Red-winged Blackbirds

Gallery: AvianPosted February 24, 20063,287 views23 comments

Well, here's another image that I took on my last extended trip to the coast of North Carolina, last trip needed to finish up my new book. Did I tell you guys, I'm having a blast with this new digital set up. For the 5+ years I was exclusively using a view camera and as of March 5th it will be one year with the digital system. I'm having so much fun diversifying my shooting!

These Black-birds were working the corn fields within the Pocosin National Wildlife Refuge. It was fascinating to watch through the lens.

Just a note, I'm really not into shooting photos of birds in portrait. Most all the images you will see posted will be of birds in a natural environment doing as they do in the wild. Just as my last post with the cormorant flying over the surf.

EOS 20D
EF 400mm f/5.6
Handheld w/ no filters
RAW processed with Capture 1 Pro

Comments

23 comments

Comment posted by Cay-Uwe Kulzer on February 24, 2006 at 8:36 AM

Jerry,

this is a very nice image which shows that one does not need always portrait images...

Registered on January 27, 2004, 494 Posts, 4021 Comments

Comment posted by Alice Scoggins on February 24, 2006 at 8:57 AM

I agree with you, somehow just a bird portrait doesn't excite me too much. This is interesting though...lots of birds! Can't see much detail on my monitor, but I know it's there.

Registered on February 21, 2005, 430 Posts, 5959 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Milicia on February 24, 2006 at 9:33 AM

Really like this shot !!
Bet it looks great in a large print.

Registered on July 25, 2005, 145 Posts, 302 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Greer on February 24, 2006 at 9:34 AM

Alice,

Talk about birds, there were thousands of them! They roll from area to area and as they would roll the sky would darken! It was just an awesome moment. As for bird portraits, I do love to look at them but mostly they're all kind of the same. No real story other than how beautiful the specimen, kind of like the static landscape that we all get caught up in. I've just fallen in love with telling a story and birds can definitely do that in the wild. That's one of my goals with my books. I want to tell a story with the images not just wow the viewer for a few minutes with a colorful but dull presentation of photos.

Oh, and yes there’s lots of detail! The jpeg compression is working on this image.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 404 Posts, 1977 Comments

Comment posted by Jos De Braekeleer on February 24, 2006 at 9:51 AM

Very impressive number of birds Jerry ... love the small colored spots on the birds.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 455 Posts, 1648 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Wong on February 24, 2006 at 10:38 PM

Wow! and they're not even snow geese. Those colors are something else. This is the type of bird photography I enjoy shooting and looking at, interaction with the environment and each other. I generally hate bird portraits as well, though I am guilty to shooting a few here and there. No offense to those who love it.

Registered on February 2, 2006, 79 Posts, 2629 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on February 24, 2006 at 11:18 PM

I'll bet this is wonderful in large scale where more detail can be shown. I too like this style of bird photography.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by David Kjaer on February 25, 2006 at 4:30 AM

Hi Jerry

Very strong image - love it!

David

Registered on January 4, 2006, 128 Posts, 4170 Comments

Comment posted by Ganesh H Shankar on February 25, 2006 at 6:23 AM

Jerry, I think visually a strong image. Prabably a lower angle would might have prevented
the gradation in background color - I like the upper 2/3 background. Lower 1/3 does not
seem to add to the visual process (for me). Thanks for sharing.

Registered on March 1, 2004, 324 Posts, 1867 Comments

Comment posted by Jasper Doest on February 25, 2006 at 9:30 AM

This is just plain good!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 371 Posts, 2101 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Greer on February 25, 2006 at 9:49 AM

Ganesh,

This being a critique I wanted to explain why I crafted the background this way. As a landscape shooter my images are about the total scene not just the birds. In my shooting I want to convey everything as it is in the scene and to me the background landscape is part of the total package. Here you can see the corn field and the forest through the mass of flying birds, total package. You get a sense of being there in witness of this scene. BTW, I have this image without the lower but my preference is with this one.

This is not a rebuttal to your critique, I just wanted you to understand why I shot this image in this way.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 404 Posts, 1977 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on February 25, 2006 at 2:17 PM

Unusually nice to view - I did not know the RWBB's did this.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Salge on February 25, 2006 at 3:11 PM

I have to say that I like how the lower 1/3 of the image anchors the shot. The density of birds is greater, and I think creates a graduated feeling to the print.

And redwing blackbirds have their own great highlights. Would love to see a large print of this!!!

Great Shot!

Registered on February 23, 2006, 269 Posts, 2210 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Dubois on February 25, 2006 at 8:55 PM

Very neat effect Jerry.

Registered on February 22, 2005, 129 Posts, 4739 Comments

Comment posted by Elizabeth Moon on February 25, 2006 at 10:46 PM

It makes me want to duck and cover from the clamor and the...fallout, so to speak, of a big flock taking off. And at this scale it also has a pointillist effect...all those chips of black/red/yellow/black/gray.

Very impressive.

Elizabeth Moon
Texas

Registered on February 9, 2006, 21 Posts, 196 Comments

Comment posted by Kenneth Kijewski on February 25, 2006 at 11:16 PM

I think this is incredible!!!

Registered on February 17, 2004, 166 Posts, 3390 Comments

Comment posted by Michelle C. Parent on February 27, 2006 at 10:48 AM

Jerry,
Congrats on the EP! I've never seen more than two RWBB's in one place at a time, so this is just amazing to me!

Registered on June 23, 2004, 453 Posts, 5551 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on February 27, 2006 at 11:36 AM

Nice shot Jerry! Maybe next time there will be some birds though!

Congrats on the EP.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Marilyn K McCune on February 27, 2006 at 11:42 AM

What a wonderful experience this sighting must have been! This works for me as a completely abstract image as well.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 4 Posts, 77 Comments

Comment posted by Anil Rao on February 27, 2006 at 3:38 PM

Fascinating image, Jerrry. Congratulations on the Editor's Pick.

Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Bernabe on February 27, 2006 at 4:57 PM

What the ______????

Jerry Greer, EP, Avian? I guess there is hope for us all

Very nice image by the way

Registered on November 24, 2004, 180 Posts, 1545 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on February 27, 2006 at 6:53 PM

Congrats, glad I didn't miss this one. Wonderful image Jerry!!!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Adamus on April 6, 2006 at 12:54 PM

OMG!

Registered on September 17, 2005, 780 Posts, 8091 Comments