Buffies (cleared for landing)

[buzzsaw]

Me and two of my regular photo buddies went out on Saturday morning to a large pond that year in and year out brings in these masses of Buffleheads. Two of us set up on the shoreline while the third walks slowly on the other side pushing the ducks back to our side and occasionally a few drop out of the skies. This pond is enclosed by cattails turning that brownish/orange right now and the morning was as calm as one could have hoped for.

All images were captured using a D300 with the 300mm F/2.8 and the 2x TC was attached. (I hardly ever use that TC when photographing, however it works pretty decent with this lens and camera combo)

[Steve Foss]

Sweeeeeet! Looks like the 300mm and the 2x are quite a well-mated pair. Love the buttery background, too!

[finnbay]

Great action and great light!

[polarsusd81]

Awesome stuff Buzz. Love the colors of the background reflecting onto the water.

[jonny_redhorse]

All nice Mike but that last one is "thee" one

[MARINERMAGNUM]

All are great! Very sharp for a 2x!

[Jim Almquist]

They all look great Buzz and the color really makes the shots.

[Steve Foss]

There aren't too many lenses that can take a 2x and still deliver excellent IQ. I reckon the Nikkor 300 f2.8 VR is one of them.

But not to get myself caught up in equipment talk. These are beautifully composed images, and the only thing the lens does is make them sharply beautifully composed images that are as they are because the photographer knew the light and the subject and the place and could make his equipment perform up to the level of his setting.

Man, I think I'm about to blush.

[buzzsaw]

Naw, I had my eyes closed man!!

Steve the funny thing is... you know one of the guys I was shooting with... he got nothing. ( ;

So I got lucky. ( ;

[yakfisher]

Beautiful work.

[Steve Foss]

Naw, I had my eyes closed man!!

Steve the funny thing is... you know one of the guys I was shooting with... he got nothing. ( ;

So I got lucky. ( ;

There are so many directions I could go there that I think I'll just keep my mouth shut.

Who is our mutual acquaintance?

[MN Shutterbug]

He was probably the third person that was forced to push them towards the 2 of you.

[Steve Foss]

Or he was the guy that buzzy pushed and held down with his boot so he couldn't bring his lens to bear. Nature photography: It's a Nikon eat Canon or Canon eat Nikon world out there.

You know I'm just ribbin ya, Mike.

[buzzsaw]

Thats a good sequence right there! Steve, it was another guy that we've recently had in our e-mail threads. The third guy was Pete Riola and he was the gracious one who volunteered to help us out... it all works out as we take turns.

One more, a stud Ringneck with two lady friends.

[Steve Foss]

Ahhhh, that other photog was a bit STANdoffish, eh?

Nother great sweet pic with light and BG. Also with the 300/2xtc?

[Dbl]

Beautiful shots Mike, love those backgrounds.

[buzzsaw]

Ahhhh, that other photog was a bit STANdoffish, eh?

Nother great sweet pic with light and BG. Also with the 300/2xtc?

Bingo and well said!!! Same setup as the others. I will say that I believe the D300 is calibrated better with my 300mm than the D200 was... out of the box anyways. I noticed an immediate difference in I.Q.

Thanks, Dan!

[Catmendo]

Absoluetly brillant Mike!!!

[buzzsaw]

Absoluetly brillant Mike!!!

Thanks, Stu! I appreciate the kind words. I think this upcoming Saturday will be the final hurrah for that pond... once the ice skims it over they are outta here.

[dukhnt]

Those buffies are amazing. Excellent work buzz.

[DMN]

Wow! Great shots all of them.

[buzzsaw]

Thanks Dukhnt and DMN. I was really hoping to chase them again this AM, however it is pretty nasty out and no light.