POST YOUR BIRDS IN FLIGHT !!!

Herring gulls in north Wales

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/KYoi​jP

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/LSku​6L

This is not an amazing picture of a bird in flight like I see in the post's above. What it does represent is a marker of progress.

I'm not sure whether I'm fascinated with the birds themselves or the process of shooting them. They are accessible and numerous to me at this time of year. But, all the best pictures I've seen of Hummingbirds have been caught frozen in the moment, wings and all... on some pictures of mine, you can't even see the wings because of the slow shutter speed. I decided to get the flash out and see if I could figure out how to do it, and through a bunch of trial and error, then following a path that seemed counter-intuitive, I got this moment, frozen in time. I thought the wing had a ghost from the flash but it's actually the other wing, and zoomed in, I can count the flutes and the vanes.

Now, to figure out how to make them amazing...

Shot wireless with a Zoom Lion flash at 1/128th sec., zoom at 105mm, with the built in diffuser on, mounted two feet from the subject.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18119800

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/LVve​xE My legacy by MedicineMan4040, on Flickr

Beautiful!

lucky_shot wrote in post #18119322
This is not an amazing picture of a bird in flight like I see in the post's above. What it does represent is a marker of progress.

I'm not sure whether I'm fascinated with the birds themselves or the process of shooting them. They are accessible and numerous to me at this time of year. But, all the best pictures I've seen of Hummingbirds have been caught frozen in the moment, wings and all... on some pictures of mine, you can't even see the wings because of the slow shutter speed. I decided to get the flash out and see if I could figure out how to do it, and through a bunch of trial and error, then following a path that seemed counter-intuitive, I got this moment, frozen in time. I thought the wing had a ghost from the flash but it's actually the other wing, and zoomed in, I can count the flutes and the vanes.

Now, to figure out how to make them amazing...

Shot wireless with a Zoom Lion flash at 1/128th sec., zoom at 105mm, with the built in diffuser on, mounted two feet from the subject.

Hosted photo: posted by lucky_shot in
./showthread.php?p=181​19322&i=i160957932
forum: Birds

Common it's a cracking shot, think how small and fast these little birds are, its and amazing shot.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18119800

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/LVve​xE My legacy by MedicineMan4040, on Flickr

bidkev wrote in post #18119809
Beautiful!

Seconded!

Couple more from the falconry centre.

Black Kite

Grey Heron over corn field..

lucky_shot wrote in post #18119322
This is not an amazing picture of a bird in flight like I see in the post's above. What it does represent is a marker of progress.

I'm not sure whether I'm fascinated with the birds themselves or the process of shooting them. They are accessible and numerous to me at this time of year. But, all the best pictures I've seen of Hummingbirds have been caught frozen in the moment, wings and all... on some pictures of mine, you can't even see the wings because of the slow shutter speed. I decided to get the flash out and see if I could figure out how to do it, and through a bunch of trial and error, then following a path that seemed counter-intuitive, I got this moment, frozen in time. I thought the wing had a ghost from the flash but it's actually the other wing, and zoomed in, I can count the flutes and the vanes.

Now, to figure out how to make them amazing...

Shot wireless with a Zoom Lion flash at 1/128th sec., zoom at 105mm, with the built in diffuser on, mounted two feet from the subject.

Hosted photo: posted by lucky_shot in
./showthread.php?p=181​19322&i=i160957932
forum: Birds

Beautiful bird and beautiful capture.
I too embarked on the adventure of freezing a hummingbird in time and space.
Like you allude to, it was fun figuring out the gear and the settings, the process the timing and the composition.
Technically we've done it but I'm at the point now where I actually prefer motion in their wings.....same with a vintage propeller
aircraft; I like motion blur in the props.
Just me probably but a hummingbird with completely frozen wings is ornamental, almost like a specimen.
Just one man's opinion and taking away nothing from your capture because I fully realize the time and effort/not to mention the camera, lens, flashes involved.

Lester Wareham wrote in post #18120029
Common it's a cracking shot, think how small and fast these little birds are, its and amazing shot.

Thank you Lester!

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18120099
Beautiful bird and beautiful capture.
I too embarked on the adventure of freezing a hummingbird in time and space.
Like you allude to, it was fun figuring out the gear and the settings, the process the timing and the composition.
Technically we've done it but I'm at the point now where I actually prefer motion in their wings.....same with a vintage propeller
aircraft; I like motion blur in the props.
Just me probably but a hummingbird with completely frozen wings is ornamental, almost like a specimen.
Just one man's opinion and taking away nothing from your capture because I fully realize the time and effort/not to mention the camera, lens, flashes involved.

Thank you for your input and opinion. The fact that I'm able to capture them at all is a revelation to me. I am new to the wildlife after years in a studio, but every discipline seems to have a common element; the learning curve. I need to stick to what's important to me, and yeah, it seems a little ornamental to me too. I guess that's why I wasn't all that impressed with it.

But, I can say that I've done it... You know... when National Geo does call.

Lester Wareham wrote in post #18120034
Couple more from the falconry centre.

Black Kite

Catching a food item thrown in the air!

Read on Twitter about some B....s who have killed some Raptors in mid Wales - poisened them, what can be said

P.

Pagman wrote in post #18120191
Read on Twitter about some B....s who have killed some Raptors in mid Wales - poisened them, what can be said

P.

Idiocy is everywhere. At least here in the States if you get caught even harassing any raptor it is major fines and/or jail time. Not that stops a drunk red-neck from shooting a hawk.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18120536
Idiocy is everywhere. At least here in the States if you get caught even harassing any raptor it is major fines and/or jail time. Not that stops a drunk red-neck from shooting a hawk.

At the Anhinga Trail in the Florida Everglades, the vultures seem to know that they are protected. There are hundreds of them there, and they like to munch on the rubber parts of cars in the parking lot. They cause a lot of damage to wipers and door seals. Tarps are available to help protect the cars, but they are in short supply. Owners are not allowed to disturb birds marauding on their cars except I guess in a very gentle and polite way.

There are signs up about the damage the vultures can cause, and some ineffective remedies are listed, such as calling a ranger. The issue seems intractable.

One day I was there bemused by the evil but cherished birds on all the vehicles when somebody drove up, opened a door, and a dog came blasting out of the car. There was a huge flapping of black wings and in a matter of seconds the parking lot was clear.

That was an effective solution!

Or, I don't know, maybe it is also illegal to allow any dog to disturb the birds.

Archibald wrote in post #18120562
At the Anhinga Trail in the Florida Everglades, the vultures seem to know that they are protected. There are hundreds of them there, and they like to munch on the rubber parts of cars in the parking lot. They cause a lot of damage to wipers and door seals. Tarps are available to help protect the cars, but they are in short supply. Owners are not allowed to disturb birds marauding on their cars except I guess in a very gentle and polite way.

There are signs up about the damage the vultures can cause, and some ineffective remedies are listed, such as calling a ranger. The issue seems intractable.

One day I was there bemused by the evil but cherished birds on all the vehicles when somebody drove up, opened a door, and a dog came blasting out of the car. There was a huge flapping of black wings and in a matter of seconds the parking lot was clear.

That was an effective solution!

Or, I don't know, maybe it is also illegal to allow any dog to disturb the birds.

It's illegal here to kill a snake, even if it's in your house. Dogs aren't allowed on my local beaches to protect the waders. The fact that they're migratory and spend very little time here, doesn't stop the council from banning dogs all year round