Nature Photographers Network
This is the preserved archive of the original Nature Photographers Network. The community continues at naturephotographers.network.
Forums · UKNP

Little Auk

Discussion

8 replies
Posted by Nigel Blake on November 8, 2006 at 5:29 AM
A bit of an influx of these this week, its been a photographic 'bogey bird' for me for many years, so it was just fantastic to get a few hours with a really tame bird at Snettisham, still a bit of a problem getting a shot that did not look like a pied bathtub duck on a bland sky reflection in the water, but a low viewpoint and background reeds helped with that. Several more shots of this bird on my web pages.
Canon EOS 1Ds MkII + 600mm f4 IS, 200 ISO, 1/250th f14, Breezebrowser, CS2.
Posted by Helge Sorensen on November 8, 2006 at 8:08 AM
Hi Nigel, a very fine result with the little bathtub duck :smile: We have had influx of them as well the last couple of weeks, and I too have worked a bit with them. I think the key to success here, first of all is the reeds reflection in the water, but also the large DOF. You have managed to make the eye stand out very well too. :toast:
Posted by Rob Ashton on November 8, 2006 at 10:04 AM
Hi Nigel,

Helge has summed it up.......the DOF has helped a lot here and the reeds are good too. Nice shot.

Rob :toast:
Posted by Philip Kirkham on November 8, 2006 at 11:41 AM
Hello Nigel
Excellent image of this little guy, but I like the shot of him alert and looking at the camera, on your web site the best.
Best wishes
Phil :toast: :toast:
Posted by Sean Bolton on November 8, 2006 at 1:40 PM
Hi Nigel

A lovely image, no nits from me. :toast:

I have just checked out your recent website updates, superb work as always. I also enjoyed your article on garden bird photography in the RSPB magazine.

cheers

Sean
Posted by Nigel Blake on November 8, 2006 at 1:47 PM
Cheers guys, many thanks.
Hi Sean, glad you liked the RSPB mag interview, just noticed and replied to Larry's thread about it "Garden bird photography" further down the page.
regards
Nigel
Posted by David Kjaer on November 9, 2006 at 4:30 AM
Hi Nigel

Only ever seen these as dots out at sea - would love to have seen this one so close and then to photograph it so well!

David :toast:
Posted by PhilH on November 9, 2006 at 8:33 AM
Very nice, up to your usual standards, a super looking bird.

:toast: :toast:
Posted by Nigel Blake on November 9, 2006 at 2:54 PM
For anyone who might like to get Little Auk shots the bird is still there, almost a week now so hopefully it will be about at the weekend. Second pit south of the car park, north west corner usually, I have been back today, the wind gave great texture to the water, it is feeding well and I saw it flying today, annoyingly I had a 12mm extension tube on though and it was just out of focus range, and I have another 8 gig to edit!