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Lapwing Sunset (Comp)

Discussion

12 replies
Posted by Tom_W on December 12, 2006 at 3:29 AM
Lapwing Sunset (Comp)
Large flocks of Lapwing where lifting all day whilst I was at Slimbridge last Saturday - from when I first arrived until the minute I left.

When I was hanging around the carpark at sunset (I was looking for Starlings) I saw these guys rise in the distance and thought "now why didn't they have the courtesy :wink: to lift behind that nice tree"; then I thought "well I can make it so" :biggrin:.

This is my third attempt at a composite (the first was when I moved the position of some geese, the second was the UKNP banner ) so it mightn't be perfect - but I was pretty happy with the result.

It is helped tremendiously by the fact that the lapwing where in the same sky just out of shot from the Tree.

Anyway Techs

Both shots
85mm/Hand Held/manual focus at infinity
200'/F1.2/400ASA/manual metered from the sky
Levels
Same presentation as the last one just to show Justin it wasn't a fluke :wink:
Posted by Larry Corbett on December 12, 2006 at 3:58 AM
Very appealing and pictorial Tom, did you add the vignetting to the corners?, though not preferred in many cases here they work well, I have a similar shot somewhere featuring the same tree (I think?) with the starlings. You don't seem to get the huge flocks of Starlings at Slimbridge anymore, well i've not seen them on my last 2 trips.

:toast:
Posted by Tom_W on December 12, 2006 at 4:09 AM
No, at F1.2 the lens vignetts in low light, especially as the sky naturally gets darker the further up the frame you go.
T
Posted by Tim Munsey on December 12, 2006 at 4:10 AM
What a cracking image, really like it, just goes to show we need to think about the camera thats at home on our desks as well.

:toast:

Tim
Posted by PhilH on December 12, 2006 at 5:07 AM
Nice with a great idea, shame it had to be a comp though (thats just personal)...

:toast: :wavey:
Posted by Tom_W on December 12, 2006 at 5:11 AM
Believe me - I would have preferred it if it wasn't a comp
Posted by PhilH on December 12, 2006 at 5:16 AM
I know.... :wavey:
Posted by Richard Peters on December 12, 2006 at 5:52 AM
Those very Lapwings flew over our head as we spent the day at Slimbridge on saturday too! The Starlings looked great from up the top of the viewing tower in the main building. I got a couple of shots of them but the light levels and the dirty glass I was shooting through were making it hard to get good captures! :frown:
Posted by Dave Courtenay on December 12, 2006 at 9:36 AM
I might take a tad off of the bottom other than that :cool:
Posted by David Kjaer on December 12, 2006 at 9:42 AM
Composite maybe but still a visual feast!

David :toast:
Posted by Graeme Lee on December 12, 2006 at 3:28 PM
WOW! Very nice indeed. I'd keep the bottom as it keeps it in the thirds ratio. :toast: :toast:

Graeme
Posted by Justin on December 12, 2006 at 6:40 PM
Same presentation as the last one just to show Justin it wasn't a fluke


I'm convinced,presentation skills are definately up to scratch :biggrin:

Image is none too shabby either :cool: ,impressive PS work getting the two images combined so well,and a good eye of course to visualize the scene. :toast:
Posted by CRKERRATBIGPOND on December 12, 2006 at 9:01 PM
Great Effort Tom, I don't get into that form yet as I'm still burning the 35mm strips and enjoying it greatly, when I get my Membership up and running in the new year I'll endevour to give some thrills from Downunder, including some droughty ones.
Charles R Kerr