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Big & 3xLittle

Gallery: Weekly ChallengePosted October 18, 20171,881 views7 comments

Roseate Spoonbill and chicks, St. Augustine rookery (free-flying birds who nest there apparently because the alligators protect their nests from predators, which works well except when a chick falls into the water).

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Please view the larger version, which sometimes lately is not larger but usually makes the detail more visible. Thank you!

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on October 19, 2017 at 6:39 AM

Barbara, this had to be an extremely challenging photo that has come out very nicely. Between the demanding DOF and any movement from the birds themselves the image could have had plenty of issues. But on the contrary it is excellent considering the items I've mentioned. As a result the detail came out very nicely throughout.

I'm not a big fan of major or large changes in any image for general enhancements, but might loop the white item in the BG and do a Content Aware there for another look. It's a very subjective idea and may or may not work for results. CA can be a bit ugly at times with leaving artifacts. Another milder approach is to tone it down through a dodge & burn layer maybe. Other then that idea I have no thoughts for change from my perspective.

A wonderful take here...... laugh

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Williams on October 19, 2017 at 9:34 AM

Absolutely wonderful Barbara. I love this one. It is great for the weekly challenge theme. Your detail in large view is really good. I really like this busy little family scene.

Registered on December 28, 2010, 636 Posts, 3499 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on October 19, 2017 at 11:52 AM

Barbara, a fine catch on a growing bird family, with some great colors thrown in as an extra benefit. You've handled the dof challenge and the framing very well. The touches of green in the parent's head are a special addition.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on October 19, 2017 at 12:18 PM

I like your composition of this photograph. A lot of good details. I would like to see your techs for this photo. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on October 19, 2017 at 1:08 PM

Hi, thanks for the feedback.

John, here are the techs. It was in 2012, so different camera, different lens, manual instead of aperture, etc.

Also, some of these trees are large, with dozens of nests in them (the white object in the upper right is another nest with a white bird in it), so you just have to pick what to shoot at any given time depending on the tree and the sun. I probably wouldn't have shot a white bird as the subject at this location at this time.

I went to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm because it was one place I could go back then when I didn't have even a 400mm lens. There's a boardwalk, and the trees are on either side of the boardwalk. It's hard because of having to try to minimize the background but it's easy because the birds and nests are so close. It's really quite interesting and worth stopping by if you're in Florida during nesting season. They recommend April and May as the best times to visit if the birds is what you're interested in.

5/18/2012, 10:17:29 AM
Canon EOS 7D EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS @214mm
f/11, 1/200, ISO 400
Manual

I hope that helps. Let me know if you have other questions.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on October 19, 2017 at 1:16 PM

Superb detail, Barbara. Not a species I've seen many baby pictures from. This certainly fits the challenge.

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

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on October 20, 2017 at 4:18 PM

Barbara, I often have trouble getting clean shots in rookeries, but you composed this family portrait very well considering the busy location by minimizing the Cattle Egrets in the frame. Might not be a very promising future for the runt at the bottom, but that's Nature. Very well done.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments