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Guinea fowl

Gallery: Macro & Close-upPosted December 16, 2010561 views13 comments

Guinea fowl are dappled black and white, mirrored in individual feathers. The delicacy of this one captures me, but boy is it hard to capture on film (or whatever we do these days)! Lighting is critical, focus too. I took several, none as good as I hoped, but here is one of the better ones. I'll try again some time -- ideas?

Canon 40D, 90mm macro, f/11, 1/4 sec., tripod, live view focus, jury rigged lighting on a glass table

Dave Thomas
Leesburg, Virginia

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on December 17, 2010 at 3:31 AM

Very nice job, Dave. I like it.
Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Sindy Burk on December 17, 2010 at 11:27 AM

Hi Dave, I like it too.
Caught my eye straight away.
Keep trying! I like the fact, that it starts in the left hand corner and it sort of floats into the centre, really soft.
My favorite of your gallery.
Thanks for sharing hun

Sindy

Registered on October 28, 2010, 29 Posts, 44 Comments

Comment posted by David Thomas on December 17, 2010 at 12:34 PM

Thanks for the kind comments. This site is really useful in getting feedback from people who know and appreciate photography. I post photos in our condo almost weekly and get many nice comments, but most of those photos do not approach the quality of NPN postings.

I've looked again at the guinea fowl feather, and some detail is lost here. Is it worth posting a larger image for comparison? (I tried unsuccessfully once, on another photo, but I should learn to do it.)
Dave

Registered on June 21, 2010, 30 Posts, 178 Comments

Comment posted by Jeffrey Sipress on December 17, 2010 at 5:12 PM

Nice work Dave. I imagine it's hard to capture such a feather completely sharp. Are those birds domestic? I thought I saw them in Africa.

Registered on February 17, 2004, 236 Posts, 1197 Comments

Comment posted by David Thomas on December 17, 2010 at 10:34 PM

Yes, Jeffrey, they are native to Africa. Domesticated guinea fowl have been introduced here as effective insect eaters, including ticks. I found several feathers at the farm/kennel where we take our dog. They keep a dozen or so mainly for control of ticks that can carry Lyme disease.
Dave

Registered on June 21, 2010, 30 Posts, 178 Comments

Comment posted by Krunal Janani on December 20, 2010 at 12:06 AM

Lovely pattern & texture this image has David, jus get as parallel as u can to get everything tack sharp
but i this as it is as well

Registered on September 16, 2010, 60 Posts, 1370 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on December 20, 2010 at 3:59 AM

Perfect!

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by David Thomas on December 20, 2010 at 11:14 AM

To satisfy my curiosity I am posting this Larger Image, to see if it looks better on NPN.

And Alfred, I think this is the guinea fowl with the red crest, although I have not seen the actual birds at the kennel for quite a while.

Thanks again for the nice comments from all. Dave

Registered on June 21, 2010, 30 Posts, 178 Comments

Comment posted by David Thomas on December 20, 2010 at 12:28 PM

Sorry, one more try to see if I can post a larger image. The second posting was better but still not posted as a Larger Image.

I printed this image for the first time today, and it is markedly better in detail than any screen display -- the original image on my own monitor, or either NPN posting on my monitor. I think I am learning as I proceed.

Registered on June 21, 2010, 30 Posts, 178 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on December 22, 2010 at 8:44 PM

An unusual and finely-detaiuled image!
Congrats on the EP!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Moats on December 23, 2010 at 1:03 PM

Hey Dave, great shot.

Registered on October 20, 2004, 892 Posts, 6324 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on December 23, 2010 at 5:50 PM

I was rooting for you on this one, David! Glad you got the Pick. Congratulations. It's so elegant in pattern and color.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Waas on January 1, 2011 at 4:19 PM

Excellent macro image Dave!! A well deserved EP.......

Registered on January 11, 2010, 31 Posts, 90 Comments