Bath night for Goldie

[erding]

C&C always welcome.

Thank you for looking

 

[DonnaM]

Nice capture Tom. I must see if I can do something that is a bit more sophisticated than a bird bath, your pond shots have been great.

 

[Ladybird]

Awwww! He does not look happy! Great shot though!

 

[james_death]

Lovely Bird great shot love the clear pebbles but for some reason the background stones look Grainy rather than out of focus or is that me?

Nice capture Tom. I must see if I can do something that is a bit more sophisticated than a bird bath, your pond shots have been great.

How about a few stones in the birdbath for the more natural shot.
I remember Chris Packham been asked for a skylark shot for a book cover for November or something and needless to say would not get the shot so he made a cardboard cut out of the skylark stuck it on a tree or hedge and did a silhouette shot the publisher was over the moon with the shot.

 

[mmcp42]

that is good!
lovely feather detail
not sure if he's scowling at you "can't a chap have a bath in peace?"

 

[erding]

Nice capture Tom. I must see if I can do something that is a bit more sophisticated than a bird bath, your pond shots have been great.

Appreciate you stopping in Donna - thank you.

Have you thought about sinking the bird table into some ground - with the rim being at ground level - and having a few large stones behind it for a bg and maybe leading into the water and then adding a little planting.

Awwww! He does not look happy! Great shot though!

Thank you. Don't often see the Goldies in the water - more by the edge for drinking - so maybe he was a bit miffed about being caught.

Tom

 

[DonnaM]

Appreciate you stopping in Donna - thank you.

Have you thought about sinking the bird table into some ground - with the rim being at ground level - and having a few large stones behind it for a bg and maybe leading into the water and then adding a little planting.

Thanks Tom, I am working on a more elevated structure, very Heath Robinson you understand i.e. my usual style Mark I is in place, need more big stones though. I will see how it plays out and if successful I will post some results.

 

[toonamp]

Nicley taken Tom, another great setting

 

[erding]

Lovely Bird great shot love the clear pebbles but for some reason the background stones look Grainy rather than out of focus or is that me?


How about a few stones in the birdbath for the more natural shot.
I remember Chris Packham been asked for a skylark shot for a book cover for November or something and needless to say would not get the shot so he made a cardboard cut out of the skylark stuck it on a tree or hedge and did a silhouette shot the publisher was over the moon with the shot.

Thanks for your comments James. Will look at the original a bit later re the 'grainy look'

that is good!
lovely feather detail
not sure if he's scowling at you "can't a chap have a bath in peace?"

Thanks for commenting Mike - much appreciated. I think you have sussed his thoughts

Tom

 

[Ceejay]

Very strange looking B/G as mentioned.
Hope you can let us know why. Which lens were you using?
C

 

[u8myufo]

I should watch that one Tom, I cannot see a reflection
As for the shot, its ok I suppose

 

[erding]

Very strange looking B/G as mentioned.
Hope you can let us know why. Which lens were you using?
C

Will keep you posted. Used my usual Canon 300 f/2.8 - I tried some different PP so I suspect it may be there.

I should watch that one Tom, I cannot see a reflection
As for the shot, its ok I suppose

Cheers Rich - apologies for the standard dropping - will try harder in future

Tom

 

[MarkEvan]

Its a great shot but I wonder is there any way you could get a lower PoV?

 

[crusher]

Great shot Tom (the bg looks OK to me)

He does look a little grumpy though

 

[purpleclouds]

Lovely shot!

 

[oldgit]

Sweet, lovely shot

 

[erding]

Its a great shot but I wonder is there any way you could get a lower PoV?

Thanks Mark. Theoretically its possible to get lower shots - I am working on getting the camera down at water level but it has to be fired by wireless remote so it is a question of finding a consistent spot where the birds will be in the water. At present they are not yet reading the script :bang:

Great shot Tom (the bg looks OK to me)

He does look a little grumpy though

Thanks Keith - well its an invasion of his privacy on bath night

Lovely shot!

Thank you Phil.

Sweet, lovely shot

Thank you Paul.

Tom

 

[erding]

Very strange looking B/G as mentioned.
Hope you can let us know why. Which lens were you using?
C

As suspected - I tried a small variation to my normal PP which produced this slight side effect. Image now re-edited.

Tom

 

[jc55]

Nice capture Tom,i would like to see an overall shot of your set up ,your secrets unfolded,lol ,thank you
john

 

[erding]

Nice capture Tom,i would like to see an overall shot of your set up ,your secrets unfolded,lol ,thank you
john

Thanks for your comments John.

