Geese

[yakfisher]

Here are some shots that I took across from the gas station after I filled up yesterday. There is a filter pond there and the geese had found a small hole in it that they were drinking from. Any C&C is welcome. I did a fair bit of PS work please let me know what you think.

#1

#2

#3

#4

Thanks for looking, now get back to your family and friends and enjoy the holiday. I'll hold down the fort from my hotel room here in Dayton. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

[hendenhook]

Yak - those are all pretty cool - I like the second one best probably because of the way they are "boatin" in.

[Steve Foss]

I like the 2nd one best as well for the simplicity of the comp and the cool tail angles shown. The last one also is very pleasing. Nice work.

What pp did you do?

[yakfisher]

PP?

[Steve Foss]

PP = post processing. You'd said you did a fair amount of photoshop work on them.

[yakfisher]

Ah, that's kinda what I thought. I used PS Elements 5.0. Thanks for the compliments. I darn near went blind on that last shot. I was holding down the button and panning with the bird when I saw the sun flash across my eyes. Wow that thing is bright.

[MN Shutterbug]

I gotta go with number 2 also, although they are all well shot. I like how the middle goose in #2 appears to be dancing on air.

[Yeti]

Thanks for the pics Yak....there is something about waterfowl that gets me going...I can't explain it...but I really enjoy the pics!

I like #2 the best...paddles down and dropping hard!

I am not sure if you messed with the brightness or contrast or not....but the whites seem a little unnatural. Maybe a little overexposed?? Could be my work monitor too...it was built before transistors!!

[Dbl]

Yak I like #1 the best, the crop seems more natural to me and its a bit sharper. The whites are blown out in #1 and #3. You could use a bit of -EC to help with that.

[yakfisher]

Thanks Dan, that is the type of info I am looking for. These were shot in RAW so I can adjust the EC within PSE or NX2, but I am assuming that you are recommending that I do it from the camera in the first place. I had the camera set to -1/3 EC in an attempt to get it right in the camera. This is the original as shot no PP. My errors may have been in the PP work that was done.

#1 Original

Thank you to everyone else as well. Since #2 was pretty popular I took the next frame from the series and ran it through Capture NX2. My intentto see if I get similar results with a similar photo from another program and to help me learn a little more about NX2. Here it is again all C&C is welcome, it will only help me to improve.

#2 part Duex

[Dbl]

Yak, I believe you got it right in the camera. You did the right thing by using -EC. The bottom line best advice I could give you would be get on the other side of your subject. Another words shoot with your subject being lighted by the sun.

I know it doesn't always work that way, but if you were shooting a portrait with this light you would do what? Yes you would use a flash as fill to raise the exposure in your shadows. BIF's really are no different, except you will have a tough time using a flash that far out, so do the next best thing and use the sun.

You are really making it a bit harder and more work because of all the PP work you must do. These days many folks would prefer to just get the shot and fix it on PP, often times successfully. I prefer to spend more time in front of a camera than a computer! Not a knock at all on your work anyone else's including my own, just maybe some food for thought!

[yakfisher]

Yak, I believe you got it right in the camera. You did the right thing by using -EC. The bottom line best advice I could give you would be get on the other side of your subject. Another words shoot with your subject being lighted by the sun.

I know it doesn't always work that way, but if you were shooting a portrait with this light you would do what? Yes you would use a flash as fill to raise the exposure in your shadows. BIF's really are no different, except you will have a tough time using a flash that far out, so do the next best thing and use the sun.

You are really making it a bit harder and more work because of all the PP work you must do. These days many folks would prefer to just get the shot and fix it on PP, often times successfully. I prefer to spend more time in front of a camera than a computer! Not a knock at all on your work anyone else's including my own, just maybe some food for thought!

But, without PP what would I do here in DAY for 30hours on a holiday

Thanks Dan, I gotta get em wrong to learn to get em right and if I can learn to fix them along the way it will make me a well rounded photographer.

[Dbl]

I hear ya Yak! I've spent more Thanksgivings than I care to remember sitting around hotels! Oh and you are doing just fine, just hoping to give you some pointers to get you thinking

[yakfisher]

I've actually spent the past couple of days hoping that when I get home they are still using that pond and that the wind is a little more favorable for the lighting and that I can get into a better position. After all it is about 2 blocks from the house. And I definitely appreciate the pointers and opportunity to learn, keep them coming whenever you like.

[mmeyer]

That second shot on your last set is really great Yak! I love that one.

[Steve Foss]

The simplest rule of thumb for landing waterfowl is to put the sun behind you and shoot when the wind is coming from the same direction as the sun.

Since most waterfowl land into the wind most of the time (you pilots would know about that), that will give you the best opportunity most of the time. Exceptions are when the wind is gentle or variable. And of course birds are individuals.

[yakfisher]

The other exception would be this time of year when to sun is low across the horizon and the wind is from the north. My best option with a north wind on this pond will be early or late in the day when I can hopefully get some side lighting. If I'm lucky we'll have a warm front passing and the wind will be from the south shifting to the west. Thanks you everyone for the input, it definitely helps keep it coming.