"If you can't get close enough to fill the frame, don't take the shot"

Jeff USN Photog 72-76 wrote in post #19219206
DW Fields Brockton MA evenings sight lines

Birds are mostly right at the edge of the water at the parking lot, hundreds as they are constantly fed. People stand under the large "Don't feed the birds" signs

Hosted photo: posted by Jeff USN Photog 72-76 in
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forum: General Photography Talk

That's too bad they don't have more access points, you have some nice ponds! Does the fish and game place allow boat rental? It may be that a boat might be the best way to get closer perhaps, and with the weather turning, it would be a good time of year to get the more active fowl life. Also instead of a scooter, any sites allow for atv access or those really robust "golf cart" style units?

I suspect your area golf course that seems to have 2 or 3 waterways on it wouldn't allow you to rent a golf cart to run around and shoot the wildlife? Probably throws off their golf group schedules... Just trying to think outside the box a bit.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #19219268
That's too bad they don't have more access points, you have some nice ponds! Does the fish and game place allow boat rental? It may be that a boat might be the best way to get closer perhaps, and with the weather turning, it would be a good time of year to get the more active fowl life. Also instead of a scooter, any sites allow for atv access or those really robust "golf cart" style units?

I suspect your area golf course that seems to have 2 or 3 waterways on it wouldn't allow you to rent a golf cart to run around and shoot the wildlife? Probably throws off their golf group schedules... Just trying to think outside the box a bit.

The fish and game place won't even let you park in their lot and on Willet boats are only for the fish and game and homeowners.

The other ponds, Ellis, you can take out a canoe or kyack but my knees won't take those and I am sure I will dump my gear ROFL.

the other ponds don't allow any boats or rafts or even swimming or floating. But for my two best spots, Memorial and Ellis, the birds sometimes get really close but are usually 100+ yards. The geese will come almost right up to me within 6 feet but how many pics of geese feeding can you take?
This morning at Memorial there were at least 100 geese many within 60 feet of me, but again just floating around. a swan was chasing some but about 200 yards out and there was a Great Blue Heron, will post it later, it was about 100 yards and I was using the 1.4x on the 100-400

Jeff USN Photog 72-76 wrote in post #19219274
The fish and game place won't even let you park in their lot and on Willet boats are only for the fish and game and homeowners.

The other ponds, Ellis, you can take out a canoe or kyack but my knees won't take those and I am sure I will dump my gear ROFL.

the other ponds don't allow any boats or rafts or even swimming or floating. But for my two best spots, Memorial and Ellis, the birds sometimes get really close but are usually 100+ yards. The geese will come almost right up to me within 6 feet but how many pics of geese feeding can you take?
This morning at Memorial there were at least 100 geese many within 60 feet of me, but again just floating around. a swan was chasing some but about 200 yards out and there was a Great Blue Heron, will post it later, it was about 100 yards and I was using the 1.4x on the 100-400

It almost seems you could use a stable boat-drone with the camera mounted on it. The distances I read would almost allow control via WiFi.

Capn Jack wrote in post #19219281
It almost seems you could use a stable boat-drone with the camera mounted on it. The distances I read would almost allow control via WiFi.

My son has a drone, done some great videos at Portland Head Light and my gun club, but I really enjoy sitting there with a camera and seeing what I can get.

Here are two from today, it was a cloudy day with some sun but way to late and Ellis was too cold with gusts to 20mph into my face, so I went to Memorial where I can sit sheltered by a wall, but the sun was the wrong direction, mostly shooting into it, but I wanted to see what I could do with my 1.4x at f/8

The Heron (at 100 yards) isn't that bad but the swan chasing the goose (200 yards) while having potential just doesn't quite do what I wanted. It is ok to share to friends on facebook but the light is all wrong.
The swan at 200 yards with the 1.4 isn't that bad but a little pixelated. But they were staying out there and I wanted to see what I could do at 200 yards.

Jeff USN Photog 72-76 wrote in post #19219295
My son has a drone, done some great videos at Portland Head Light and my gun club, but I really enjoy sitting there with a camera and seeing what I can get.

