I bring this on myself..

evil eggplantevil eggplant Registered Users Posts: 464 Major grins
edited September 6, 2008 in Wildlife
I get out there early. Nothing happening, so I grab my stuff and start searching. I see some herons and egrets in the distance, I hike about a mile with my gear, and they take off and settle down 1/4 mile away. So I go after them again, and they do it to me again. I'n not set up for shooting BIF's on account of the 1.4X I had on with taped pins. AF is too slow, so with the TC on I'm locked into shooting non-BIF's. Needless to say, they flew right over me just to steam me up.

The day was almost over, I was putting away my gear and my buddy tells me there was an egret coming in.

(Harry- Egret BIF= Routine
Richard- EGRET BIF= A rare, unexpected pleasure. Egrets and herons are my favorite birds and just seeing them is a treat for me. Getting a good shot is rare, and getting a decent BIF is an event that takes place *maybe* 3 times a year around these parts. Now I'm not complaining here, I'm just sayin'. Ya know?)

So I flipped my buddy off and said "Sure there is". He tells me to turn around, I turned around, and sure enough a nice egret is coming in. I thought I nailed him good, and thanked the bird Gods for the gift. Then a harrier comes in and I nailed hom good, too. Or so I thought..

I get in the car and begin to chimp. Nothing was sharp. Somehow, the mode dial made it off aperture priority (which was nicely set for a BIF) and ended up in shutter priority, which I have never used. Shutter priority was giving me 1/250 at like f/16. This has never happened before. Nice..

Normally I would be upset about blowing a nice hawk and egret, but I'm relieved that the problem was with me and not my gear.

Anyhow, it wasn't a total loss. The BIF-Lord gave me a small parting gift..
pelicans~0.jpg

On the way home I went to the alfalfa field where I saw the deer yesterday and there were a few does out there, and they were much closer. Shame this wasn't the 6 pointer I saw yesterday..

deer2.jpg

Today was a really bizarre day.
___________________________________
"exxxxcellent" -C. Montgomery Burns
__________________________________________________
www.iceninephotography.com

Comments

  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2008
    couple of great shots:ivar

    bummer about the 250 shutter speed. If I were you I'd set it at 1600 now & if you change it by accident again you might be alright............or it will be underexposed for the conditions you are in & you'll have a nice photo of blackness:D rolleyes1.gif
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • GiphsubGiphsub Registered Users Posts: 2,662 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2008
    lol3.gif Well don't worry, we have all done something similar. I normally shoot in S anyway...

    Cool pelican bifs thumb.gif
    Mike Helbig

    http://www.michaelhelbigphotography.com
    http://www.thewildpig.blogspot.com
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2008
    Cool shots, and a good story thumb.gifthumb.gif
    Dan
    http://danielplumer.com/
    Facebook Fan Page
  • evil eggplantevil eggplant Registered Users Posts: 464 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2008
    dbaker1221 wrote:
    couple of great shots:ivar

    bummer about the 250 shutter speed. If I were you I'd set it at 1600 now & if you change it by accident again you might be alright............or it will be underexposed for the conditions you are in & you'll have a nice photo of blackness:D rolleyes1.gif

    Not a bad idea. I'm usually at ISO 400-800, so I may get something to use. The truth is, if I had bothered to look at the information in the viewfinder I would have spotted this. Sadly, that didn't happen. I was too busy shoe-horning this egret into the frame :cry egad..
    ___________________________________
    "exxxxcellent" -C. Montgomery Burns
    __________________________________________________
    www.iceninephotography.com
  • evil eggplantevil eggplant Registered Users Posts: 464 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2008
    dlplumer wrote:
    Cool shots, and a good story thumb.gifthumb.gif

    Hey, it's the least I can do. thanks..
    ___________________________________
    "exxxxcellent" -C. Montgomery Burns
    __________________________________________________
    www.iceninephotography.com
  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2008
    Been there and done that! It's very frustrating for sure but we have all been there. But the two images that I see are nice so that day wasn't all that bad. thumb.gif
    Stephen
    www.capture-the-pixel.com

  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 2, 2008
    Those are two nice captures Rich. thumb.gif Now save your pennies and come on over to Florida and I'll send you home with a few hundred egret and heron BIFs
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited September 2, 2008
    Hey, Rich.

