Snowy Egrets and more

I finally got some time to pick through and process some images from my trip two weeks ago to the Palo Alto Baylands. It wasn't hopping as much as it was last year, but it was still great. This time I had a chance to go back in the evening so I managed a few nice backlit shots.

Flight shots were handheld with my 400 f/5.6L (still the finest lens for birds in flight - bar none) on my 40D. Still shots were taken with my 500mm f/4L (some with 1.4x) and the 1D MkIII. I used highlight expansion all day on the 1D MkIII, and liked the results so much that I enabled that on the 40D as well for the evening shoot. Not for everyday shoots but it was made for white birds.

As always, the EXIF data is intact, and C&C is always welcomed.

= Ed =


1. Incoming (Snowy Egret) - I recently posted this image in its "art" from. Here is the original.

Excellent shots, very sharp, really nice work with the last sequence(#5 & #6)

Exceptional...book quality stuff... good job.

All of these are beautiful and should be printed...

downywp wrote in post #5411940
Excellent shots, very sharp, really nice work with the last sequence(#5 & #6)

Thanks downy. Glad you liked them.

= Ed =

johnstoy wrote in post #5411957
Exceptional...book quality stuff... good job.

Thanks for the very heady praise John I appreciate your stopping by and commenting.

= Ed =

Duane N wrote in post #5412293
All of these are beautiful and should be printed...

Thanks for the very kind words Duane. I'm sure I'll print a couple of these - just haven't decided which ones yet

= Ed =

I agree they are should be printed you should be very happy with this shots love #6

CPO_USN wrote in post #5413936
I agree they are should be printed you should be very happy with this shots love #6

Thanks CPO! I appreciate it.

= Ed =

Wow, nice set of shots. Something about #6 makes it my favorite.

Very impressive shots!

Are these hand held or on a tripod?

Cropped?

What lense did you use?

canonloader wrote in post #5416200
Wow, nice set of shots. Something about #6 makes it my favorite.

Thanks Mitch! I truly appreciate you comments.

= Ed =

Pauky wrote in post #5416215
Very impressive shots!

Are these hand held or on a tripod?

Cropped?

What lense did you use?

Thanks for the kind words Pauky. Most of these are cropped, but primarily for composition. None of them is a "heavy crop".

The first shot is handheld with my 40D / 400mm f/5.6L. The rest are tripod (Gitzo 1325/Wimberly full Gimbal mount) with my 1D MkIII / 500mm f/4L IS (some with 1.4 extender). As I explained up front, I always leave the EXIF data in tact in case you are interested in settings.

If you do look at the EXIF, you'll note that I shoot pretty much exclusively in Manual mode these days.

= Ed =

Ed Rotberg wrote in post #5416273
Thanks for the kind words Pauky. Most of these are cropped, but primarily for composition. None of them is a "heavy crop".

The first shot is handheld with my 40D / 400mm f/5.6L. The rest are tripod (Gitzo 1325/Wimberly full Gimbal mount) with my 1D MkIII / 500mm f/4L IS (some with 1.4 extender). As I explained up front, I always leave the EXIF data in tact in case you are interested in settings.

If you do look at the EXIF, you'll note that I shoot pretty much exclusively in Manual mode these days.

= Ed =

I only hope to shoot as good as you one day. Sorry, I had to ask because I have a 40D and a 100-400L and the birds I shoot just isn't as sharp as yours. Do you think the 400L prime is much more noticable in sharpness than my zoom?

Wonderful collection Ed.