[missbirdphotos] Re: It's official! I'm going to Alaska
- From: "Dance, Gayla" <dancegf@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "'missbirdphotos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <missbirdphotos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2012 13:49:48 -0500
Thank you so much. I dream of obtaining this type of result.
Well, now I am on a quest for some special branches. Thanks for the
inspiration.
gayla
From: missbirdphotos-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:missbirdphotos-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Robert Smith
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 1:39 PM
To: Mississippi Bird Photos Freelists
Subject: [missbirdphotos] Re: It's official! I'm going to Alaska
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<mailto:rsmithent@xxxxxxx>
www.photobiologist.com<http://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<mailto:rsmithent@xxxxxxx>
www.photobiologist.com<http://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 Alaska
It'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 dance
Brandon.
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