> soft as a baby's bum. Actually I am pretty impressed. In the second shoot they where 75-100 meters away!
> ... get closer. Close enough to lose the converters and > gain the stop or two of speed. Never the less, I am working on getting closer. The problem is that this is very hard. These birds have very good sight, so it is near impossible to sneak up on them. So, I am thinking of the opposite approach, getting them closer to me. What I have done so far is go to the beach and then sit down and wait. And I am pretty convinced that _this_ id how close I can expect them to come. So now, my plan A is to build a "gapahuk" - a primitive hide in English. I will make it using some branches and some old curtains. The gapahuk will scare them off at first, but after a while they will get used to it and come back. That's the time for me to enter the hide, and wait, and wait, and then wait some more. I also have another plan. Using a canoe, and let the tide drift me towards tem. My theory is that they don't scare off as easily by boats at sea, they are used to that. But this is plan B. Canoes are not the steadiest thing on earth, so I will have to fight against camera shakings again. Most likely I will loose the same steps I will gain by getting closer. I'm not too enthusiastic about falling out of the canoe either, with a sea temperature close to zero. My *istDS don't fancy a bath at this time of year either (the camera whispered me this in my ear in Japanese the other day). BTW. Today I used the camera in the rain, no harm done, it purred just as pleased as always. I think it was happy to show what it is made for, use. But tomorrow I will bring a hankie to cower it, just in case. As you probably have read between the lines, this is really fun. And educative, now I am able identify some of the seagulls. The ducks are next. It is also very interesting studying their behaviour. I have borrowed a book that has given me a lot of tips on what to look for. The seagull a Svartbak (lanus marinus in latin) made an amusing act when another svartbak came along, it seemed to pretend "I have no fish". It even flew away. After a while it came back, and continued the meal. Then it was more aggressive, saying "go and get your own fish, you lazy bone" ;-) Tim Mostly harmless (just plain Norwegian) Never underestimate the power of stupidity in large crowds (Very freely after Arthur C. Clarke, or some other clever guy) > -----Original Message----- > From: mike wilson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 28. mars 2006 00:02 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: PESO: Bird shot with "Canon" > > Tim Øsleby wrote: > > > > This is shot with the AF 1,7x TC thingy, and my new zoom. > > > > http://foto.no/cgi-bin/bildegalleri/vis_bilde.cgi?id=227413 > > *istDS 400 ISO raw, at tripod, with Tokina AT-X LD 150-500/5,6 and > AF1,7x, > > @500mm, f:16, 1/400s. Converted, sharpened and cropped in RSP. > > > I like the first one > (http://foto.no/cgi-bin/bildegalleri/vis_bilde.cgi?id=227325) for its > almost monochromatic look. I don't like the fact that I can't make out > what's in it beak. Just not quite the decisive moment for me. I would > have preferred an empty beak. > > The second one is a bit better for seeing what's going on but it's as > soft as a baby's bum. > > If these pictures had been taken in 1956, they would be of National > Geographic standard, technically. In 2006, they just don't make it. > Mainly, I suspect, because people have come to expect more from a picture. > > The only answer I can suggest is to improve your field skills so that > you can get closer. Close enough to lose the converters and gain the > stop or two of speed. Ultimately, this will possibly give you more > satisfaction trying to deal with the problem by throwing money (whatever > size the sum)at it. > > mike >
