If At First You Don't Succeed...

peargrinpeargrin Registered Users Posts: 191 Major grins
edited March 25, 2013 in Wildlife
...try, try again! And boy was I determined. After over a week of tracking these ducks, I think I finally have the shot I was hoping for. Never give up. Another lesson learned from this glorious duck.

Many thanks for looking!


DSC_0345-L.jpg

Comments

  • AceCo55AceCo55 Registered Users Posts: 950 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2013
    Congratulations ... the the success is so much sweeter for the effort that was required to achieve it.
    I don't shoot wildlife yet - but I will one day. However I think this persistence and overcoming setbacks is what really sets wildlife photographers apart. Every shot is a challenge because you are dealing with subjects who do not want you around. My compliments to you.
    My opinion does not necessarily make it true. What you do with my opinion is entirely up to you.
    www.acecootephotography.com
  • puzzledpaulpuzzledpaul Registered Users Posts: 1,621 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2013
    peargrin wrote: »
    ...try, try again! And boy was I determined. After over a week of tracking these ducks, I think I finally have the shot I was hoping for. Never give up. Another lesson learned from this glorious duck.

    Many thanks for looking!

    Well, I'd certainly agree with being persistent / determined etc ...or daft / stupid as someone who queried my state of mind whilst standing around in snow, awaiting the arrival of a barn owl*, mused :)

    However, I'm curious about what aspects / characteristics of this shot make it the one you were hoping to get, though?

    It's accepted that we're oten after different things and that various practical issues are also involved ... but I still have that Q in my mind.

    pp

    * Yep, turned up - briefly, but I messed up :)
    Website

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  • peargrinpeargrin Registered Users Posts: 191 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2013
    AceCo55 wrote: »
    Congratulations ... the the success is so much sweeter for the effort that was required to achieve it.
    I don't shoot wildlife yet - but I will one day. However I think this persistence and overcoming setbacks is what really sets wildlife photographers apart. Every shot is a challenge because you are dealing with subjects who do not want you around. My compliments to you.


    Hi AceCo55! Wow! Such lovely replies from you on both this and my previous thread. Thanks for these! They are so thoughtfully written and really made my day. (P.s. I enjoyed your gallery very much, and was delighted to see you know Glenelg. I have very fond memories of an evening there during a trip to Adelaide. What a beautiful part of the world you live in! I look forward to seeing your wildlife photography from there when you do it!)

    All good wishes,

    Pear
  • peargrinpeargrin Registered Users Posts: 191 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2013
    puzzledpaul wrote: »
    Well, I'd certainly agree with being persistent / determined etc ...or daft / stupid as someone who queried my state of mind whilst standing around in snow, awaiting the arrival of a barn owl*, mused :)

    However, I'm curious about what aspects / characteristics of this shot make it the one you were hoping to get, though?

    It's accepted that we're oten after different things and that various practical issues are also involved ... but I still have that Q in my mind.

    pp

    * Yep, turned up - briefly, but I messed up :)


    Hi Paul! Well, I guess I like to see a little action, and I liked the afternoon light which brings out a little of the green in the head feathers, and being able to see the beautiful pattern on both wings. However, I'm still quite new to this, and from your beautiful site you are quite experienced. If I should be working toward something different, your constructive critique would be greatly appreciated. (I can't get to water level here because the access is from a small foot bridge.).

    Honestly sorry you don't seem to like this.

    Best wishes,

    Pear
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2013
    Pear, I love the action (including the water droplets, and love the wings spread), and the light on the bird's face, and that incredible eye. Your angle is lower than I am often able to get around here. In my own photos, I find the shadows that fall over parts of my birds to be a little distracting, but a lot of times it just isn't something I can control. Your duck looks happy, almost smiling. My biggest challenge is often exposure, and this duck is hard, since it is both black and white! The highlights look slightly blown in the white ring around the duck's neck on my monitor, though I haven't calibrated it in a while so mine could be off. The black feathers on the right wing also seem too black so as to lose detail--on my monitor. Harry told me to get NIK's ColorEffex 4.0 and use the detail extractor tool, and often it works for me (as I seem to excel at blowing the detail out of the highlights and the shadows both). This photo is far and away WAY better than any duck photo I have ever gotten here, and I like it quite a lot! I would be thrilled to have it, and consider it a keeper. "Never give up" is advice we can all benefit from! Best, Pam
  • puzzledpaulpuzzledpaul Registered Users Posts: 1,621 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2013
    Pear - the main (only?) thing here is whether you like the pic or not ... whether some old codger of a limey does(n't) is irrelevant :)

    With respect to 'working towards something different' ... all I'll suggest is the std. reply ... look at other people's pics, decide what sort of approach you like / appeals ... and take that on board.

    As regards 'experienced' - ha - pl. bear in mind you're talking to someone who hangs around for ages in the cold - then messes up when the chance arrives. I'd be the last person to hire myself for a one off / once in a lifetime shot.