    Did you give that doe a bath and a blow dry before the pose? Nice shot.

    Our deer are tick infested scruffy looking things.:cry

    BTW...our's are White-tails...yours are something else.headscratch.gif
  • NorthernFocusNorthernFocus Registered Users Posts: 1,347 Major grins
    edited September 3, 2008
    It's really poor form to whine about the missed egret in the same post with that pelican BIF :D

    Personally I never cease to amaze myself with my own level of incompetence handling a relatively simple piece of equipment ne_nau.gif
    Dan

    My Photo Gallery:Northern Focus Photography
    I wish I was half the man that my dog thinks I am...
  • stevehappstevehapp Registered Users Posts: 635 Major grins
    edited September 3, 2008
    I have days like that, too. :cry
    Canon 40D, 50mm f/1.8, 400mm f/5.6L, sigma 105mm Macro.
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  • evil eggplantevil eggplant Registered Users Posts: 464 Major grins
    edited September 4, 2008
    Harryb wrote:
    Those are two nice captures Rich. thumb.gif Now save your pennies and come on over to Florida and I'll send you home with a few hundred egret and heron BIFs

    Thanks, Harry. I'll bring my 17-40. Hopefully, I won't clip any wingtips.

    Cheers:D
    ___________________________________
    "exxxxcellent" -C. Montgomery Burns
    __________________________________________________
    www.iceninephotography.com
  • evil eggplantevil eggplant Registered Users Posts: 464 Major grins
    edited September 4, 2008
    stevehapp wrote:
    I have days like that, too. :cry

    Misery should love company, but that still sad.
    ___________________________________
    "exxxxcellent" -C. Montgomery Burns
    __________________________________________________
    www.iceninephotography.com
  • evil eggplantevil eggplant Registered Users Posts: 464 Major grins
    edited September 4, 2008
    articblooms wrote:
    It's really poor form to whine about the missed egret in the same post with that pelican BIF :D

    Personally I never cease to amaze myself with my own level of incompetence handling a relatively simple piece of equipment ne_nau.gif

    Folks from Brooklyn aren't known for their style or judgment. Mostly, we just complainne_nau.gif

    Sorry..
    ___________________________________
    "exxxxcellent" -C. Montgomery Burns
    __________________________________________________
    www.iceninephotography.com
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited September 5, 2008
    evil eggplant wrote:
    Thanks, Harry. I'll bring my 17-40. Hopefully, I won't clip any wingtips.

    Cheers:D

    That might be too much glass but you can give it a try. :cavig
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • evil eggplantevil eggplant Registered Users Posts: 464 Major grins
    edited September 6, 2008
    Harryb wrote:
    That might be too much glass but you can give it a try. :cavig

    Harry, I just *knew* you were gonna say thatthumb.gif
    ___________________________________
    "exxxxcellent" -C. Montgomery Burns
    __________________________________________________
    www.iceninephotography.com
  • CatoCato Registered Users Posts: 287 Major grins
    edited September 6, 2008
    Don't I know it.... my g/f's a transplanted Brooklynite. iloveyou.gif

    The trio of pelicans are amazing. I'd be happy with one standing still, plrased as punch with a decent BIF, but you got 3! clap.gif And I love the sequence with regard to the position of the wings.

    The deer is adorable.
    evil eggplant wrote:
    Folks from Brooklyn aren't known for their style or judgment. Mostly, we just complainne_nau.gif

    Sorry..
    http://catographer.smugmug.com/

    Shooter on a shoestring.
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