B.I.F. (Birds in flight) Challenge

[cgarrard]

Haha, so just taking the rules in your own hands eh? I see how it is. j/k ;)

Nice shots especially like the 2nd one.

Carl

[Copy_Kot]

Nice shot CK. I never get a chance to shoot ducks in flight because when I se them I am in teh woods along a river bank.. and the trees always ruin my shot.

Thank you Jaedon.

Here are two from today 5/13/07

[Knight]

Not the best of captures but under the weather conditions ,not to bad . Merganser .

[Lava Lamp]

For your consideration...

[cgarrard]

WOOOOOOOWW, that heron is magical!! what a shot!! I'd be very very happy to have that one!

Carl

[Lava Lamp]

Here's an Osprey...

[Loupey]

Great stuff, guys!

Clipped the wings on the first - but the meal makes up for it?

Still trying to replicate the shot Bev posted last year with the Swift and the Mayfly. Plenty of the feeding action with our swallows and swifts - still working out the timing issue.

[Lava Lamp]

Black-Crowned Night Heron...

[cgarrard]

Nice juvenile NH Lava

Carl

[Canon_Bob]

Decided to add one more to this thread. This is a Turkey Vulture:

[Knight]

Not as close as i would have liked , Eastern Medowark.

[Jaedon]

I love the DOF in this shot Glenn. It looks like the bird is about to fly into a wall of fog...or blurriness.

[Loupey]

That's one gorgeous looking field there, Knight.

You do realize that Eastern Meadowlarks only fly in one direction - away from you

Nice shooting.

[mjs1973]

I have to admit, I haven't tried much in flight stuff, so I thought I would give it a go today. This is deffinetly something I need to practice more.

Tree Swallow

[cgarrard]

Some really great additions, what a very successful thread.

Really liking the Meadowlark in the meadow, the shot just shows its home so well.

My vote is for Canon Bob, some very serious shots made there. Magnificent stop action photos.

Carl

[Canon_Bob]

Thanks Carl! I appreciate the compliment! Here are a couple "encore" shots:

Osprey with dinner:


Burrowing Owl in flight:

[cgarrard]

Ok, now you are just showing off! j/k

You make me sick! ...no wait, motivated!! I'd be proud to own any of your shots you've posted. Do you live in an area where you can get shots like this reasonably close, or do you do a lot of traveling? Just curious,

Loving the "Bass fisherman"!

C

[canuck4everr]

Heres my entry . the lowly seagull strikes ! view original size here http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...57594425405420

[Loupey]

Awesome catch, Canuck4everr and welcome to PR!

Catching even the most common subject doing something special make it a winner in my books. I'm having trouble identifying what it he has - a starfish?

[cgarrard]

Yes that is a starfish. Nice catch both of you, very nice!

Carl

[Canon_Bob]

Ok, now you are just showing off! j/k

You make me sick! ...no wait, motivated!! I'd be proud to own any of your shots you've posted. Do you live in an area where you can get shots like this reasonably close, or do you do a lot of traveling? Just curious,

Loving the "Bass fisherman"!

C

I would venture as far as saying that the area I live in (Southwest Florida), is probably one of the best birding places in the world. That said, however, I am an extremely active photographer, and spend a LOT of time shooting. I travel all over an area that covers the Southwest region of the state. At the end of the day, you just have to put yourself in positions to make shots. I'll spend countless hours standing in a swamp somewhere looking for activity. Many of my best shots came from my back yard (or within close proximity to my home), Others came from a hundred miles away. You just never know. Most of my favorite shooting areas are 30 minutes to an hour from my home.

ETA - For the record, I only shoot part time on weekends and sometimes evenings (I actually have a REAL job), but I've taken over 14,000 pictures in the past 9 months. Even if my "keeper" percentage were less than10 percent, that's still a lot of good shots. I think the key is to blast away. Practice! Its digital! Study other photographers, and open yourself up to honest critique.

[cgarrard]

Sound advice, I totally agree with you. Im new in the wildlife category, but im stomping away at it. I was just curious how you nailed your shots. Pretty much sounds like par to the course. You do never know, you just have to be ready and take as many shots as possible.

C

[cgarrard]

Ok guys, I started this thread and i've only added one photo. I think its time for another. Caught this little guy today. Thoughts?

Carl

[Canon_Bob]

Love the BG and DOF on this. The head/eye need to be just a bit sharper to really nail this. Crop may ne a bit too tight, I'd back it off a bit, and re-frame with some room to the left side. That said, when you nail this one you'll have one heck of a shot!

[Canon_Bob]

FWIW I think Loupey's dragonfly shots get the nod from me. Gotta give high marks for technical difficulty!