=1&nostamp=1





... at this point we need a little image break.. This post is allready going to be waaaaay to long with too much bandwidth.. (plus the images that would dovcument this next moment .. were .. not really in focus :confused: )

So Big Blue has the Sunfish by the tip of the tail... and in typical Heron fashion he does his little flip to get the Fish head first...

But remember,.. this is a slippery fish.. Big Blues troubles with this fiesty character are not over yet!

The "flip" is a total failure.. the Sunfish is flipped glistening high into the air... catches the sunlight as it arcs in a trajectory that lands it just on shore...

Right in front of me.





Big Blue hesitates only for a split second,.. but the moment our heroic fish flips on the sand the first time, the movement forces Big Blue to give up any form of shyness and he charges up onto the shore to claim his prize!
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya9551&noresize=1&nostamp=1
100% Crop of above (http://cyberdynesystemsimaging.fotopic.net/p17362705.html)

Blue zeros in like a missle;
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya955a&noresize=1&nostamp=1
100% Crop of above (http://cyberdynesystemsimaging.fotopic.net/p17362699.html)



Another brief respite is required here..

As a fair warning must be issued.. what follows is a graphic depiction of a little fish facing an enemy with ovewhelming odds.....

If murder and mayhem are too irritating to your delicate constitution.. then I advise you to stop reading now!

Now back to the Slaughter...






Missed! :shock:
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya955s&noresize=1&nostamp=1

Oh you thought this was going to be easy? This is super fish!

Stop Squirmijng you little $&*&!@!!!
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya9558&noresize=1&nostamp=1


Hero or no.. the outcome was inevitable... :cool:
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya9553&noresize=1&nostamp=1

A Triumphant Heron dances back to safety from prying photographers with his hard earned prize :)
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya9559&noresize=1&nostamp=1
Another 100% Crop (http://cyberdynesystemsimaging.fotopic.net/p17362696.html)

[HJMinard]

Fabulous, CDS ... all are well done but I think the first three are simply gorgeous!

[Scottes]

wow


Said quietly, in awe, not wanting to disturb the moment....

[Belmondo]

Okay, CDS. It's time to sell the gear and get out of the photo business. You'll never top those, so why try?

Wanna' sell that lens? :lol:

[BearLeeAlive]

Wow, talk about being in the right place at the right time. Great job!!!

My favorite is the one where he is on shore zeroing in.

[CyberDyneSystems]

;)

Thanks guys..

Needless to say the whole time this is going on I'm about about 3 or 4 BPS away from full cardiac failure..

For you Pixel Peepers.. Don't forget to click the links beneath some of the images..
The 100% crops are amazing.. and show what the 200mm 1.8L on a 1DMkII and Nice lighting can really do :) :)

[JMAS]

:shock: 200mm????????????...... :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: ... What am I doing wrong???????????? :shock::shock::shock:

hmmm... can't see the line used for pulling the fish :p


Just joking. Awesome series. the best Heron series no doubt .
Congrats!!

[Tom W]

Great shots - that's like the hole in one in golf. Once you do that, you might has well hang up the clubs.

Really incredible - especially when he gets up close to you. Every one of those is great, but the "stop squirming" is awesome. Really nice!

[tupe]

Unbelievable series! Wow!

[dancad]

Quite impressive!! You must've been proud of yourself when you first viewed these on your monitor!!

[luisv]

WOW... great shots! Gotta love that prime...

[NAILER341]

gorgeous.... just gorgeous.

[wolverinesr1]

an amazing series of captures.really shows the quality of the 200L

[Andy_T]

Incredible shots, CDS :shock:

Thanks for sharing!

That last 100% crop with the fish in the beak really does it for me!!!

Best regards,
Andy

[iwatkins]

Lost for words. Stunning will do for now. :) :)

Cheers

Ian

[mattym]

stunning set, very well done!

[Carzee]

Beautiful work, stunning set.

[GyRob]

GREAT shots well done .
Rob.

[Michaelmjc]

Wow those are beautiful shots, love the story along with it.

[herderdog]

OMG! These are incredible--I can bet your heart was a 'goin!
Simply great!!

[RockOne]

That is a simply awesome series. !

[witchy]

I have seen many amazing shots on this forum in the last couple of months but these would have to be up there with the best...They are fantastic...I take it they were handheld as well?

[CyberDyneSystems]

Thanks all,..

Oh yes.. the heart was pounding! I go into a totally focused almost trance when my adrenaline is flowing like this..
It's only happend a few times with photography.. but this was intense!

Witchy.. yes hand held. I had enough aperture and light to get very high shutter speeds at ISO 100. The images have apertures that vary from f/1.8 to f/3.5..
Shutter speeds were upwards of 1/2000

[Curtis N]

The 100% crops are amazing.. and show what the 200mm 1.8L on a 1DMkII and Nice lighting can really doI can't find that lens on Canon's chart ... trying to figure out how many vehicles I would have to sell to get it. Am I looking in the wrong place?

[witchy]

I can't find that lens on Canon's chart ... trying to figure out how many vehicles I would have to sell to get it. Am I looking in the wrong place?

LMAO how true is that!...I was in the camera shop the other day talking to the sales guy about lenses. I said I wanted the 70-200, he said he wanted the 28?-300 (sorry I think I have that right!) anyway he then goes they aren't that expensive, so I said OK how much, he goes $3900 AUS..Hmmmmm if that's cheap I would hate to see what expensive lenses cost!

