This is great. Beautiful composition. I have really enjoyed these pool and bathing shots. I think it's time for me to start digging a big hole in the garden and filling it with water.
MJ
Posted by Major Gilbert on April 16, 2008 at 4:07 PM
At this rate John you could make a fortune out of selling pond liners.
Love the bird and can appreciate your problems with exposure so well done.
Major.
Posted by John Robinson on April 16, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Thanks everyone.
Michael- don't make it too big ! Make it thin- going away from you if poss. That gives you two photographically ideal edges
Alan - In my humble opinion the backgrounds sets the scene for the pictures - especially concerning birds using pools. They often use the smallest, dirtyest insignificant bits of water immaginable !
Major - my pool liners are concrete if possible. ! Its the rain I want rid of !
Cheers
john
Posted by jack chapman on April 16, 2008 at 5:19 PM
another beauty John, didn't know there was so much around in Wyre
would very much much appreciate it (as would other members i'm sure) if you could post a couple of shots of your pool(s) if you have any, would be very interested to see what they look like
Posted by John Robinson on April 16, 2008 at 5:38 PM
Jack
I'll take a couple of WA shots when I can.
Its really not that difficult. You need to find an area as far away from water as possible which I would have thought was common sense. I feel as though I have started a "pool" craze all of a sudden. I don't know why,- birds have needed to drink and bathe for a long time. My old mate who worked with Eric Hosking in the old days pioneered it. I still use hides he built 40 years back ! They where not worried about low POV's etc- they were just pleased to get a shot of any sort at a tenth of a second sometimes ! Can you imagine the old guys having 1500 asa to work with. !!
Cheers
JohnR
PS Did I say it was Wyre ??? !!
Posted by Paul Inglis on April 16, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Hi John,
Very, very nice image! Pool craze! Yup! I’m afraid so! I agree with Jack – I’d love to see you’re set-up too!
I've been digging mine for six months now and will have a completed pool by August! Far away from other water source’s is not strictly true is it John! I live within 40 yds of the sea and have birds frequenting my half finished pool! Why? Because they need fresh water! For me – nothing in six miles – Oh goody!
Posted by John Robinson on April 16, 2008 at 5:59 PM
Hi Paul
Yikes !! It's just a hole in the ground with wattter innit ! About a yard across and a yard and a half back to front !
PS depth from nowt to 6 inches !
Cheers
John
PS Forgot to mention-atleast 3 hours per day in the hide.Sometimes 5 !¬
Posted by jack chapman on April 16, 2008 at 6:09 PM
John
very interesting, you certainly do seem to have started a pool craze, though i built mine a while ago your images have certainly spurred me on to actually take some images. I suspect people tend to use feeding stations now for all their woodland bird shots, and never really consider other possibilities, i count myself in that. Pools are a much cheaper and have more creative possibilities, but most of us follow someone elses lead so if we haven't seen many images of something we assume it very hard and better left to the pros.
Interesting you mention the change in style over POV's, i know you've mentioned ealier that a higher POV is more natural for a human. Is that important though, surely images should show people things from a new angle? Obviously no right or wrong answers and is all down to your style. I do find the infinity pool style shots a little disconcerting though, i like images to at least give you the feel it could be natural.
Sorry i thought you mentioned Wyre in a previous post, my apologies
Jack
Posted by John Robinson on April 16, 2008 at 6:20 PM
Jack
Good points raised. ! What worries me is that nature photography is getting to the stage of "what can I do different "
Are the pics nature shots, or photo technique shots ?? If a shot is drastically different from the perspective we normally see it at , then it has instant " camera club " appeal.
Sorry but just not my style.
I use cheap gear and have an old fashioned approach.
So be it.
Cheers
John
Ps Jack -Forgot to mention -Yes most of them are Wyre -My geriatric oold bones won't get me far these days !
Cheers
John
Discussion
16 repliesD200 Sigma 100-300mm
800 ISO
120th f7.1
Camera low contrast.
Tweaked in Paintshop Pro and Neat image
Comments welcome.
Cheers
johnR
Looks like he stoped to check you out
Nice shot John
MJ
Love the bird and can appreciate your problems with exposure so well done.
Major.
Michael- don't make it too big ! Make it thin- going away from you if poss. That gives you two photographically ideal edges
Alan - In my humble opinion the backgrounds sets the scene for the pictures - especially concerning birds using pools. They often use the smallest, dirtyest insignificant bits of water immaginable !
Major - my pool liners are concrete if possible. ! Its the rain I want rid of !
Cheers
john
would very much much appreciate it (as would other members i'm sure) if you could post a couple of shots of your pool(s) if you have any, would be very interested to see what they look like
I'll take a couple of WA shots when I can.
Its really not that difficult. You need to find an area as far away from water as possible which I would have thought was common sense. I feel as though I have started a "pool" craze all of a sudden. I don't know why,- birds have needed to drink and bathe for a long time. My old mate who worked with Eric Hosking in the old days pioneered it. I still use hides he built 40 years back ! They where not worried about low POV's etc- they were just pleased to get a shot of any sort at a tenth of a second sometimes ! Can you imagine the old guys having 1500 asa to work with. !!
Cheers
JohnR
PS Did I say it was Wyre ??? !!
Very, very nice image! Pool craze! Yup! I’m afraid so! I agree with Jack – I’d love to see you’re set-up too!
I've been digging mine for six months now and will have a completed pool by August! Far away from other water source’s is not strictly true is it John! I live within 40 yds of the sea and have birds frequenting my half finished pool! Why? Because they need fresh water! For me – nothing in six miles – Oh goody!
Yikes !! It's just a hole in the ground with wattter innit ! About a yard across and a yard and a half back to front !
PS depth from nowt to 6 inches !
Cheers
John
PS Forgot to mention-atleast 3 hours per day in the hide.Sometimes 5 !¬
very interesting, you certainly do seem to have started a pool craze, though i built mine a while ago your images have certainly spurred me on to actually take some images. I suspect people tend to use feeding stations now for all their woodland bird shots, and never really consider other possibilities, i count myself in that. Pools are a much cheaper and have more creative possibilities, but most of us follow someone elses lead so if we haven't seen many images of something we assume it very hard and better left to the pros.
Interesting you mention the change in style over POV's, i know you've mentioned ealier that a higher POV is more natural for a human. Is that important though, surely images should show people things from a new angle? Obviously no right or wrong answers and is all down to your style. I do find the infinity pool style shots a little disconcerting though, i like images to at least give you the feel it could be natural.
Sorry i thought you mentioned Wyre in a previous post, my apologies
Jack
Good points raised. ! What worries me is that nature photography is getting to the stage of "what can I do different "
Are the pics nature shots, or photo technique shots ?? If a shot is drastically different from the perspective we normally see it at , then it has instant " camera club " appeal.
Sorry but just not my style.
I use cheap gear and have an old fashioned approach.
So be it.
Cheers
John
Ps Jack -Forgot to mention -Yes most of them are Wyre -My geriatric oold bones won't get me far these days !
Cheers
John
Matt
Another nice pool shot of a bird I have never seen in the wild , good stuff
Andy...
These had a terrible year last year with I think only three birds getting young off. Lets hopw this year is better.
JohnR
Dave