afternoon of "almosts"

jeff lapoint

hello all,

Kinda in a photo slump as of late. Barely have time to shoot and when I do it seems I'm always just a bit "off" or a great shot is just out of my grasp.

Anywho, since many of you have shared in my progression from a beginner to a slightly more experienced beginner I thought I'd invite you to see a few "almosts" from today.

Went down to SJWS today around three. There was nothing really going on at the main ponds so I decided to take a hike into the back trails where I found this fellow...



Obviously, this is a huge crop. Now, I've been chasing this guy for at least a month and he always spooks whenever he even gets a hint that I'm near. Today, he was quite content to mock me from this pole on the other side of a barbedwire fence. I watched from the bushes for 30min waiting for him to fly toward the ponds...but he just sat and sat and...well, sat.

I then decided to head back to the ponds in hopes Mr. Sitty Siterton the Mayor of Sitville would decide it was time to mange...no dice.

Practiced a few BIFs that came out so so and then I attempted to try something new: the dragonfly in flight shot. I was having trouble getting one with AI servo so I switched to manual focus.



Looked like a keeper when I was chimping, but I came to find its a bit OOF and the wing is blocking the eye. Oh well, at least going out and getting a bunch of "almosts" are still fun for me! I'll be back at it next weekend if they let me out of my cage. Stay tuned for next week's edition of "slumps"

Thanks for the looks and joining me during what I hope to be a brief slump!

-j

bfjr

Ok buddy, I need a map to this place ASAP, can't believe you got an osprey!!! WTG
and a DIF. What slump???

ginger_55

Osprey, them is smart birds. Mine know my car! Hate those birds, actually, and they hate me. I am not photographing them much anymore. (Mine had babies), etc, I did it until I just could not take any more two hour sits, with the darn fisherbird circling above me, with fish, until something made the bird land, with a very ratty fish. No, no, the D bird would circle too far UP for my lens to focus. They can see anything/anyone.

And mine are far away, too. And they don't like looking in the sun, so they are always turned the wrong way, etc...........
I don't have macro, but I have tried a few dragonflys. The fun for me was all in the trying. Mine don't even make the "almost" category.

I do have a couple of Osprey I could post. I keep forgetting about them. They are not great, not an almost, not bad..............just there. If I had never gotten any, I would post one or two, but I did not stay around long. The advantage on mine is that the bird is eating, that is kind of cool, but also means his/her head was down.

I love the ruffled feathers on your bird. I try taking a shot when my birds shake. Heck, I have cards and cards of any movement from them whatsoever.

ginger

jeff lapoint

bfjr wrote:

Ok buddy, I need a map to this place ASAP, can't believe you got an osprey!!!

You got PM! Thanks for the words of encouragement, maybe a ben tutorial shoot will put me back on track!

bfjr

jeff lapoint wrote:

You got PM! Thanks for the words of encouragement, maybe a ben tutorial shoot will put me back on track!

alrighty then lets do it.

Harryb

Hey Jeff,

Not too shabby. Ospreys are tough. I've been lucky but I've had a lot more misses than hits with them. They like to perch in a tree just outside the range of whatever lens you are using. The best bet is to find out where they are nesting.