I keep my eye out for photogenic perches all the time when I'm out & about. When I'm on property where I have permission ot "collect" props, I'll put them in my truck. Such props have ranged from small branches to 500+ pound logs. Here are a couple of examples. In the cardinal & mockingbird shot, I picked up a dead cedar branch is southeast Georgia & carried it back to central North Carolina. It was almost 8 months later that I used it. I pulled down some greenbriar (with fruit) & wrapped it "naturally" on the branch. I then put the branch in a Christmas tree stand near a feeder. I got in a chair blind with my lens & moved it back & forth until "the" branch was composing pleasingly in the viewfinder... I spent an hour or so in the blind & got several shots I was happy with - two attached here. In the bluebird & cedar waxwing shots, I put a pyracantha branch on an old fence post that I had a mealworm feeder on, hoping for some bluebird shots. The cedar waxwing stopped by as well (much to my pleasure!). Again, I was sitting in a chair blind with the sun at my back... In the chipmunk picture, I was looking at a piece of property for a gentleman, when we drove down next to the river. A recent flood had deposited a log across the woods road - and it was a nice, hollow sycamore with lots of holes! Rather than throw it out of the road, we put it in the back of the truck. I took it to Gary Carter's and with a little work with a posthole digger, we had a new prop... A few handfuls of peanuts down the hole resulted in chipmunk & squirrels going in & out... And then the cardinal in the snow... I had a sweetgum snag "planted" in the yard. Just before a snow, I hung a Christmas ornament on it. As the snow fell, I sat in a blind & shot away... I could go on & on with similar examples... One problem with "special" perches is that you have to change them out regularly or all your pictures start to look the "same". Robert Smith 336-339-3497 rsmithent@xxxxxxx www.photobiologist.com From: dancegf@xxxxxxxxxxxx To: missbirdphotos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2012 13:16:49 -0500 Subject: [missbirdphotos] Re: It's official! I'm going to Alaska If you have the time and inclination, I would love a photo to see the set-up for your “special” perches near your feeder. gayla From: missbirdphotos-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:missbirdphotos-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Robert Smith Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 10:05 AM To: Mississippi Bird Photos Freelists Subject: [missbirdphotos] Re: It's official! I'm going to Alaska All right! Congratulations! Enjoy Alaska! Do I use a blind for backyard bird photography? Yes and no. Most of the time I do, but there are some birds that I don't have to use a blind for. If I've set up a number of "special" perches near my feeders, then I often use a blind. There are some birds that are used to me filling up the feeders & will approach within feet of me, but other birds are "spookier" and to get the shots I want, a blind is needed. At my house, it is usually a chair blind or a bigger hunting blind with a chair inside it. My friend, Gary Carter, has an elaborate blind & perch system in his backyard - we've had 8 photographers in his permanent blind at one time. I've got other friends that have built permanent blinds as well. I also have one friend that puts on a ghillie suit and captures amazing bird photos with a 70-300 mm lens in his backyard. I've also laid under camo netting for shorebird & waterfowl pictures. There IS a camo photography blind that resembles a big sack that you put yourself in. I've also been thinking about a response to your eye-level warbler question - I can think of several different times that I've had warblers at eye-level for a number of reasons. Robert Robert Smith 336-339-3497 rsmithent@xxxxxxx www.photobiologist.com From: dancegf@xxxxxxxxxxxx To: missbirdphotos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2012 09:13:57 -0500 Subject: [missbirdphotos] It's official! I'm going to AlaskaIt’s official! We are going on a land/sea cruise to Alaska this year, so I must learn to use my camera!!!! I do have a question for those that practice bird photography in your back yard. Do you use a blind or are the birds accepting of you, if you frequent your backyard often? Does anyone use camo netting to wrap themselves in? It sounds unusual, but I did read that on a forum. I borrowed my son’s D70 camera body yesterday to try with the Bigma. I’m hoping for more light and quicker response time. Gayla danceBrandon.
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