Me and my gal, the Common Sandpiper

[Donald]

Me and this little gal (I'm guessing it's a she), spent an hour together on a rocky beach on the island of Gigha last week. I don't think I was alarming her in any way. I suspect a nest was quite close by somewhere, but she didn't seem to see me as a threat.

Anyway, as any of you who've been around here for a while know, I am not a wildlife photographer. Or, to put that another way, I am not a competent wildlife photographer. And because I know that, I am in total awe of some of the wildlife photography that we see on here, particularly, for example, birds in flight.

So ......... I reverted to what I know and, I think, do best and sought to make what were in effect landscape images , but which featured a bird in them. That's my excuse anyway for why the bird fills such a small proportion of the whole image!

Anyway, here I present them as a set (not something I normally like or do) just for your perusal and any general comment you care to make as to whether the idea works or not.

They were shot with a Canon 40D with a Sigma 120-400 F4.5-5.6 APO DG OS on board. ISO was at 800 and shutter was from 1/2000 to 1/4000, all at f5.6.

[Bobobird]

Welcome to the world of birds....

Superb image in #1 and #2 well balanced and composed.

#2 minor suggestion - remove the large rock on the right which is interrupting the sloping flow of the other rocks. This will help reduce some of the white space at top which seems a bit too much. The bird and slope will then take greater prominence and will balance with the featureless white top.

#3 is pretty good too but the rocks (beautiful as they are) are overpowering the bird. Also it is not apparent what he is agitated about. Perhaps a closer crop will help.

$4 - viewed large looks ok but again bird is too small relative to the rocks. Might be better if he was on the smaller rock.

[Cantab]

Donald, a nice collection. I particularly like the second photo, and agree with Bobo about perhaps cropping off the rock in the bottom right corner.

[FootLoose]

I like the first two, Donald. I think the first one works as a 'landscape' - there is something of a balance between the rock on the left and the bird on top of the rock on the right.

The second one is a great pose. I have given up on BiFs because I am just too slow, and have found I am not much better at brids just walking around. So I think this is a good catch.

[Donald]

Thank you guys.

Good suggestions and advice highlight things for me that I hadn't seen. Will take your comments on board.

[Digital]

Way to go Donald. My BIF photos are non-existant.

Bruce

[jprzybyla]

Smiles... a convert Donald?

[NorthernFocus]

I saw this thread a couple of days ago and am just getting enough downtime to catch up and take a look. I agree with others in prefering the first two. But in the context of a landscape style image I like the first one best due to the static nature of the bird. The color on the rocks (lichen?) is awesome. I think many times us bird geeks get too enthralled with filling the frame with bird and miss out on this type of opportunity. I can assure you had I been there rather than take advantage of the situation as you did I would have been obsessed with inching closer, and closer.....

Nicely done.

[John 2]

1 and 2 for me as well Donald. There's nothing more relaxing - even if you don't actually press the shutter button.

[Donald]

I'm very honoured all you bird photography guys have come in and commented. Much appreciated .......... and helpful.

[Steve S]

I also like the first one best, and agree with dan. Most wildlifer's are obsessed with long lenses and close-ups. I much prefer a well balanced image with a nice background , to a close-up. (when I say well balanced, I mean the subject takes up enough of the frame to be relevant). These types of images are much harder to come by, in my opinion. You have to have a great background , and the wildlife to pull it off..........................well done, donald.

[FlyingSquirrel]

Donald, very nice! Not much to add to what others have said; I like the approach you took with the wider/landscape type of shot. Graphically attractive due to the silky background, nice textures, and the awesome lichen. Interesting to see how someone handles a subject that they don't typically work with much....speaking of which: [Insert Darth Vader voice] Come....to....the...wildlife-side