More Shorebirds

Gallery: AvianPosted March 6, 2012187 views13 comments

I had a hard time getting effective images of flocks of shorebirds in spite of ample opportunity last spring. I had passed over this one but with a pano crop on it I think it came out OK. Feedback appreciated.

Nikon D300 ,Nikkor 200-400mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR
1/1250s f/4.0 at 220.0mm iso200

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 6, 2012 at 12:31 AM

I think it came out very OK Dan, excellent in fact, I like the pano comp here.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on March 6, 2012 at 12:45 AM

I think it is hard to get a pleasing image out of a flock of birds taking off but this pano works for me. I like seeing the wet shoreline and the tree lined horizon on the top plus there is lots of good detail on many of the birds. Nice job in getting this.
I am curious about what type of shorebirds these are? (We do not have many shorebirds around Tucson).

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

Comment posted by Dan Roberts on March 6, 2012 at 1:12 AM

Thanks for the comments. Jim the birds are mostly western sandpipers with a few other varieties and a Dunlin or two mixed in. It is an interesting experience to be on the beach and have a flock of several thousand of these guys flow around you like water around a rock.

Registered on March 9, 2011, 69 Posts, 501 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Kleinfelder on March 6, 2012 at 6:31 AM

I like it, Dan. Your crop worked well

Registered on September 6, 2011, 14 Posts, 71 Comments

Comment posted by denise ippolito on March 6, 2012 at 8:15 AM

Dan, It's a beautiful fluid movement and the crop is perfect.

Registered on December 17, 2009, 202 Posts, 1529 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 6, 2012 at 9:38 AM

Really cool with great dof and clarity.

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on March 6, 2012 at 10:17 AM

I think the thing that makes this shot so effective is the fact that the birds are so densely packed that the birds in focus almost totally block out the OOF focus birds in the rear. In my experience in most flock shots where the birds are not so densely packed there are many OOF birds among the sharp ones and to me this is very distracting. This wall of birds pretty effectively eliminates the distracting background OOF birds from the picture. Very well done.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Roberts on March 6, 2012 at 1:52 PM

Thanks for the comments. Robert it took a while for me to figure out exactly what you said. The trick is to get a tightly packed flock and to get all of the foreground birds in focus. Just one or two OOF birds in the foreground can totally ruin the image. I've got dozens of examples to prove it.

Registered on March 9, 2011, 69 Posts, 501 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 6, 2012 at 2:20 PM

Glad you took another look at this one - I think it's excellent.
Perfect detail in the birds, soft colours, and the pano crop works great.
Definitely a keeper.
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 6, 2012 at 5:29 PM

I agree Dan , it looks wonderful - the crop works well

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

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on March 6, 2012 at 10:00 PM

Yep, that pano crop really works. Excellent detail, and the OOF background works in your favor to isolate the flock from the background. My first thought was that you have a partial title, short for "More Shorebirds Than You Can Shake a Stick At."

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on March 7, 2012 at 9:48 PM

This is way better than ok to me. Perfectly overlapping birds. I just love it.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on March 8, 2012 at 12:21 AM

I love this shot. Fascinates me.

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