nuthatch & nut, by sure2talk
This week’s host is sure2talk on birds
My interest in birds didn’t really take hold until my love for photography was rekindled about 3 years ago. Since then I have taken literally thousands of shots, and while I am still learning and class myself as a beginner I hope I can pass on a few tips.
The main thing you will need is a camera with a reasonable amount of zoom. A point and shoot with at least 10x zoom, preferably more, or a zoom/telephoto lens for your DSLR of at least 200mm. If you have less than the recommended zoom but still want to try photographing birds then stick to larger birds that you can get closer to; swans, geese, ducks etc.
There are several places that you may get fairly close to birds, the first and most obvious, is your own garden/yard. If you already feed the birds, great; if you don’t then putting up a small feeding station will help to attract them to your garden. Adding a perching post of some kind – an old tree branch or garden fork – near your feeder, will maximise your chances of getting a bird posing for a few seconds before it goes on to feed.
Secondly, go to a local nature reserve, many of them have hides from which you can watch and photograph the birds or alternatively you may be able to use your car as a hide. That option is also a possibility for the third choice which is to photograph birds in the wild. Take some bird seed or peanuts, place it on a convenient tree stump/branch and then move away; the birds will gradually learn that the seed is there and begin to come down to feed. After a few times they will come down even while you are still close, that is when you can begin to take photographs.
|
Used the car as a hide to get this shy Great Spotted Woodpecker
f/5.6, 1/400, iso 400, 300mm |
Near me there are a few places where lots of people put out seed for the wild birds on a regular basis and they come down readily. Ask around, there may be similar places near you. Lastly, a visit to a bird of prey centre should get you much closer to the birds than is possible in the wild.
Learning the normal behaviour of the various birds in your locality will help you get a good photograph. For example the birds in the tit family tend to fly in and out very quickly, whereas the finches will often sit and feed for some time. Robins too will frequently ‘pose’ for a few seconds and herons will often obligingly stay motionless for ages! Nuthatches creep up and down tree trunks. Many birds will land on a nearby branch or stump before coming to feed; keeping your eyes open may get you a more natural shot.
Robin posing on a tree stump f/5.6, 1/200, iso 400, 270mm
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted
on 2009/05/28, 08:00,
by zyrcster,
under
Hidden Gems.
Every week, the bartenders serve up Hidden Gems from our patron’s streams. This week, we have a couple of photographs centered around the themes of patterns, colors, and depth of field.
Leslie says,
There are so many things going on in this picture by Here_and_Now, but it’s all so organized that the resulting image is mesmerizing. I love the lines, the light and shadows, the colors. There’s a tangible sense of movement here and I can almost hear the trains whizzing by. This is a great example of a perfect composition.
Jay says,
It was quite hard picking just one photograph from sistaB to highlight, as there are so many great ones in the photostream! I finally decided on Metal Flower. I love the composition, which is perfectly balanced. There were several photos in this series, and the background used for this one helps make the metal bars stand out and feel more three-dimensional. Great focus completes the picture. Overall, just a great shot that I love looking at and contemplating.
A toast to that!
Posted
on 2009/05/27, 08:00,
by zyrcster,
under
Hall of Fame.
The winner of last week’s Top Shelf challenge is Lav_nida!
pattaya @ night by Lav_nida
taken @ view point Pattaya, Thailand
The theme for last week was Cityscape; we voted on a stunning array of exceptional photographs. Congratulations to Lav for entering the Parlour Fifty-One Hall of Fame!
Tied for second place are Debbie G and Robem! Our first tie — congrats, gals!
Our next Top Shelf is now in voting, and the new challenge’s theme is From Your Travels. For Travels, we’re looking for photographs you’ve taken of places you’ve been. Show us your best!
Large red damselfly by Missy2004
Every week, we task our patrons to take new photographs based around a theme in the Scavenger Hunt. Last week, our theme was “Winged”, and we had a super special list of things to find…
- Bird/s
- Insect/s
- Plane or Kite
- Angel
- Any hairdo
Every week, we task our patrons to find the best photographs from other patrons in a theme. Last week, our theme was Bokeh:
Bokeh is a photographic term referring to the appearance of point of light sources in an out-of-focus area of an image produced by a camera lens using a shallow depth of field. Different lens bokeh produces different aesthetic qualities in out-of-focus backgrounds, which are often used to reduce distractions and emphasize the primary subject.
Check out our previous clinic on bokeh and what our patrons have to say about each other’s streams:
-liyen- says,
I particularly like this one, because I am a fan of the “creamy” bokeh that is here, it sets off the white flower beautifully.
|
jnoriko |
Asiunka says,
This is a stunning example of bokeh. The background looks like it is flowing out of the main subject. I love it.
|
TPorter2006 |
cherokeemug says,
I selected this as a wonderful example of bokeh to emphasize the subject…or in this case uncamouflaged the subject! The tones are warm and the sunny bokeh really makes this a great image!
|
Theresa Walsh |
andedam says,
My first pick is “seaweed 2″ by -liyen-, which is just awesome in all kinds of ways. Great use of depth of field, the right amount of sparkle without overdoing it, and the colors are wonderful. I really recommend clicking through to see it in a larger size to fully appreciate the glass sculpture.
|
-liyen- |
What you will find in our new Find My Best?
Posted
on 2009/05/24, 08:00,
by zyrcster,
under
Milestones.
Every week, we ask patrons to brag about their photographic achievements. Take a look.
Corrider of The Venetian by Jenn (Ovaunda)
This one made Explore. Finicky one that magic donkey…
What do you have to brag about?
