Hanging Out at the Rookery

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited July 6, 2011 in Wildlife
Hi Y'all,

A few images from my outings up to St. Augustine this season.

Its been a good season for spoonbill flight captures. D300 with the 70-200 2.8 VR and the 1.4 TC

http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=1233814142&ImageKey=nGREz1233814142_nGREz-XL.jpg

Little Blue Heron - D3 with the 200-440 f/4
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=1237687834&ImageKey=fBLCY1237687834_fBLCY-XL.jpg

Wood Stork "walking on air" - D3s with the 200-400
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=1237705020&ImageKey=EnQNj1237705020_EnQNj-XL.jpg

One of the reasons for all of this activity, a very young great egret chick - D300 with the 300mm f/4 and 1.4 TC
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=1348040053&ImageKey=7tPTqkTDSC8209-XL.jpg

Little blue heron bring some nesting material home - D3s with the 70-200 2.8 and 1.4 TC
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=1351333812&ImageKey=nMtzd2xD3S3351-XL.jpg

Cattle egret taking off - D3s with the 70-200 2.8 + the 1.7 TC
http://behret.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=1351338074&ImageKey=n9TpWbGD3S3431-XL.jpg
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!"

Comments

  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 23, 2011
    Harry, these are (as usual) wonderful. I have GOT to get down there. Should I do it before or after NYC though???

    Could you discuss the lighting on that fantastic cattle egret shot?
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 23, 2011
    Icebear wrote: »
    Harry, these are (as usual) wonderful. I have GOT to get down there. Should I do it before or after NYC though???

    Could you discuss the lighting on that fantastic cattle egret shot?

    Thanks John. As for the cattle egret capture, here's the original SOOC

    i-fQMDpVc-XL.jpg

    OK but not too fascinating. So in ACR I adjusted the temp from 5000 to 7500, increased the black to 9 and the clarity to 67 and brought this into PS

    i-XwhF58x-XL.jpg

    Then I just cropped most of frame right out of the capture, applied some sharpening, and used Nik' Color Efex Pro's Brilliance/Warmth tool to up the brilliance a tad

    As for NYC or Florida it depends on scheduling. Right now in Florida the rookery season is ending and things really won't pick up again until the fall which is OK because it get gets so damn hot down here from late June through early Sept. From October on the local action is pretty good through May and the rookery season at St Augustine runs from late March through mid June.
    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!"
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 23, 2011
    Nice PP work. So the light "source" is a hole in the canopy, so to speak? It almost looks like flash from camera right. What really got me wondering was the shadow of the legs and feet.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 23, 2011
    If you look at the attached exif you'll see that I had to up the ISO to 1600 to get enough shutter speed to capture any action. The egret was in fairly deep shade (hence the reason the auto WB was too cool) most of the light was falling behind the egret.

    Its captures like this that makes me appreciate's Nikon's FF sensors. I don't think I would have been able to get a usable capture in those conditions with my D300.
    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!"
  • tkerrtkerr Registered Users Posts: 47 Big grins
    edited June 24, 2011
    Great Series.
    The PP you did does work very well with that Cattle Egret.thumb.gif
  • MdocMdoc Registered Users Posts: 29 Big grins
    edited June 24, 2011
    I love these shots especially the first and last ones.
    My photos are only worth one hundred words :-)
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 24, 2011
    tkerr wrote: »
    Great Series.
    The PP you did does work very well with that Cattle Egret.thumb.gif

    Thank you very much.
    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!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 25, 2011
    Mdoc wrote: »
    I love these shots especially the first and last ones.


    I'm glad you enjoyed them.
    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!"
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited June 26, 2011
    Sweet series, Harry. Always enjoy your work clap.gifclap
    Dan
    http://danielplumer.com/
    Facebook Fan Page
  • korandokekorandoke Registered Users Posts: 517 Major grins
    edited June 26, 2011
    nice set, harry
    Best regards,
    Korandoke
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited June 27, 2011
    Some cool shots Harry, but the Cattle Egret is my favorite!
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited June 27, 2011
    Great poses you captured as usual! thumb.gif
    Stephen
    www.capture-the-pixel.com

  • fool4thecityfool4thecity Registered Users Posts: 632 Major grins
    edited June 28, 2011
    All great shots but I Love the work you did on the last one. From ordinary to Wow! Great job.
    www.mikeklarich.com
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 28, 2011
    dlplumer wrote: »
    Sweet series, Harry. Always enjoy your work clap.gifclap

    Thanks Dan, I always enjoy getting the captures too.
    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!"
  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,013 Major grins
    edited June 28, 2011
    I think you have it down now Harry :Dthumb.gif
    Jeff W

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

    http://jwear.smugmug.com/
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2011
    korandoke wrote: »
    nice set, harry

    Thanks
    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!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2011
    raptorcaptor wrote: »
    Some cool shots Harry, but the Cattle Egret is my favorite!

    Thanks Glenn and I'm fond of the cattle egret capture myself. Its funny how I avoid taking cattle egret captures for 9 months out of the year (kind of drab and uninteresting subjects) but when they get their breeding colors on its a whole other story.
    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!"
  • Louis ChampanLouis Champan Registered Users Posts: 110 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2011
    Hi Harry, outstanding series with the Cattle Egret a standout.
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2011
    Louis Champan wrote: »
    Hi Harry, outstanding series with the Cattle Egret a standout.


    Hey Louie,

    Haven't heard from you in a bit. Hope all is well with you and yours.
    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!"
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited June 30, 2011
    Harryb wrote: »
    Thanks Glenn and I'm fond of the cattle egret capture myself. Its funny how I avoid taking cattle egret captures for 9 months out of the year (kind of drab and uninteresting subjects) but when they get their breeding colors on its a whole other story.

    And then they are usually hidden instead of out in the open when you are not interested in photographing them! rolleyes1.gif
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 3, 2011
    Maestro wrote: »
    Great poses you captured as usual! thumb.gif

    Thanks Stephen, I'm always keeping an eye out for interesting poses.
    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!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 4, 2011
    fool4thecity wrote: »
    All great shots but I Love the work you did on the last one. From ordinary to Wow! Great job.

    Thanks Mike, PS can make an ordinary capture look good but it can't save a bad capture.
    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!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 5, 2011
    jwear wrote: »
    I think you have it down now Harry :Dthumb.gif

    Yeah, give me another 20 years and I should just about have it.
    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!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 6, 2011
    Louis Champan wrote: »
    Hi Harry, outstanding series with the Cattle Egret a standout.


    Thanks Louie, always great to hear from you.
    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!"
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