Oh SHIF! (Sand Hills In Flight)

kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
edited January 11, 2011 in Wildlife
I amassed a fair collection of Sand Hill Crane flight shots at Bosque del Apache over Christmas. Here are a few of my favs.


1 This first one is my first content-aware fill job inspired by Ric's Sand Hill post. I added some sky to the right of the bird.
1147705802_AmMSV-XL.jpg

2
1139240004_WmHAa-XL.jpg

3
1149559796_E7B2K-XL.jpg

4
1138802662_HJCAB-XL-2.jpg

5
1138864711_KhKHB-XL-2.jpg

6
1147705875_TikQr-XL.jpg

7 A couple of wider shots for folks who think the previous ones were cropped too close. :wink
1149580685_GF7VS-XL.jpg

8
1141714879_Szy5f-XL.jpg

9 The End.
1139240596_f8UxB-XL.jpg
Moderator of Landscapes forum
Link to my Smugmug site

Comments

  • jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
    edited January 7, 2011
    Yikes! Every shot is so PERFECT!!!! thumb.gifthumbthumb.gifthumbthumb.gifbowdown.gif
    Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

    http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
    http://500px.com/williebau
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 7, 2011
    jiro wrote: »
    Yikes! Every shot is so PERFECT!!!! thumb.gifthumbthumb.gifthumbthumb.gifbowdown.gif
    Thanks, Jiro. I picked the best ones ya know. mwink.gif
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited January 7, 2011
    Wow, Joel! Those are so beautiful--the lighting is just splendid, too. You absolutely cannot tell where you added with content aware in #1. Just a great series!
  • Dennis KaczorDennis Kaczor Registered Users Posts: 2,413 Major grins
    edited January 7, 2011
    Joel, this is a very nice series here and the last one is fitting for the end! You sure had some great lighting for these birds.
    Regards - Dennis

    Dennis Kaczor Photography
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 7, 2011
    Thanks Pam and Dennis. Getting out in the early AM really makes a difference. But it was pretty chilly at that hour. Thanks for the nice words. thumb.gif
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • denisegoldbergdenisegoldberg Administrators Posts: 14,373 moderator
    edited January 7, 2011
    Wow to all of the shots... just wow!

    The last is my favorite.

    --- Denise
    https://www.denisegoldberg.com ... https://denise.smugmug.com

    Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited January 7, 2011
    Outstanding set Joel. clap.gif

    You gotta love that Bosque light.
    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!"
  • BigAlBigAl Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited January 7, 2011
    Very nice Joel! I really like the colours in #7
    Birds
    Bugs
    Spiders
    Flowers
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2011
    Excellent! thumb.gif

    Near or far they are all sweet. :D
  • JimJJimJ Registered Users Posts: 30 Big grins
    edited January 8, 2011
    Nice set of images
    Jim Johnson
    Lecompte, LA.
    www.jimejohnsonphoto.com
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2011
    Wow, Joel, these are beyond greatbowdown.gifbow I think #7 is my favorite iloveyou.gif I may have to try to make it there againrolleyes1.gif
    Dan
    http://danielplumer.com/
    Facebook Fan Page
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2011
    I guess I ought to read instead of just looking at the pretty pictures!

    CAF works well in a situation like your first one. I might of added even more room to the right and bottom...just to be picky Ricky!:D
  • EiaEia Registered Users Posts: 3,627 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2011
    They are all very good but 7 & 9 are beautiful! These things look like prehistoric raptors! :)
    ~AnnaMaria~ My little life in God's big universe
  • LindiweLindiwe Registered Users Posts: 606 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2011
    Absolutely superb series.
    bowdown.gif
  • DsrtVWDsrtVW Registered Users Posts: 1,991 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2011
    Holy SHIF Batman ummm kdog rolleyes1.gifroflrolleyes1.gif

    Wonderful series. I love them Sandies
    Chris K. NANPA Member
    http://kadvantage.smugmug.com/
  • ThwackThwack Registered Users Posts: 487 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2011
    Great series! I really like the lighting on the bird in #4!
  • sgonensgonen Registered Users Posts: 178 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2011
    Perfect Joel!

    Here is the Bird Shooter:
    1142640753_KM9ny-L-1.jpg
    Shimon
    http://sgonen.smugmug.com/
  • traunerktraunerk Registered Users Posts: 513 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2011
    gorgeous shots...
    very very nice - isn't content aware awesome?!! don't use it often but when needed it's better than cloning 90% of the time...

    best...KT
    Beam me outta here!:winkKT
  • Osprey WhispererOsprey Whisperer Registered Users Posts: 3,803 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2011
    Quite a series. Some wonderful action captured Joel. I would like to see a bit more negative space in most of these. Subject feels awful crowded and tight in the frame. Would like to see some room for those birds to "fly into" . Keep 'em coming.
    Mike McCarthy

    "Osprey Whisperer"

    OspreyWhisperer.com
  • RedFish71`RedFish71` Registered Users Posts: 58 Big grins
    edited January 9, 2011
    agree totally with mike. i do love that sweet golden light!! nice job!!
    Harold Davis


    http://redfishphotography.net
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 11, 2011
    denisegoldberg wrote: »
    Wow to all of the shots... just wow!

