Vulture

[aadam_21]

Great detail! You did a good job taking this shot and not making it look like it was taken in a zoo.

[clockdoc]

Thanks for the update. Which ball head model are you using? That is next on my "wish-list." 8-)

[inkista]

I'm sad to say I have no idea--it's the one that came with the tripod.

You probably don't want my tripod set-up. As I said, it was picked to be small and light and useful for setting a panohead rig on top of it. I can feel it straining manfully when I put the 400 on its tripod ring on it. I still haven't figured out the knack to using a ball head (I typically just screw the panohead directly to the column). I know that someday I will break down and get me a fancy Bogen-Manfrotto or carbon fiber Gitzo with some cool three-way head and a boom arm and low-low-down capability, etc. But for now, my toy Velbon does enough.

The funniest part of the story is that because of all my pano shooting, I use tiny little Velbon quick-release plates as well (this has made panoshooting actually pleasurable instead of an absolute swear-word-inducing PITA). So, there I am at the WAP, trying to get a shot of a Secretary Bird, and I pull out my tripod ring, which has its QR plate on it, and I realize that the ballhead (with the quick release) is at home. I then have to dig into my pocket for a penny to unscrew the QR plate from the tripod ring, then screw the tripod ring onto the monopod, and THEN I can put the 400 into the ring. Which I haven't used for yonks, so then I'm fiddling with the whole how-does-this-thing-open/close/tighten-up-again? And just as I get it right, the Secretary Bird has decided to hide behind some trees. [sigh]. And when s/he comes back out again, I need to switch from landscape to portrait.

This is not to mention how long it took to realize the feet would not be a help. The Bogen-Manfrotto monopod's feet are cool, but there is no easy way to get them on and off the stick. I don't mind looking like an idiot, but it was getting really ridiculous for a while. So, if you want to know why all the birds were smiling?--it's probably because of the clown show the silly human put on for them with her photo gear.

I so need to practice with my monopod more.

aadam_21 wrote:
Great detail! You did a good job taking this shot and not making it look like it was taken in a zoo.

Thanks, but it's kind of easy with a 400mm lens. At 400mm, even at f/5.6, you get awesome amounts of bokeh. And it's even easier with the WAP than with a typical zoo--the WAP was built in the '70s when the whole "cages-and-concrete-are-barbaric" thing was starting to take hold, and they take care to create larger enclosures with enrichment and places to hide and more natural elements. The main "point" of the WAP is that they have a few multi-species enclosures that are measured in hundreds of acres so the animals can roam and behave a bit more naturally (and, hopefully, breed better). But even the smaller enclosures will have live trees and ground cover in them.

Palachandra wrote:
Crop is little tight at right and bottom (portrait??). IMO a little crop at right to eliminate right wing improves this!

I can see what you're saying, and it's a good idea, but if I cropped off the right shoulder, then the head/eye would be centered, and I kind of like it being off-center. Here's another shot I took, which was portrait, and had more of the body. It's a nice shot, but it doesn't have the same impact as the head-and-shoulders shot.

[WooD]

[QUOTE=inkista;56954]
The funniest part of the story is that because of all my pano shooting, I use tiny little Velbon quick-release plates as well (this has made panoshooting actually pleasurable instead of an absolute swear-word-inducing PITA). So, there I am at the WAP, trying to get a shot of a Secretary Bird, and I pull out my tripod ring, which has its QR plate on it, and I realize that the ballhead (with the quick release) is at home. I then have to dig into my pocket for a penny to unscrew the QR plate from the tripod ring, then screw the tripod ring onto the monopod, and THEN I can put the 400 into the ring. Which I haven't used for yonks, so then I'm fiddling with the whole how-does-this-thing-open/close/tighten-up-again? And just as I get it right, the Secretary Bird has decided to hide behind some trees. [sigh]. And when s/he comes back out again, I need to switch from landscape to portrait.

This is not to mention how long it took to realize the feet would not be a help. The Bogen-Manfrotto monopod's feet are cool, but there is no easy way to get them on and off the stick. I don't mind looking like an idiot, but it was getting really ridiculous for a while. So, if you want to know why all the birds were smiling?--it's probably because of the clown show the silly human put on for them with her photo gear.



Check out http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=272780&is=REG

Then I bought http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ku=5563&is=REG for my mono pod, and a couple spare QD plates. Now I have a plate on both of my long lens, and one on my body. I never have to unscrew anything going from tripod to monopod, or short lens to long.

[jaydubyasee]

Lovely shot. Mind you, I would be worried if a vulture were smiling at me. Even if it is only a chick.

[inkista]

Wood: that's an idea--putting YA quick-release on the monopod itself, but as I so rarely use the ballhead, it's usually in my bag all the time. Can't think how I left it on the tripod. At any rate, I still managed. I'm already up to two plates and two releases. Not sure I want to pop for YA set.

jaydubyasee: you just need to know that vultures and condors typically eat carrion--i.e., stuff that's not only dead, but rotting. If you're upright and alive, you aren't tasty enough. Yet.

[Sime]

Great shot!... had a good laugh reading about your tripod / mono woes up there [points] ...very amusing!... I take the mono out sometimes... it's a Manf as well... a ..I dunno.. heavy and silver... with a 468 ...um..486... I dunno.. combo of those three numbers manf ball head... very handy!.. (doubles as a "deterent" when walking down dark london streets!) ...anyways... lovely shot!.. nice bird...!! (glad i'm not dead and rotting!)

[pcarfan]

You nailed it, Bravo!