# pretty birds,



## rick93 (Jun 25, 2012)

Hi friends,

I was walking around in the bush a while back and saw these birds. Hard to get close to but I thought I would share. These are the times when I wish for a nice 500mm lens but I will just try with what I have (tamron 70-300 SP VC) I don't even 'want' a 500mm lens since I cant afford one
I know that they are soft but that's the best I could get (I think) Both shot at 1/640sec, ISO 400, and the first one at f/6.3 second at f/5.6.

1.







2.











Thanks for looking and comments will be appreciated.


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## BlackSheep (Jun 25, 2012)

Actually, your second photo doesn't look too soft, at least not to me. Is it cropped already?


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## irfan.in.tx (Jun 25, 2012)

The second shot looks quite sharp and has good composition.. If you crop it to make it more of a vertical orientation (or at least remove the foreground leaf on the left), it will look very nice.


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## WesternGuy (Jun 26, 2012)

The first one is soft because it is a bit out of focus.  The second one is nice and sharp and as irfan.in.tx says, if you crop it to take out the leaf in the lower left, you will get a better image.  The leaf is OOF and is a distraction in an otherwise decent capture.  I am just curious as to what these birds are - they look like cinnamon-chested bee-eaters.
______________
WesternGuy

P.S.  You just think you don't want a 500mm lens if you are shooting birds - every bird-shooter I know (including me) wants a 500 or 600mm lens, whether they can afford it or not. :mrgreen:


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## Jaemie (Jun 26, 2012)

The second is very nice!


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## Terenas1986 (Jun 26, 2012)

The 2nd photo is good enough... although I would have composed it to the left (birds on the left, branches in the middle - not so much important - and right side is "empty"). But it is good enough this way as well.
First one is blurry a bit yeah... but is the lens truly soft? I don't know about that... however you might have focusing issues there as I look at it... was that branch shaking away-and-back from the camera? Cause that might have been your issue sometimes... I had it too. If you're not fast enough snapping the picture RIGHT after the focusing sound, then "an out-of-focus danger is lighting up above your head"! ))


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## rick93 (Jun 26, 2012)

Thanks very much all. 

@Blacksheep; I did crop it but I didn't think about the banana-leaf at the bottom-left.

@Irfan.in.tx; thanks, check the two edits, any better?

@WesternGuy; glad to hear that it is out of focus. Then at least I know I am doing something wrong, not the lens.



WesternGuy said:


> P.S.  You just think you don't want a 500mm lens if you are shooting birds - every bird-shooter I know (including me) wants a 500 or 600mm lens, whether they can afford it or not. :mrgreen:



Lol, I just don't wanna waste my time wishing for a huge lens while knowing that there is no possibility affording it nor getting it past my family. They already think that I am never gonna be content with a lens (did quite a bit of selling and buying this year) so telling them that I am gonna sell my tammy and get a 500mm $2000 lens would bring war

@Jeamie; glad you like them!

@Terenas1986; I think the branch was shaking. Thanks for the tip about the focusing-sound-press theory! 

The two edits

1.






2.


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## Jaemie (Jun 26, 2012)

I like edit #1. Sweet and simple and it works.


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## Patriot (Jun 26, 2012)

But can you eat them?


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## JoshuaSimPhotography (Jun 26, 2012)

Patriot said:


> But can you eat them?


 Wait! what?


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## irfan.in.tx (Jun 26, 2012)

Edit 1 works well. It is nice.


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## Jaemie (Jun 26, 2012)

Patriot said:


> But can you eat them?



Maybe, huh? I've been places where the people are so hard up for food they eat whatever they can catch and local wildlife is quite decimated.


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## Patriot (Jun 27, 2012)

I wasnt really thinking about eating them lol. I cant believe you thought I was for real haha.

Nice pictures by the way, I like the last one you did.


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## joinebee (Jun 27, 2012)

1st one is cool


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## rick93 (Jun 28, 2012)

Jaemie said:


> Patriot said:
> 
> 
> > But can you eat them?
> ...



I would have been very popular here if I had shot these birds with something else then my camera.... I have seen people eat humming birds here... the ones that when you throw them up in the air they kind of float down..... lots of meat for sure.
Even though you were kidding (patriot) I am sure these birds would taste good. I could send you a whole list of all the weird!! meats I have eaten. After all, this is Africa.


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## Jaemie (Jun 28, 2012)

rick93 said:


> I have seen people eat humming birds here... the ones that when you throw them up in the air they kind of float down.....



Geez, hummingbirds? That's desperate. Poor little birds.


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## Cpi2011 (Jun 28, 2012)

Amazing photos collection. What a mind blowing shot you have done. I am a big fan on your photos. Please keep it up......


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## rick93 (Jun 28, 2012)

Cpi2011 said:


> Amazing photos collection. What a mind blowing shot you have done. I am a big fan on your photos. Please keep it up......



Did you accidently reply to the wrong post?


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## Patriot (Jun 28, 2012)

I think we would like to see that list LOL. Maybe you can do a photo journal of the exotic foods you have eaten.


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## rick93 (Jul 1, 2012)

I doubt many would like it if I did post that list...   Photo-journal would be extremely hard, some of the critters are hard to just see, let alone photograph. Would be cool though..


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## Jaemie (Jul 1, 2012)

rick93 said:


> I doubt many would like it if I did post that list...



*Jaemie imagines the possibilities to include Persian Cat, Miniature Dachshund, and guppy..*


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## rick93 (Jul 1, 2012)

Jaemie said:


> *Jaemie imagines the possibilities to include Persian Cat, Miniature Dachshund, and guppy..*


   Wow!.....scary!... What don't you know??!


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## Patriot (Jul 1, 2012)

Jaemie said:


> rick93 said:
> 
> 
> > I doubt many would like it if I did post that list...
> ...


 
Lol a guppy! Hahaha. You wouldnt even taste it.


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## Jaemie (Jul 1, 2012)

hehehe...  I've eaten Gourami.


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## Patriot (Jul 2, 2012)

Jaemie said:


> hehehe...  I've eaten Gourami.


 
Lol I'm scared to ask what else you've eaten


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## carlos58 (Jul 2, 2012)

second is very good shot


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## Joel_W (Jul 2, 2012)

Your 1st edit/crop works for me. Nice image.


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## rick93 (Jul 2, 2012)

Thanks Carlos and Joel.  I went back where I saw them a couple times already but haven't seen any since. Got rained out once too.  Now its rainy season here in the rain forest so lots and lots of rain.


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