The Birds of Ft. Desoto...

[jprzybyla]

I captured these yesterday at Ft. Desoto County Park in Pinellas County, Florida. I worked them up today. C&C welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Ruddy Turnstone... it was fun watching this little guy he would turn over piles of debris and snatch up small crustaceans and insects. A little bulldozer using his head and beak.




Brown Pelican



Unidentified at this time, I am terrible with shorebirds.



Great Egret

[Brownbear]

I think it is a long billed curlew, and it is also my favourite of the bunch... I love everything about it, the reflection, the ripple on the water and the birds pensive look.

[Otavio]

Great shots, Joe. Number 3 looks like a painting! Cheers,

[Suzan J]

I love these shots. They are awesome and inspiring. The egret is amazing.

[FlyingSquirrel]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the last shot of the egret. Aside from it just being a beautiful bird, I like the body and leg pose. And call me weird but I feel like the plant stems in the background echo the bird's shape in some way.

[Pentaxopithecus]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the last shot of the egret. Aside from it just being a beautiful bird, I like the body and leg pose. And call me weird but I feel like the plant stems in the background echo the bird's shape in some way.

You're not wrong...there's a quirky kind of opposed symmetry betwixt the bird's legs and the background stems! For the experienced 'toggers' amongst us, however, how would you have avoided the over exposure of the water without effecting the whiteness of the Egret?

[jeeperman]

Nice series, Joe. The last two are particularly nice. A bit of a green cast on the Pelican I think.

Forgot to mention.....the last two show it is time to clean the sensor there, Joe. =} At least five dust spots in each.

[FlyingSquirrel]

how would you have avoided the over exposure of the water without effecting the whiteness of the Egret?

Use flash

[CNelson]

Very nice series!

[jprzybyla]

I think it is a long billed curlew, and it is also my favourite of the bunch... I love everything about it, the reflection, the ripple on the water and the birds pensive look.

Hello Christina, thank you for viewing and commenting. Not a long billed curlew, the curlew is the same color and pattern but the bill in much longer and curved downward. Actually I went there looking for the curlew but it was not to be found that morning.

[jprzybyla]

Great shots, Joe. Number 3 looks like a painting! Cheers,

Thanks Otavio, much appreciated.

[jprzybyla]

I love these shots. They are awesome and inspiring. The egret is amazing.

Thanks Suzan, I appreciate you taking time to look and comment.

[jprzybyla]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the last shot of the egret. Aside from it just being a beautiful bird, I like the body and leg pose. And call me weird but I feel like the plant stems in the background echo the bird's shape in some way.

Hello Matt, thank you for viewing and commenting. I have several images of that egret but this pose I liked the best.

[jprzybyla]

You're not wrong...there's a quirky kind of opposed symmetry betwixt the bird's legs and the background stems! For the experienced 'toggers' amongst us, however, how would you have avoided the over exposure of the water without effecting the whiteness of the Egret?

Thanks for viewing and commenting Bob. In this series of images the egret was under a tree in shadows. The sky was overcast with the water reflecting the clouds. In working up the image I intentionally over exposed the water because it drew attention away from the egret.

[jprzybyla]

Nice series, Joe. The last two are particularly nice. A bit of a green cast on the Pelican I think.

Forgot to mention.....the last two show it is time to clean the sensor there, Joe. =} At least five dust spots in each.

Thanks Paul, yes to the underside of the Pelican it was flying low over the green water. The color cast is reflected off the water. Regarding the dust spots, I looked at 100% and can't find them... maybe a discoloration in the background.

[jprzybyla]

Use flash

Flash might have worked but most times you only get one shot with a flash. When I shoot a bird like this I take several images as the bird moves. In the image of the egret I was about 25 feet from the bird. As I shot this series I caught a flash in the corner of my left eye, it was someone trying to capture the same bird from 150 feet with a flash and Better Beamer. The bird spooked as soon as the flash was fired.

[jprzybyla]

Very nice series!

Thanks Chuck, very much appreciated.

[splashy]

You're not wrong...there's a quirky kind of opposed symmetry betwixt the bird's legs and the background stems! For the experienced 'toggers' amongst us, however, how would you have avoided the over exposure of the water without effecting the whiteness of the Egret?

UNDEREXPOSE it by about 1 stop, then lighten it up with LR brush.

[jprzybyla]

UNDEREXPOSE it by about 1 stop, then lighten it up with LR brush.

There are many ways or post processing and image depending on what is desired as the final outcome. There are some images that just beg for a High Key workup, I believe this is one of those. I have continued to work towards that in the image posted below.

[Brownbear]

Maybe it is a Marbled Godwit? If not, I can't identify it...

Hello Christina, thank you for viewing and commenting. Not a long billed curlew, the curlew is the same color and pattern but the bill in much longer and curved downward. Actually I went there looking for the curlew but it was not to be found that morning.