[nat869]

Incredible shots!!! I love Blue Herons. I saw one on Stanford Campus hunting and thought I would get some gret pics of it eating some poor critter, when that did not happen, I put my gear away, hopped in the car and drove off.........only to see another one killing a gopher right next to the road. By the time my camera was out, he was swallowing the lastpart of it. Great captures, the photo gods were smiling upon you.

[MazerRakhm]

Holy WOW!

Man, talk about right place and right time! Sweet sequence CDS!

[cfcRebel]

Wow! ****Shock & Awe*****
This series is as fantastic as the "Hawk & pigeon" series taken at your sis place, if not better. You'r a bird king! http://initial-d.com/forums/images/smilies/worship.gif

[CyberDyneSystems]

Thanks! :)

Curtis,.
The EF 200mm f/1.8L was discontinued in around 2000 or 2001.
It remains the fastest 200mm lens ever made for a 35mm format.. and has been elevated to legendary status partly due to the fact that it is no longer availble new.. but more so simply because it is one of the sharpest lenses ever.

As for vehicles.. given what I pay for Cars (around $800.00 or so) I'd have to say the answer to your question is "all of them"

[WhiteFrog]

There are a couple on ebay at the moment for $3000. Wish I could swing that. These photos are the only selling point I need.

[cameron]

good grief... these are beautiful! :)

[eric1]

damn, those are good. i liked #3 the best.

[Reigh Higgins]

Amazing !!!

[fotogeek]

Holy crap! Awesome! Nice work.

[PhotosGuy]

Another great sequence! What's next? ;-)

[ngannet]

Jeez....I'm hanging it up now!!!! Fantastic and unique Blue Heron photos. Amazing.

[Belmondo]

Holy crap!


Hmmmm. I know I haven't been in a church for a while, but holy crap is something entirely new to me. :confused:

[CyberDyneSystems]

Holy crap!


Is exactly waht the Sunfish was thinking just as he saw THIS coming;

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=ya955g&outx=789&quality=70&original=1&noresize=1&nostamp=1

[HappySnapper]

Wicked, totally wicked. Well done :)

[BearLeeAlive]

OK, I just have to give this series one more WOW!!!

Awesome job CDS

[AJ Montgomery]

Wow, these are incredible! You were right on top of him. The close shots of the fish and the GBH bill are sweet. Well done CDS!!!

[dkord]

Awesome, great shots and story to go with it!

[Cleo199]

Best Heron EVER! is so true! These are amazing shots!

[Angel_LCD]

Very nice:)Now I want a new lens also :p

[Maureen Souza]

Wow, don't ya just love it when Nature co-operates? Not only are these gorgeous photos, they are very entertaining as well. I sure love a good multi-functional photograph...... Don't you? :):):)

[Raj]

Absolutely "wow" shots CDS !
Thanks for sharing :-)

[yason]

WOW!! what else can i say WOW!!

[PhotosGuy]

:D:D The last shot...
Heron: "I seem to have a problem!"
Sunfish: ""The good news is he can't get me into his mouth without letting go. The bad news is..."

[Sathi]

I'm amazed...That series makes me feel like a complete amatuer. Glad I stumbled on this thread to see these.

[Mitcon]

Wow, these are absolutely stunning CDS. Hard to top those photos, the best I have ever seen without doubt. Fantastic, I'm left with envy :D. GJ indeed.

[Hellashot]

Nice shots. I was about 20 feet from a heron recently for 20 minutes or so with my Bigma but all he did was stand and move, no action.

[Andy_T]

Too bad, the images don't show up any more.

Best regards,
Andy

[reewik]

Fix those imagages PLEASE.... I see alll the great comments but even with my new reading glasses I see no pictures. Don't leave us wondering?

[JMAS]

I can only tell you guys that the images were WONDERFUL!
Incredibly sharp with amazing bokeh.

:D :D :D :p :p :p

[Alan B]

All you have to do is click the link in his sig ;)

Here's a direct lick to the pics
http://cyberdynesystemsimaging.fotopic.net/c610904.html

Awesome shots CDS :cool:

[tpetty]

CDS, what happened? Did you pull them down? Got "File Not Found" errors. Maybe they will be back up tomorrow. Cant wait to see what everyone is so excited about!

[CyberDyneSystems]

Thanks again folks! :)

Due to popular demand I fixed the links.. (all the links got messed up when I upgraded my gallery subscription :( )

Sorry for the downtime.

[JMAS]

Good to see these again!

[DDA]

This thread has been put back from very far away.. But WOW, that was worth it! Congrats on these beautiful pictures...

[Double Negative]

Nice catch - for both of you!

[Ferco]

that really is amazing!!!!

[Dimitri_V]

Stunning photography,thats all i can say.

[bakerman]

Right place at the right time. WOW

Tim

[Belmondo]

It was these photos that convinced me you had three things I lack.....

1. The 200 f/1.8L
2. Luck
3. Talent

So far, I'm not on the market for that lens because it won't do me any good without the other two things.

[Gabrielle]

Those were thrilling photos!! I wish I could afford this lens you use. Your collection of bird photographs on your website is just amazing, too. I'd have to sell my other car though to be able to buy that 200mm 1.8 that you've got. I can't tell you how much I dig these gorgeous photographs of yours. BEAUtiful. And very exciting sequence!

[Billginthekeys]

Those were thrilling photos!! I wish I could afford this lens you use. Your collection of bird photographs on your website is just amazing, too. I'd have to sell my other car though to be able to buy that 200mm 1.8 that you've got. I can't tell you how much I dig these gorgeous photographs of yours. BEAUtiful. And very exciting sequence!

other car huh... what do u need 2 for?
no but really.. those shots are absolutely amazing...:mrgreen::shock::~(