Wheatear. (+ homemade groundpod)

Canon 20D, Canon 500mm f4 & 1.4X extender, 1/250sec @ f7.1, ISO 200,
Arca B1 on homemade groundpod, Raw, Full frame.
Levels, curves, hue/saturation.


Hi,

I've just made a 'frying pan groundpod' (thanks Nigel and Andy A. for the idea) and was keen to put it to the test so I went out in search of Wheatears. I was fortunate to come across a group of four all feeding together along with two meadow pipits.

LARGER VERSION


All comments always welcome and appreciated.

very nice a bit different wiht the total isolation, the detail in the larger version is great too

Superb Justin, the detail in the large version is fantastic. Now I'm off to the hardware store, great idea.

Excellent Justin. Love the POV and the bird is a little beauty.

Major.

If it's any use Colin (or anyone else) I've included a shot of the groundpod.
I just drilled a hole through a small square of 18mm MDF for the bolt and cut a hexagonal recess on the underneath of the wood for the bolt head to fit flush and to prevent it turning.
Then just screwed the frying pan to the MDF with four screws.

It's a bit wobbly but the Image Stabilizer soon takes care of that. The beauty of it is, is it's weight (less than 300 grams-without ballhead) and cost nothing apart from an old cheap, aluminium camping frying pan

Very nice - while not for some, I love "mushy" backgrounds

Fabulous shot Justin - and am most envioous of your groundpod!!

Colin has already summed up my view on this one Justin. Superb! As perfect a shot of a wheatear as I have seen.
Robert
ps. perhaps a larger frying pan could improve stability.

ps. perhaps a larger frying pan could improve stability

Hi Robert,
It definately would, the trouble is if I made it too big and it weighed a lot more I'd be relluctant to carry it with me all the time. The beauty of the one I've made is it's just so light that you don't even notice you have it with you, so I reckon I'll live with the reduced stability for now.

Hi Justin.
Wheatear is excellent,and your groundpod looks really interesting.
Keith.

Superb image

And theres me spending £100 on a groundpod from another forum-DOH-Superb image-Really like it

Dave

Very nice Justin, lovely background and great exposure. Love the groudpod!
Rene de Heer

Cracking image, and don't those groundpods work a treat!! I tried the same except that I have a handle on mine .. quite useful for moving the whole setup around, but I suspect it increases the number of strange looks !!

Dave

Hi Justin.
Great shot of the bird but I'm affraid this low angle and lack of legs just takes the edge off it for me. The bird appears to be sort of floating. Just that few inches higher
Cheers
johnR

Whenever I look at a DIY set-up of a fellow photographer, it always brings a smaile to my face - how did he/she come up with that? It clearly worked in this instance.

The fore- and background blur makes the bird stands out. The larger version shows great details. Good capture.

Great shot Justin. I agree with John re the FG hiding the legs and that another few inches would make all the difference, but of course you would probably end up in traction after using the ground pod for a whole day then.
I'm off to the hardware store - great idea. Thanks for p[osting the detail.
Eric

Nice image Justin certainly up to your usual high standard, I just can't make my mind up about the feet

Super stuff Justin, really love the picture, low angle stuff is my sort of thing although I generally spread my gitzo flat on the ground or use a bean bag and an angle finder, I know that some people prefer to dig big pits in their lawns and then sit in them!?! (not my idea of fun). Will you be patenting your new frying pan design or can it be copied as I fancy having a go at making one myself. Where did you get the "Whitworth" screw from for connecting the arca to the timber bearer?

Cracker, can't fault it!

Chris.

Cracker, can't fault it!

Chris.

Hi Justin a nice image, I use a home made ground pod now and then but it is possibly a little heavier than yours, mind you it can hold 13 stone ? Without any flexing I think I slightly over engineered them.

Phil.

Where did you get the "Whitworth" screw from for connecting the arca to the timber bearer?

Hi Larry,

I bought it from a place called Allfix. They just cut you what ever length you want.

Hi Phil,
I did the same a couple of years ago. Made a great big thing out of 18mm MDF. Steady as a rock. You could probably drive a car over it. But I'll be dammed if I'm lugging that around anywhere , hence the new lightweight one

Hi Justin it only about 2pound in weight and made from high tensile angle iron.

Phil.

Hi Phil,

Thanks for the picture. Looks like that'll certainly last a few lifetimes

I remember Nigel Blake's article about this frying pan thing that he was using on the Norfolk coast some time back and I tried it but with a bean bag in the pan.
It worked ok but too many of the shots had legless birds .
Might have been OK 50 years back.
JohnR

Cracking detail of a great bird and very interesting fry-pod kit! I agree with John though that I'd like to see more of its legs.