Allen Kurth
December 2024 - Headed South for the Winter
About the Image(s)
I took this shot on December 7, 2024 at Loess Bluffs NWR. Thousands of geese pass through the refuge in the Fall and Spring. The only area that photographers can go to is a road around the reserve. The refuge is huge – 7350 acres so the majority of the birds are far from the road.
This shot was taken at 1/320 second at f/9 ISO 160. This is a slower shutter speed than I would normally use because I wanted to pan the camera a bit and show some motion. I used a 600mm lens with a 1.4x extender.
6 comments posted
Loess Bluffs is an amazing location in spring for spring migration....love it.
your image looks fine with nice separation from the background...but enough to note the snow geese in the background. Bird's body looks sharp, great job especially since the bird was approaching you. Wings look blurry, is this what you were shooting for? Your panning looks quite effective. I wonder if lower speed would have made those wings show even more motion.
Posted: 12/11/2024 17:03:14
your image looks fine with nice separation from the background...but enough to note the snow geese in the background. Bird's body looks sharp, great job especially since the bird was approaching you. Wings look blurry, is this what you were shooting for? Your panning looks quite effective. I wonder if lower speed would have made those wings show even more motion.
Posted: 12/11/2024 17:03:14
Deborah Albert
I agree with Raj although I do find the white of the swans a tad distracting Posted: 12/11/2024 17:16:35
I would try to blur the background a little more
Otherwise the image is nice. Posted: 12/19/2024 22:11:08
Otherwise the image is nice. Posted: 12/19/2024 22:11:08
Pinaki, please check out the ND guidelines. https://psa-photo.org/page/division-definitions
Selective sharpening and selective lightening and darkening are allowed, but blurring is not. The idea being that you can de-emphasize the BG but you are not permitted to hide or disguise it.
Lillian Posted: 12/22/2024 18:46:46
Selective sharpening and selective lightening and darkening are allowed, but blurring is not. The idea being that you can de-emphasize the BG but you are not permitted to hide or disguise it.
Lillian Posted: 12/22/2024 18:46:46
Allen,
I think your shutter speed worked for this image, and your focus was spot-on. I love the approaching goose, though I have to agree that the geese in the BG are bright and somewhat distracting. You can definitely darken the entire BG to emphasize your subject.
Lillian Posted: 12/22/2024 18:51:13
I think your shutter speed worked for this image, and your focus was spot-on. I love the approaching goose, though I have to agree that the geese in the BG are bright and somewhat distracting. You can definitely darken the entire BG to emphasize your subject.
Lillian Posted: 12/22/2024 18:51:13
Allen Kurth
Yes, I do think darker is an improvement - thanks. Posted: 12/22/2024 22:04:30