Tom

 

[kaz10]

agree nice capture Tom don t normally see shots of them having a bath

 

[xvickyx]

Lovely shot

 

[erding]

agree nice capture Tom don t normally see shots of them having a bath

Cheers for your comments Karen. Whilst many go there for a drink have only ever had a few actually getting into the water for a wash and brush up.

Lovely shot

Thank you very much.

Tom

 

[Ceejay]

As suspected - I tried a small variation to my normal PP which produced this slight side effect. Image now re-edited.

Tom

Hi,
Thats much better.
I wonder, not having looked back through your posts could you let me know the size of you pond, and how you manage to get the birds to land in the same place. I assume from comment earlier you work by Remote.
My pond is about two meters by one meter and at one meter off the ground.
It varies from zero to about four centimeters deep. The birds seem to bathe all over the place, size and depth dose not seem to come into it.
The smaller stuff using shallow and deeper water. Thanks
Did I mention the pic is MUCH better !!!
C

 

[erding]

Hi,
Thats much better.
I wonder, not having looked back through your posts could you let me know the size of you pond, and how you manage to get the birds to land in the same place. I assume from comment earlier you work by Remote.
My pond is about two meters by one meter and at one meter off the ground.
It varies from zero to about four centimeters deep. The birds seem to bathe all over the place, size and depth dose not seem to come into it.
The smaller stuff using shallow and deeper water. Thanks
Did I mention the pic is MUCH better !!!
C

Cheers. The setup I have is 2 ponds, about the same size as yours, with a small stream of about 2m long by 20/30cm wide which connects the 2 Basically laid out in a U shape. The stream area is no deeper than yours but it is at ground level with easy access for the birds to be able to walk down into the water.

The bird shots are mainly taken in the stream area with a handheld camera for flexibility.

To get lower down & close shots, I use a wireless remote, focused on a exact spot and then keeping everything crossed that the bird lands on that spot and looks the right way. You get a lot of OOF shots etc but also some good captures:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=94485

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=91427

Tom

 

[Ceejay]

Many thanks for that.So possibly I am not to far out in my thoughts on this.
It is sometimes quite difficult working on ones own.
The only site I have seen showing this type of photography is a guy called "Bence" think hes in Scandinavia. I know John Robinson also does this kind of thing and very well too.
C

 

[erding]

Many thanks for that.So possibly I am not to far out in my thoughts on this.
It is sometimes quite difficult working on ones own.
The only site I have seen showing this type of photography is a guy called "Bence" think hes in Scandinavia. I know John Robinson also does this kind of thing and very well too.
C

A lot of similarities between the 2 setups - the major difference is you have gone for a raised version. Is that by choice or due to the terrain?

Tom

 

[Ceejay]

A lot of similarities between the 2 setups - the major difference is you have gone for a raised version. Is that by choice or due to the terrain?

Hi Tom,
Mainly choice, as in I did not have any. At the rear we have a full width conservatory. Beyond which a patio surrounded by a metre high trellis type fence, so anything on the ground cannot be seen. Along the rear of the fence is shelving for my Bonsai trees, the one in the left corner I converted to a pool. Seems to work OK except the birds land all over the place which was why I asked originally how to try and make them come to a particular point or area. We have about ten species using it at the moment
(not all at the same time !!)
Will try and put some pics up when not quite so busy.
C

 

[erding]

A lot of similarities between the 2 setups - the major difference is you have gone for a raised version. Is that by choice or due to the terrain?

Hi Tom,
Mainly choice, as in I did not have any. At the rear we have a full width conservatory. Beyond which a patio surrounded by a metre high trellis type fence, so anything on the ground cannot be seen. Along the rear of the fence is shelving for my Bonsai trees, the one in the left corner I converted to a pool. Seems to work OK except the birds land all over the place which was why I asked originally how to try and make them come to a particular point or area. We have about ten species using it at the moment
(not all at the same time !!)
Will try and put some pics up when not quite so busy.
C

Have you tried placing a large stone in the water? Needs to be just large enough so that it is just above the water level - so that could be used to draw birds to land on it. You obviously would use that stone as your focusing point.

Tom

 

[Ceejay]

Yes, actually have two stones poking up through the water.
blackbirds and starlings use them, but the Chaffinches,Goldfinches,Greenfinches etc. seem to prefer standing on pieces
of slate I have used just below the surface. Maybe my larger stones are too high. Will change them this evening and wait and see.
C

 

[erding]

Yes, actually have two stones poking up through the water.
blackbirds and starlings use them, but the Chaffinches,Goldfinches,Greenfinches etc. seem to prefer standing on pieces
of slate I have used just below the surface. Maybe my larger stones are too high. Will change them this evening and wait and see.
C