The Trick to Creating Low-Nest Osprey Silhouettes at ILE « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

The Trick to Creating Low-Nest Osprey Silhouettes at ILE

What’s Up

While the crane colt family is complete and healthy, they have foiled my efforts to make a great image or two of them swimming. The first two times that I saw them crossing I was late and out of position. On Sunday morning pst, they did not swim across the canal until 9:15am and the light was harsh. The next day was cloudy with dog walkers and fishermen; they stayed on the North Peninsula side. Since Monday was cloudy, I headed down to the point at 8:15. The two adults with Orangey Colt and Grey Colt had already swum across. I got out the SONY 100-400 with the a7r iv and stayed with them for an hour as they foraged. I tried to make some family-group and bird-scape images but did not do very well.

I will be heading down to the lake early on this dead-clear morning, Tuesday 7 APR 2020. I need to get to the post office today. Have a great day and be safe.

Thanks to the many folks who left comments on yesterday’s The Leaf or Not the Leaf? My Big Mistake? Lots on Flower Photography. And New SONY Used Gear Listings … blog post here. Lots of folks were right on the button and most liked the leaf in the frame. I will share my thoughts on the leaf here tomorrow. I was glad to learn that Patrick Sparkman sold two of his four SONY listed items on the first day. That is good news in a somewhat depressed COVID-19 market …

All are invited to share their thoughts on which of today’s three featured images is the strongest. Please let us know why you made your choice. Comments on the strengths and weaknesses of each photo are welcome.

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Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created on the magical evening of 3 APR 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my SUV, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1000. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel. ISO 320: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:16Pm on a partly cloudy late afternoon.

Tracking Flexible Spot M AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly.

Image #1: Osprey pair oon natural nest atop palm

The Trick to Creating Low-Nest Osprey Silhouettes at ILE

I’ve done lots of sunset silhouette photography at ILE, most featuring birds on The Perch. And while the new nest on the dead palm stump is the lowest I have found along the lakeshore, it is still much too tall if the sunset color is in the low western sky. Last Friday afternoon after making lots of tight head portraits of a tame Limpkin, there was not much around and I had just about given up and headed home. But then I noticed a large cloud in the western sky. It had a decent-sized hole in the middle, well above the horizon. Putting two and two together I hung around and voila, I had the high sunset color that I needed. With the two love-birds on the nest, I moved my car well aaway and went to the 200-600 to create the establishing shot above.

This image was also created on the magical evening of 3 APR 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my SUV, I used the Induro GIT 204FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body.. ISO 320. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:22pm on a partly cloudy late afternoon.

Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #2: Osprey landing at natural nest atop palm (3X2)

Bringing Out the Big Gun

When the birds both flew, I repositioned the car and — because they might be returning any second — went to the 600 GM/1.4X TC/a7r iv rig that was already assembled. I set the exposure and the bird obligingly landed and then took off again. Bingo.

This image was also created on the magical evening of 3 APR 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my SUV, I used the Induro GIT 204FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and the 61-MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body.. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras: 1/2000 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. (Don’t ask me how I wound up at f/11.) AWB at 7:25pm on a partly cloudy late afternoon.

Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #3: Osprey landing at natural nest atop palm (boxy crop)

Flight Photography with the SONY a7r iv at 840mm.

Images #2 & #3 are razor-sharp by any standard. At 100%, the bill and the talons are scary sharp. Had I gone to WIDE AF Area (as Patrick Sparkman prefers for most of his SONY flight photography) rather than Center Zone, I might have been able to create an image or two with the bird well to the left of the nest. Image #2 is a crop with a bit of canvas added on the right, and Image #2 is an obviously boxy crop. With the 61-MP 7r iv files cropping sharp images is never a problem at all.

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7 comments to The Trick to Creating Low-Nest Osprey Silhouettes at ILE

  • avatar Tony Z

    I really prefer the position of the bird in image #2, as a whole. Just seems more dynamic to me.
    But i like the framing in #3 with more next showing.

  • avatar Bill Eaton

    Number 3 for my vote.Wing position is great
    and talons are awesome.

  • avatar Ted Willcox

    Image #2 is my favourite. I like the horizontal composition, the beautiful background, and I also like the position of the wings and feet in this image better then #2

  • avatar Bill Webb

    Image 3 for me. Approach angle, wing position, talon display all work.

    Another issue/question: Are you finding that you prefer the α7R iv over the α9 ii for most of your work? I have the α9 ii and the α7R iii (using 200-600G) and while the α9 is fantastic for in flight captures, I find that I am more satisfied with the α7’s overall performance and the extra available pixels for cropping are always good.

    Many of my subjects are small birds (wrens, phoebes, bluebirds, kinglets) in brush so the α7 definitely works best in those situations. For the larger subjects (hawks, owls, herons, egrets, etc.) either camera works well. And actually, my α7R iii tracks pretty darn well – not as well as the α9 ii, though.

    Just curious because I find myself wondering if I should have bought the α7R iv instead of the α9 ii. (Sigh)

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Hi Bill, Thanks for your comment and your question. When it comes to birds in flight, the a9 and the a9 ii are far better than the a7r series bodies. And that goes double for folks with the 200-600. That said in spite of the sharpness of Images #2 and #3. If you keep your shutter speeds up and the bird holds still for a moment the 7r iv is great. I enjoy working with the a9 ii much more than with the 7r iv as it is so fast and everything is sharp. On the other hand, thee 7r iv files are amazing and you can crop with impunity.

      Best advice? Own one of each!

      with love, artie

  • avatar James Saxon

    No. 3 due to the wing position, more separation in the talons and more nest. Love the color of the sky. Very nice.

  • avatar Marr Miller

    I like #3 best. 1. Wing position. 2. More nest helps the context. All 3 are very nice.

Leave a Reply to Marr Miller Cancel reply

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