Here are two from today, it was a cloudy day with some sun but way to late and Ellis was too cold with gusts to 20mph into my face, so I went to Memorial where I can sit sheltered by a wall, but the sun was the wrong direction, mostly shooting into it, but I wanted to see what I could do with my 1.4x at f/8

The Heron (at 100 yards) isn't that bad but the swan chasing the goose (200 yards) while having potential just doesn't quite do what I wanted. It is ok to share to friends on facebook but the light is all wrong.
The swan at 200 yards with the 1.4 isn't that bad but a little pixelated. But they were staying out there and I wanted to see what I could do at 200 yards.

Hosted photo: posted by Jeff USN Photog 72-76 in
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Hosted photo: posted by Jeff USN Photog 72-76 in
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forum: General Photography Talk

That's why I said "boat drone". The flying ones usually are the wrong angle for wildlife, and most flying drones annoy the wildlife when they get close enough to get a nice image. Many foolish people have misused flying drones so that they have a bad name now.

A floating drone gives you a better angle level with the animal, and with a telephoto lens, you can still keep it away from the birds. Or just let it float and let them come to the drone if they wish. It can be disguised as a model ship (battleship Missouri with Canons? ) or a swan or another bird.

Those are nice images- I agree with you about the light, but the birds would be facing the wrong way if you were in position for the light for the second image. Some days you can't win, and I think you made the best of the situation.

Jeff USN Photog 72-76 wrote in post #19219274
The fish and game place won't even let you park in their lot and on Willet boats are only for the fish and game and homeowners.

The other ponds, Ellis, you can take out a canoe or kyack but my knees won't take those and I am sure I will dump my gear ROFL.

the other ponds don't allow any boats or rafts or even swimming or floating. But for my two best spots, Memorial and Ellis, the birds sometimes get really close but are usually 100+ yards. The geese will come almost right up to me within 6 feet but how many pics of geese feeding can you take?
This morning at Memorial there were at least 100 geese many within 60 feet of me, but again just floating around. a swan was chasing some but about 200 yards out and there was a Great Blue Heron, will post it later, it was about 100 yards and I was using the 1.4x on the 100-400

To lure birds into frame-filling range, go to a rural feed mill and get a fifty- or hundred-pound bag of shelled corn (waterfowl) or cracked corn or scratch grain(all other birds).
Scratch grain is basically the same as bargain-brand bird seed.

Tractor Supply pricing:
Shelled Corn $10.29 https://www.tractorsup​ply.com …rs-pride-whole-corn-50-lb

Cracked Corn $10.79 https://www.tractorsup​ply.com …-pride-cracked-corn-50-lb

Scratch Grain $12.79 https://www.tractorsup​ply.com …pride-scratch-grain-50-lb

These same products (different branding) usually run about six or seven dollars at my local feed mills.

Hire some kids to play hide-n-seek or skip rocks on the side of the pond where the birds want to congregate; this will flush them over to your side; or, use a remote-control boat to chase them over.

Urban birds are used to such and will not have nightmares nor get all stressed out about it.

Went to the pond this evening, better light and a heron was in the inner pond, about 80 yards away.

I used the 1.4x on the 100-400 did ok.

Those heron shots look pretty good.

Hi Jeff. That's an excellent shot! Have you considered using the upres feature in ACR to make a print?

skidzam wrote in post #19219580
Hi Jeff. That's an excellent shot! Have you considered using the upres feature in ACR to make a print?

That or Topaz AI Gigapixel, now that I have the vaccine and go inside stores I am considering it. I don't print at home, I use a local lab

Interestingly our family hasn’t really changed anything regarding going out to stores etc starting about last may. Having kids means we are out and about all the time, so stores, restaurants, events and so forth, making sure we have our N95 masks.

However all of our stores seem to have stopped doing prints in the store, costco, sams, walmart, so we would have to use online to print, and either ship to home or go pick up from store (which may not even be an option either, not sure).

TeamSpeed wrote in post #19219633
Interestingly our family hasn’t really changed anything regarding going out to stores etc starting about last may. Having kids means we are out and about all the time, so stores, restaurants, events and so forth, making sure we have our N95 masks.

However all of our stores seem to have stopped doing prints in the store, costco, sams, walmart, so we would have to use online to print, and either ship to home or go pick up from store (which may not even be an option either, not sure).

I always assumed Costco would be doing prints, the local one did a great job but now I see that as of February they have stopped other than online.

I may well drop my Costco membership as the BJs is right next to it and the BJS gas is closer to me and I have their membership as well