    I note that Pam has mentioned some technical aspects - I wasn't really thinking about those when I made the first post - having had a quick look at your site, I just assumed you knew what you were doing, judging by what I saw.

    Initially, because of the bird's pose + pov, I needed a double take to see what was happening - probably due a little to the bridge being made between the bird's right wing and the back of its head by the tuft ... but probably more due to my powers of perception :)

    Also, the way the bird's chest / breast breaks into its left wing adds a little to my 'local difficulty of perception' ... in a word, I think the outline /silhouette could be cleaner.

    Considering what the bird is doing - having a bit of a flap - there's often potential for getting lots of water drops in frame - depending on what you're after, and conditions - especially light source - there's little shown here.

    Shots from the rear quarter - with subject facing away are rarely as good as those taken from the front(ish) with subject looking a little to cam. Side on shots maximise dof potential, but often need something extra to take them out of the 'std. record shot' category ...

    Sometimes, slowing the shutter speed and getting some wing blur in this type of shot helps - especially if dealing with a backlit scenario.

    Low / water / eye / relevant / appropriate level - well, I'm sure by now you know my thoughts on this - it's in every tutorial / book etc going ... it's not something I've dreampt up :)

    All I'll say is ... it's a *totally* different ball game - for a range of reasons. I accept there are often practical reasons / difficulties associated with such an approach ... especially with subjects like waterfowl. However, they are one subject that really benefit from said approach.

    All I ask is that you find somewhere to try it - doesn't matter if there's only 'boring' subjects (like mallards :)) ... just have a go and see for youself ... if you don't have a cam with a tilting lcd, you'll need an angle finder - if you can comfortably look thro' the VFinder ... you're probably too high :)

    If you do try it and think ... 'so what?'... fine by me ... at least you had a go.

    I'd be more than happy to talk about some of the kit I use - if you PM me.

    I am frequently amazed at what ppl try to pass off as WL shots ... that aren't ... the position of the horizon never lies.

    // end WL rant mode :)

    All strictly imo, of course.

    Thx for the comments about my stuff, btw - glad you found something to like - but bear in mind the vast, vast quantities of junk that's been dumped during the 3yrs or so I've been having a go at birds.

    When I saw something posted by Zoomer in the people forum, about his approach, I thought ... great precis.

    In order of priority

    Light
    Background
    Composition
    Pose

    pp
    Website

    Flickr
  • peargrinpeargrin Registered Users Posts: 191 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2013
    Dear Pam and Paul,

    Thanks so much for taking the time to comment so thoughtfully. You've given me so much to think about, I hardly know how to reply. I especially appreciate the Nik software recommendation, as my post processing is still elemental (literally). I'll certainly be more careful before I post again.

    Many thanks again and best wishes,

    Pear
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2013
    peargrin wrote: »
    Dear Pam and Paul,

    Thanks so much for taking the time to comment so thoughtfully. You've given me so much to think about, I hardly know how to reply. I especially appreciate the Nik software recommendation, as my post processing is still elemental (literally). I'll certainly be more careful before I post again.

    Many thanks again and best wishes,

    Pear

    Pear, NONSENSE! You definitely SHOULD NOT more careful before you post again! You post some of the best photos on this site! I just appreciate it when people give me suggestions, because that way I improve, so I try to do the same when I can, especially for someone posting such great photos. I still remember the cormorant catching that huge fish you posted a while back, and if I ever get a duck half has good as the one you just posted, you will be the first to hear about it!

    Harry's suggestion of the NIK software--I also got NIK ViVeza, has been so helpful to me. Both programs are so easy to use. You can do the same stuff in Photoshop Elements, which is my base program, but NIK makes it faster and easier. The programs act as plug-ins to the Filter tab in Photoshop.

    Best, Pam
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited March 25, 2013
    Its a good and interesting capture Pear. Some of the technical stuff has already been covered so I won't go into that. You have to be persistent in this game as you were in getting this capture. The idea is to get a better capture than the last time you went out.

    BTW Google is offering the complete set of NIK pug-ins for only $149.00 That's a great deal.
    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!"
  • peargrinpeargrin Registered Users Posts: 191 Major grins
    edited March 25, 2013
    Pam and Harry, Thanks so much for the kind encouragement! I really appreciate it very much. And, Harry, the news on the new Nik offer is incredible! Thanks for that. I've got the set downloaded and am headed to my first tutorial on YouTube.

    Best wishes to you,

    Pear
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited March 25, 2013
    peargrin wrote: »
    Pam and Harry, Thanks so much for the kind encouragement! I really appreciate it very much. And, Harry, the news on the new Nik offer is incredible! Thanks for that. I've got the set downloaded and am headed to my first tutorial on YouTube.

    Best wishes to you,

    Pear

    I think NIK is a good company--I got an email today saying that because I am a current user I get the set for free. Amazing. Best, Pam
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