Bosque Sandhill

Gallery: AvianPosted January 18, 2011154 views26 comments

Just returned from a few days at Bosque del Apache. Have only begun to sort through the files, but here is an early favorite from the crane pools in morning light. For these takeoff/flight shots, I used strictly manual exposure (hearkening back to when I used to shoot landscapes with an all manual film camera!), and was pleased with the results, especially for the first time using manual in years.

Your comments and critiques are appreciated. Please view larger version if possible.

Canon 7D, 500mm, tripod

1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 400. manual exposure. Full frame, no crop.

Comments

26 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 18, 2011 at 9:54 PM

Wonderful image! Exceptional detail in the crane (seen best in the large image) in a great pose, and very nice BG. Nice exposure for manual and perfectly-positioned if full frame!-
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Dubuc on January 18, 2011 at 10:16 PM

Very nice picture. Good exposure, fantastic details, excellent flight shot!

Registered on January 4, 2011, 59 Posts, 229 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on January 18, 2011 at 10:18 PM

Razor sharp and perfect exposure, Brian. I like the lift-off pose and the bg works will with the colors of the crane.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on January 18, 2011 at 11:01 PM

Really nice light on this crane, Brian. Great detail and the background really compliments the bird well. Pretty good camera work to get this full frame. Great image.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on January 18, 2011 at 11:08 PM

Wonderful light and good pose with excellent detail Brian.

If you were using manual, why did you set a 1/5000SS? Surely half of that would have frozen the action and then your ISO could have halved too. Just a thought

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on January 19, 2011 at 1:05 AM

Nice light and beautiful colors are my immediate reaction. The photo gives a nice suggestion of habitat too. Different photo from Bosque than I am used to seeing on line.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on January 19, 2011 at 1:48 AM

Well done getting him side on and with good wing position and eye contact.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on January 19, 2011 at 2:34 AM

Awesome shot, Brian.
Perfect exposure, great detail, really excellent

Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Fabrizio Moglia on January 19, 2011 at 3:16 AM

Excellent shot in beautiful morning soft light and perfect details of the crane !

Congrats.

Ciao, fabrizio

Registered on January 18, 2011, 5 Posts, 28 Comments

Comment posted by Graham Brown on January 19, 2011 at 6:21 AM

Beautiful image, the bird stands out almost 3D from the background. Terrific detail and sharpness throughout the bird and I really like the habitat detail in the background. Graham

Registered on November 20, 2007, 275 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Randy Bacon on January 19, 2011 at 8:22 AM

Not much more I can add Brian - sweet shot in every way - congratulations.

Registered on November 24, 2008, 56 Posts, 492 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on January 19, 2011 at 8:53 AM

An exceptionally nice crane image Brian and full frame with nice compotition to boot. I love it.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on January 19, 2011 at 9:07 AM

Really sweet light Brian. Love the colors on the crane as well as the detail and sharpness. Nice BG to go along with the bird. Full frame brings all the details to front. Well done.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on January 19, 2011 at 9:57 AM

Beautiful pose, light, sharpness and detail Brian, I especially love the background with the shrub. Very nice work capturing this full frame too!

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on January 19, 2011 at 10:13 AM

Great flight pose with a very sharp eye. Beautiful light. Very, very nice.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 19, 2011 at 11:07 AM

The detail in the large version is stunning. I love the typical colors of Bosque in this image.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on January 19, 2011 at 12:15 PM

Killer BIF shot! Really need to view the larger image to truly appreciate the quality of this shot.

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 19, 2011 at 2:00 PM

Excellent shot Brian. Everything came together on this one, the larger image looks great and getting a full frame shot is the finishing touch, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on January 19, 2011 at 2:29 PM

Very nicely composed and in camera at that. Good work, Brian. The techs are spot on as well.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on January 19, 2011 at 5:45 PM

The only way to improve this is to have shot through a pickup window. Absolutly stunning!

Dan

Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on January 19, 2011 at 6:27 PM

Lovely light and detail Brian

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on January 20, 2011 at 9:45 PM

Hi Brian

What a wonderful capture! Extraordinary light, B.G ,detail and color

Albert Darmo. Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Barry Southon on January 21, 2011 at 6:41 AM

Brian

Bosque at its best, the larger image just pops illustrates the advantage of the size difference.

Well captured image.

Registered on March 13, 2006, 21 Posts, 150 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on January 21, 2011 at 5:58 PM

Beautiful Sandhill Photo Brian!!!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on January 23, 2011 at 4:31 PM

Perfect details. Lovely light. Nice flight position too.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Jay Levin on February 9, 2011 at 1:34 PM

Hi Brian. This is a beautiful flight shot with great aerodynamics, superb details, and an excellent background for the crane. As for shooting in manual, although I am not a bird specialist, I would think that the natural thing to do for a flight shot like this would be to at least raise the ISO to 400 to generate a high enough shutter speed. I have been told by a Canon friend that there is certainly no problem with noise at this ISO for the 7D. So no criticism from me here. Also I would think that shooting in manual would be the fastest way of getting the right exposure. A beautifully done capture.

Registered on April 24, 2009, 21 Posts, 184 Comments