Killdeer on ice

[casil403]

This poor little bird looked so out of place slipping around on the ice.
This was a hard shot to get because the lighting just sucked...totally flat and not much of it! :wall-an:
This was the best I could do out of a ton of shots I took most of them ended up in the junk file! :headslap:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2452/4019417701_876e59b2be_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/4019417881_a4b29eda90_o.jpg

[zenon5940]

The second one really does it for me, thanks for sharing Casil.

[Michaelaw]

Good job casil...I like them both but #1 shows the cold solitude of the moment best for me:highfive:

PS...It's not uncommon for me to take 30-40 shots of a bird with only two or three being of any worth:)

[casil403]

Thanks Z and MAw....thanks too for the tidbit Maw...you just make it look so easy! :)
When I grow up I wanna take pix just like Michaelaw!

[Mad Aussie]

I'm the same Casil ... I'll take dozens of shots of birds and keep only a small few of them because most are substandard by comparison.

That second shot is good. With that external flash you've have nailed that sucker!!

[casil403]

That second shot is good. With that external flash you've have nailed that sucker!!
Thanks MA.

Hmmmm......external flash or morgage payment.........:confused:

[Mad Aussie]

Hmmm tough call but I'd go the morgage payment!

[Bambi]

definitely mortgage payment. it's hard to upload photos if you are homeless :)

I like both photos. the first for the mood and the second for the detail.

good work!

[Marko]

I agree with MAW on this one...totally dig shot 1 for its feeling of solitude.

[Jake_And123]

I like the 1st shot, because the composition is better and it does portray that loneliness a lot more! The 2nd shot seems a little bit too dead on/up close that it loses a lot of possible effect and doesn't have much perspective. The 2nd one is nonetheless a good picture, but falls under the category of portraiture or a simple descriptive photo of nothing but the bird. Dscovery channel/wikipedia type stuff. This is all just a personal opinion of course.

Keep it up!

[casil403]

Well I just got back and coughed up some dough for an external flash...I get $300/per month for renting my parking spot so I guess November 1's money is spent. :eek:

I was going to go on Ebay but after hearing Bambi's issues with Photoshop CS I decided to stick with The Camera store...someone I know and reliiably trust and they know me too. Yup it probably cost more (sorry F8), but I know where it came from and where to take it back if i have an issue.
And as a bonus they threw in a ticket for this weekend's photo expo to boot! :clap:

[zenon5940]

Good for you Casil. I hope you enjoy you flash.

[Bambi]

:clap:
looking forward to the results of the new flash!

(but no pressure ;) )

[Mad Aussie]

Cool Casil ... which flash is it? When will you get it?

[casil403]

Oh I got it already MA.....it's a Pentax AF-360FGZ if that means anything.
Seems to have all the fixin's.
Which means something else i have to now learn...LOL!

[Mad Aussie]

Looks like a great choice! PENTAX AF360FGZ Flash - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site (http://www.pentaximaging.com/accessories/AF360FGZ/)

It has High Speed Sync too which is gold when you want to catch that fast little bird but available light isn't enough to crank up the shutter speed. Now you can ;)
And a flash like that allows you to adjust so the flash isn't so evident in the photo too.

I went for a walk this morning with my zoom lens and my flash which is basically the Canon equivalent of that one you have now ... I'll start putting a few shots up when I get a chance.