One of my biggest challenges is knowing all of the functions of Photoshop and how to edit so that I do not make the photos look over processed. For me I almost always try to take pictures of animals on a natural object (Personal preference). There are times when a man made object will add to the story of the photo. I mostly share my photos on FB in a couple of birding groups for Texas birders. For years I have put my photos in files by bird type and if I go to a ranch I make a separate folder for the trip and the have sub folders within. I have the photos on my computer and on a back-up drive. At least once a year I will make the time to go through my photos and weed out the older ones and keep the ones I like the best.
I was drawn to the seagulls sitting in a row on this sign and tried to capture this one trying to squeeze in. It was a fun photo because of their positioning and the third one from the right seems to be telling the incoming seagull that there really is n't any more room. The other two photos I too this morning while driving some back roads to get home. I initially stopped to take some photos of the hawk but a red-winged blackbird came in and added a bit more drama.
The Crested Caracara is what made me pull over for this shot. After that I noticed the mockingbird that was relentlessly harassing the caracara. Mockingbirds are know for their fierce protection of their territory and nesting area, often taking on much larger birds, animals and even humans. In the end the mockingbird won and the caracara flew away. These were taken during harsh Texas afternoon sun so I did work with shadows and highlights to soften up some.
Great shot! I personally like to get a pic from the back every now and then. So many people take photos from the front of a bird forgetting photos from the back show the amazing colors and patterns birds feathers have.
I love how the painted bunting came out crisp but the leaves in the foreground and background are blurred almost creating a frame. This doesn't follow the rule of thirds bit the blurred edges draw the focus to the bird.
I work from home so I added a couple of items to my yard that the birds land on before going to a feeder or bird bath to help me get more natural photos. First I have some stands made with wood and PVC pipe so I can stick a branch in and place near feeders or bird bath. Second I got some drift wood and ran a drip line behind so the will still drip into the bath and the wood gives a good place for birds to sit while waiting their turn. I can easily edit out the drip tube if it shows up in a photo. I am posting photos of one of my stands and the main drip bath. I live in a regular neighborhood so nothing fancy about my yard. I have moved the bath several times because I have discovered that the birds love the small persimmon tree for cover and the bath works best there. I have watched the birds long enough to know that some come during particular timed during the day and year.
@Isabelle
Yes - Always thrilling when you see a new species you haven't seen before or get to see them interacting or catching/eating prey. Thanks for your complement!
I am taking this course to hopefully help me with taking pictures of birds in flight. I use a Nikon D7200 with a Nikkor 200-500mm lens which I love. It takes great still and birds in flight shots. It is a bit heavy but I have had it for 3 years now so I don't notice the weight any more. I would say the only downside for me is the 5.6 f stop. It makes shooting in low light situations challenging but I have been trying to learn about manual mode to aid with this. I got a Gimbal tripod (Manfrotto with a Sevenak gimbal head) this mad a huge difference for me when sitting at a blind. I also do a lot of shooting from my "mobile bird blind" (Toyota 4Runner). I also have a bird-blind for my yard made from PVC pipe and mosquito netting. Super simple and light and I have even had birds land on top of it while I am in it. I am interested to see what other cameras and lens combos others use.