some ducks and a roadrunner

vandanavandana Registered Users Posts: 373 Major grins
edited January 19, 2006 in Wildlife
I call them all ducks ! waterfowl is what I guess I should say -

the woodduck I think - unfortunately decided to swim into some muck !

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this one - I don't know the name and I cut his little tail off

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the Hooded merganser (?)-

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the roadrunner - ok, he doesn't even fly that much, but he still was too fast for me !

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ok, so how did I do ? I havent got any raptors, no bifs , just some stationary birds - and I still have got their body or tail cut off :scratch :uhoh:cry

Comments

  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2006
    You did pretty good. The wood duck is excellent. I would have tried to bring some more detail out the shadow areas.

    The second shots is a Northern Mallard and you really nailed it except for the tail. I might have dropped the exposure by a third of a stop.

    The merganser is a wonderful capture. You held the highlights well but I would have tried to bring out some more of the shadow detail in my post work.

    Good comp on the roadrunner and the background is nicely blurred. I would have dropped the exposure a tad on this one also.

    Except for some minor quibbles an outstanding series.
    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!"
  • JCDossJCDoss Registered Users Posts: 189 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2006
    Great series! But there appears to be a monster-sized hair on your sensor. I can see it clearly in #1 and #3. :help :yikes
  • ThusieThusie Registered Users Posts: 1,818 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2006
    clap.gifclapclap.gif Good going Vandana.
  • vandanavandana Registered Users Posts: 373 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2006
    thanks a lot Harry, JC, Thusie !
    Harry, you're right , but of course ! I think I overexposed a bit ! I struggle with exposure all the time actually - now this really sounds odd :) !! that's why it totally amazes me when I see your snowies nice and white but not bright !
    JC - no, not hair - I've tried air, cleaning - nothing works - I don't even see it, but it's there on every pic ne_nau.gif especially if I do shoot a bif, it's right there on the bright new mexican sky ! I'll have to send the camera over to some Nikon guys I think..or keep cloning it out for the rest of my life !!
  • RohirrimRohirrim Registered Users Posts: 1,889 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2006
    You did good Vandana. Very nice series. As Harry mentioned you could improve exposure some but overall very good.

    The Hooded Mergansers tend to be very skiddish, good job on getting him. You may be able to sharpen up the roadrunner with a little Unsharp Mask.

    Adding your EXIF info would also help with suggestions.
  • DeeDee Registered Users Posts: 2,981 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2006
    Neat!
    I saw some really cool ducks in Sonoma, but that was back in my Sony S70 days and they are not quite in focus!

    I'm stuck going after sea gulls, the only birds (other than pigeons) I can get close enough to with my 200 zoom...

    I liked them! clap.gif
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