The Photography forum

Pix from New Mexico

Well....as promised...I got to take some photos in New Mexico.  There is a nice little park right in Albuquerque, called Rio Grande Nature Center State Park.  As you would expect, it is right on the Rio Grane river.  While I saw Cooper's Hawks and a Great Horned Owl, I wasn't able to get any good photos of them due to them hiding in brush, etc. 

Here's what I got.  I am most excited that I was finally able to get a photo of a wood duck.  In NJ, they are much harder to spot and very easily spooked.  The one photo, a blurred photo of a mallard taking off, is my homage to Arthur Morris' blur photo style.  It is not the greatest, but I am trying.  :-)

Off to New Mexico

Well....I am off to New Mexico.  Hopefully, I will get some good photos while I am out there.  I, unfortunately, will not be going to Bosque Del Apache, but I hope to get some photo opp's all the same. 

Stay tuned as I hope to have some info from the Art of Bird Photography II book coming shortly.

Art of Bird Photography II

I was reading the "Art of Seeing" book and was finding it rather boring.  So, I ordered Arthur Morris' follow up to the "Art of Bird Photography", called ironically, "Art of Bird Photography II".  I will start reading that and posting my notes accordingly.

 

Is My Jinx (maybe) Broken?

I finally was able to take some photos yesterday.  These are more in the realm of better.  At least there were some subjects to be had.  No luck with hawks, but I am happy to have gotten this photo of the wren.

This turkey vulture was very patient with me.  I saw him and then had to set up (I wasn't ready).  Fortunately, he waited around long enough that I could get a decent shot of him as well.

 

Hawk Hunting and No Pix

The joke going around is that I am now jinxed.  I have the new lens that can get great photos and there is nothing around to shoot.  I have gone out three times in search for hawks in areas where they frequent and have never had any real opportunities to get any decent shots.  Hawks are tough.  They always seem to know what I am trying to do and fly away.

Here's my only shot from my recent exploits.  Not really great, but thought I would share.

Drive by (photo) Shooting

One of the things that I didn't think would be possible with a 600 mm lens would be the ability to take photos from the car.  However, I was wrong.  Granted, it is not as easy as with a tripod, but it is definitely doable.  I have a LensCoat cover on the lens and that offers a nice cushion when resting the lens against the edge of the window.  This acts sort of like a monopod for me.

Here's an example of a shot I took while using this method.

The New Tripod

I haven't gotten my new tripod (Gitzo GT5541LS) from B&H yet, but my friend, Jim, has that model and lent it to me.  I took it for a spin yesterday to see if it would make a difference in the clarity of my shots.  All I can say is, wow, what a difference!

First of all, that tripod is rock solid.  It hardly moves.  While it is noticeably heavier than my model I have now, the Gitzo GT3541LS, it is noticeably sturdier and beefier.  When I have the lens on it, it really doesn't shake unless I give it a good tap.  Combining the tripod with long lens technique and I am getting the shots, clarity-wise, that I have always wanted.

While this shot isn't a great shot, or even the best example, it does show some really nice clarity.  Also, this shot has been heavily cropped so the clarity really does extend beyond full frame.