    The last is my favorite.

    --- Denise
    Thanks, Denise. The last one is one of my better bird butt shots. :D
    Harryb wrote: »
    Outstanding set Joel. clap.gif

    You gotta love that Bosque light.
    Thanks, Harry. We did get some great light there, and bird. Lots of birds.
    BigAl wrote: »
    Very nice Joel! I really like the colours in #7
    Thanks, Al. I thought the sky was too nice to crop in that one.
    Ric Grupe wrote: »
    Excellent! thumb.gif

    Near or far they are all sweet. :D

    Thanks very much, Ric. thumb.gif
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 11, 2011
    JimJ wrote: »
    Nice set of images
    Thanks, Jim!
    dlplumer wrote: »
    Wow, Joel, these are beyond greatbowdown.gifbow I think #7 is my favorite iloveyou.gif I may have to try to make it there againrolleyes1.gif
    Thanks, Dan! But "may" have to try? Oh you'll get there soon enough, I'll bet. mwink.gif
    Ric Grupe wrote: »
    I guess I ought to read instead of just looking at the pretty pictures!

    CAF works well in a situation like your first one. I might of added even more room to the right and bottom...just to be picky Ricky!:D
    Actually there already was more. I cropped it off! :D
    Eia wrote: »
    They are all very good but 7 & 9 are beautiful! These things look like prehistoric raptors! :)
    Thanks, Eia. They're so huge it's almost amazing they can fly. As a point of trivia, did you know they're actually stuck in Bosque for the winter? They can only fly short distances in the cold. They wait until spring when they can ride the warm air updrafts to gain some altitude, and then they're out of there!
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 11, 2011
    DsrtVW wrote: »
    Holy SHIF Batman ummm kdog rolleyes1.gifroflrolleyes1.gif

    Wonderful series. I love them Sandies
    Thanks, Chris! I like 'em too. You're lucky to have them in your backyard. I actually traveled a pretty long way to see these guys!
    Thwack wrote: »
    Great series! I really like the lighting on the bird in #4!
    Thanks, Thwack. That was taken at 7:19 on Christmas Day!
    sgonen wrote: »
    Perfect Joel!

    Here is the Bird Shooter:
    1142640753_KM9ny-L-1.jpg
    Hahah, you caught me sitting down on the job. rolleyes1.gif

    Thanks, Shimon. Looking foward to doing it again some time soon. thumb.gif
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,013 Major grins
    edited January 11, 2011
    very nice -- I would love to go back there again but I still have not
    defrosted yet
    Jeff W

    “PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”

    http://jwear.smugmug.com/
  • Debashis_A_ghoshDebashis_A_ghosh Registered Users Posts: 78 Big grins
    edited January 11, 2011
    All of these shots are amazing....but if I must choose I would probably go with 3/7/9. Lovely lovely series.
    Debashis Ghosh

    My Flickr

    EOS 700D, 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM,
    EF-S 55-250 F/4-5.6 IS, EF-50 f/1.8,
    EF-S 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II, EF-S 10-18 mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 11, 2011
    traunerk wrote: »
    very very nice - isn't content aware awesome?!! don't use it often but when needed it's better than cloning 90% of the time...

    best...KT
    Thanks very much, Keith. Yes, CAF is awesome. It will be a favorite tool in my bag of tricks now.
    Osprey Whisperer wrote: »
    Quite a series. Some wonderful action captured Joel. I would like to see a bit more negative space in most of these. Subject feels awful crowded and tight in the frame. Would like to see some room for those birds to "fly into" . Keep 'em coming.
    Thanks, Mike! I knew some folks would not like the close crops in most of them. However, I decided to err on the side of maximizing detail on the birds, rather than wasting space on blue sky. I did present two shot with a nice wide view where the sky was especially nice. Otherwise, I chose to focus on the birds. There's no accounting for taste I guess! naughty.gif
    RedFish71` wrote: »
    agree totally with mike. i do love that sweet golden light!! nice job!!
    Thanks, Redfish! :D
    jwear wrote: »
    very nice -- I would love to go back there again but I still have not
    defrosted yet
    Hahaha, I hear ya man! rolleyes1.gif Thanks for checking in. thumb.gif
    Debashis_A_ghosh wrote: »
    All of these shots are amazing....but if I must choose I would probably go with 3/7/9. Lovely lovely series.

    Thanks, Debashis! It's always interesting to hear which shots folks like the best. thumb.gif

    Cheers,
    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
Sign In or Register to comment.