[PIC_THREAD] Wildlife, Animals, Birds, Zoo

I don't normally photograph animals in captivity for various reasons but I photographed these at a nearby park because I have been struggling with the wild birds recently. it is actually a bird sanctuary, these guys wouldn't make it in the wild due to broken wings or missing an eye.

The key to capturing captive animals I find is try to eliminate any clues to the facts that they were captive, such as fencing (but to be honest with the location).

Adding natural branches and things can help with the feeling of being natural. However some subtleties always gives things away, in this photo the background blur has some detail relating to the mesh fencing.

The D800 resolves plenty of feather detail, much more than I would get from my D90 even when down-sampled to the same web resolution.

D.P. · 24 Jul 2014 at 23:03

In comparison this about all I have manged in 2014 for wild birds of prey.
Pretty boring photo of an osprey but this is more to show where I stand so far.

I waited around an hour for some kind of action but nada. this is also a fairly tight crop form the D800, despite using a 300mm with 1.4xTC

Not a patch on last years work:

Phal · 24 Jul 2014 at 23:46

Just some Swans parading past me!

1- Nice and Low angle

All Your Ducks In A Row (Or your Swans) by Phal44, on Flickr

2- That middle Cygnet looks like he/she think they're too good for me!

Swanny Swan Train by Phal44, on Flickr

crinkleshoes · 25 Jul 2014 at 03:17

DSC_4619_2 by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

DSC_4619_3_crop by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

DSC_4629 by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

DSC_4629_crop by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

DSC_4632 by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

DSC_4632_crop by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

DSC_4634 by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

DSC_4634_crop by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

DSC_4646 by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

DSC_4647 by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

I love this pic

DSC_4604_2 by CosmicLogos, on Flickr

paul10 · 25 Jul 2014 at 10:36

port lympne

[/url]20140718-P1020982.jpg by paul stuart, on Flickr[/IMG][/IMG][/IMG]

[/url]20140718-P1010547.jpg by paul stuart, on Flickr[/IMG]

a very hot day at port lympne wildlife park.

paul10 · 25 Jul 2014 at 17:15

port lympne

[/url]20140718-P1020986.jpg by paul stuart, on Flickr[/IMG]

[/url]20140718-P1010558.jpg by paul stuart, on Flickr[/IMG][/IMG]

D.P. · 25 Jul 2014 at 20:43

Some from the other day at a local park.
I wish I had my tripod with me, I could only stop down to about f/11 with the light, and focus becomes hard at macro scales (slightly movement shifts you DOF off the subject)
.

These are basically 100% from the D800. I might print the last one at 20x30" to put in my office.

paul10 · 25 Jul 2014 at 23:15

Eagle heights
http://vimeo.com/100644639
Really like the dragon flies I tried, Today to take some pics of dragon flies but struggled to get near them ,how did you get so close without them flying off ,what fl macro lens did you use ?

D.P. · 26 Jul 2014 at 01:55

I used a 300mm f/4.0 with a 1.4xTC on a FF D800.

With were around 1m away. This combo doesn't give true macro but with dragon flies that are quite big it works. Not sure of the exact magnification ratio when used with the TC.

The focal length is the key to insects. All macro lenses will be able to go to 1:1 reproduction ratio. This means an item that is 1cm big will cover the 1cm on the sensor. However, lenses with longer focal length will allow you to be further away to achieve that. So for insects a long focal length helps a lot, even if you don't quite get 1:1.

It also took around an hour of standing still waiting until they got used to me and landed I right in front.

paul10 · 26 Jul 2014 at 09:10

This what I was thinking probably better of using my 100-300mm x2 crop m43 lens a opposed to my 45mm elmarit macro lens x2 crop ,I do have a vivtar 85 mm old manual lens that does have macro capabilities and I've adapted to m43 but even this at 85mm x2 is probably to short .cheers

Hyburnate · 26 Jul 2014 at 09:27

Abraxaz1 said:
Crow by dale.jrose, on Flickr

Looks like a Jackdaw to me