Purple Martins in flight... DU warn!

Jody MelansonJody Melanson Registered Users Posts: 416 Major grins
edited July 27, 2007 in Wildlife
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Repost, but I thought worth posting again. :)

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There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness!

Comments

  • ShepsMomShepsMom Registered Users Posts: 4,319 Major grins
    edited July 8, 2007
    Nice one Jody!!! Love BIFss (birds in fight) lol wings.gif
    Marina
    www.intruecolors.com
    Nikon D700 x2/D300
    Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8
  • ShepsMomShepsMom Registered Users Posts: 4,319 Major grins
    edited July 8, 2007
    Nice ones Jody!!! Love BIFs (birds in fight) lol wings.gif
    Marina
    www.intruecolors.com
    Nikon D700 x2/D300
    Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8
  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited July 8, 2007
    Great shots once again. I really like 5, 9, and 19. thumb.gifbow
  • Dick on ArubaDick on Aruba Registered Users Posts: 3,484 Major grins
    edited July 8, 2007
    Good work Jodythumb.gif You must have the fastest finger ofthis forum :D

    Thanks for sharing,

    Dick.
    "Nothing sharpens sight like envy."
    Thomas Fuller.

    SmugMug account.
    Website.
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited July 8, 2007
    Awesome shots Jody! Love the feeding shots! clap.gif
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • m8om8o Registered Users Posts: 103 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2007
    The 1st thing that comes to my mind is "Good God, those are fantastic"!!! :D All that I hope to achieve over time.

    I'm wondering, to get to these lower resolution images suitable for web viewing, are those full rez crops cutting out a lot of blue sky, or are those birds filling up the full frame at full rezolution and you resampled from the hi rez to low rez, or a bit of both?
    Camera: Pentax K-5 & K10D / Profile: Introducing...Me on DGRIN / Some Pix: The 'm8o Gallery' Best of m8o In Tanzania '07
  • emmalouemmalou Registered Users Posts: 412 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2007
    OMG.........I am speechless.


    Except to say that I know how fast these birds are, and for you to be able to capture them in flight....well.that is incredible.
  • windozewindoze Registered Users Posts: 2,830 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2007
    incredible !

    makes me wanna throw my 30D in the garbage and run out for a 1dmkIIn, but then i realize its not the camera its the photographer. But it must be a little easier with the speed and AF of "that" more advanced camera.
    anyway - your pics are amazing.
    and thanx for sharing them with us coz they are inspiring!



    troy
  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2007
    yeah.....well....these are stunning....againbowdown.gif
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • slflashslflash Registered Users Posts: 186 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2007
    :jawdropWow is all I can say! Those are amazing!!!!!
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2007
    Hard to pick one...so I'll take 12 and 19!thumb.gifthumb

    Marvelous.clap.gif
  • sskoutassskoutas Registered Users Posts: 437 Major grins
    edited July 18, 2007
    So awesome, I'm almost speechless... almost. Unbelievable BIF's (battles in flight) Jody, but some of the single bird in flight shots (5, 10, 11, 14) may be about as good as I have ever seen from you... great job!
    __________________
    Stephen Skoutas
    http://stephenskoutas.com
    sskoutas@gmail.com Certe, toto, sentio nos in kansate non iam adesse

    Please feel free to retouch and repost my images. Critique, Suggestions, and Technique tips always welcomed.
  • photodougphotodoug Registered Users Posts: 870 Major grins
    edited July 18, 2007
    more like an "airshow" than birds in flight. A really nice study in aerodynamics.
  • Osprey WhispererOsprey Whisperer Registered Users Posts: 3,803 Major grins
    edited July 18, 2007
    Wonderful series Jody..but #5 iloveyou.gifthumb.gif
    Mike McCarthy

    "Osprey Whisperer"

    OspreyWhisperer.com
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 21, 2007
    outstanding clap.gif
    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!"
  • Greg ScottGreg Scott Registered Users Posts: 10 Big grins
    edited July 26, 2007
    Great "Birds in flight"
    :jawdrop
    Could you tell me the specifics of how you make these exposures.
    For example, do you prefocus where you expect the birds will be?
    Otherwise, how could you possibly focus so well on a rapid and erratic subject?
    Do you use flash to help stop the action?
    What ISO, lens, shutter speed and F-Stop do you use, approximately?
    Do you use some particular behavior of the bird to "concentrate" the action, such as shooting at the approach to a nest site?
    (Purple martins are cavity nesters which are largely dependant on bird houses, for example, right?)

    These are some of the best birds in flight photos I've seen other than large raptors and hummingbirds. Birds "in the middle" seem to be much less frequently shot this well in flight.

    I "specialize" in hummingbirds, but would love to expand to cavity nesters in general. I've had fair success with bluebirds, which are well acclimated to people who supply them with mealworms, for example. Purple martins, swallows of various sorts, and other similar insectivores would be delightful additions!

    See http://www.gregscott.com to see examples of my bird photos and my Dad's photos, and for technical info on how they are shot.
  • sskoutassskoutas Registered Users Posts: 437 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2007
    Greg Scott wrote:
    :jawdrop
    Could you tell me the specifics of how you make these exposures.
    For example, do you prefocus where you expect the birds will be?
    Otherwise, how could you possibly focus so well on a rapid and erratic subject?
    Do you use flash to help stop the action?
    What ISO, lens, shutter speed and F-Stop do you use, approximately?
    Do you use some particular behavior of the bird to "concentrate" the action, such as shooting at the approach to a nest site?
    [...]

    Shhhhh.... don't tell anyone, but Jody's actually an Alien. He's got reaction times never before seen on Earth. The good news is, he comes in peace.

    :D

    Take me to your leader!
    marvin1.gif
    __________________
    Stephen Skoutas
    http://stephenskoutas.com
    sskoutas@gmail.com Certe, toto, sentio nos in kansate non iam adesse

    Please feel free to retouch and repost my images. Critique, Suggestions, and Technique tips always welcomed.
  • Greg ScottGreg Scott Registered Users Posts: 10 Big grins
    edited July 27, 2007
    How about some info about your technique for shooting these photos.
    Do you, for example, use your camera's autofocus, prefocus, or hand focus "on the fly", for example.

    Enquiring minds want to know!

    Fabulous photos!
    I'm new here, will certainly look forward to seeing more of your work.
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