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Festival of the Belly Button

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Silver Eye June 2007
Red Whiskered Bulbul November 2012

I am fascinated by the birds that frequent our garden and fortunate to be able to photograph them through the windows of our home.  In the beginning the main challenge was getting the camera to focus on the subject rather than the leaves. Since then I have learnt several things
1. To get shots with a less distracting background
2. The importance of the birds eye being clear in the image
3. To value of a bigger lens
4. Knowing their calls so I can jump up from my desk and be ready for shot.

I still have a long way to go. One thing I know is that birds doing things make more interesting photos than still shots. I am going to work on that.

Eastern Spinebill September 2011


Comments

  1. Wot no ducks? ;-) I don't think you have as far to go as you have come! P

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  2. Birds are one of my favourite subjects as well. It amazing the details you get when you zoomed.

    2 out of 3 great shots! ;)

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  3. Lovely photos and great tips for close-up nature shots.

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  4. I do love a bird photo and these are terrific :)

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  5. Yes, the current shots are just great, Joan. It is amazing the difference, and I suspect you are not even talking about 'spot metering' etc.

    I agree about the 'doing things'. Have you checked out some of Abe's shots of humming birds?

    Peter is on the money with his comment.

    Thanks for participating.

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    1. You are right no spot metering and any of that complicated photographer stuff.

      One of the problems regarding the 'doing things' is that I do not feed the birds so they don't say in one place eating seed ... they hop all over the place eating whatever birds eat in trees.

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  6. Gorgeous shots. We have the Eastern Spinebill here, but not the others.

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  7. I really like the bottom one, esp the way you have the beak against the white flower. I find the problem with a zoom lens at full zoom is that the result is soft.

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    1. Ann I don't have to zoom in much at all, the trees are right at the window and at eye level. In fact, from the bathroom window the birds are so close they are too close for the zoom lens to focus.

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  8. loving your birding photographs; my first visit to your blog. A special part of N.S.W., I used to love to visit the Blue Mountains. Will enjoy looking over your photographs

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    1. Thanks for visiting Carole. I see you are doing plenty of bird shots in your blog.

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  9. You are so lucky to get these shots from your window Joan, do you have your camera on a tripod?

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    1. No all hand held. I have never been able to master using a tripod.

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  10. I can't imagine me taking a bird photo this good, and I've given it a whirl. Wow!

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  11. Delightful bird photos, and good points.

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    1. Paul, I so admire your in-flight images of birds. That is something else I would like to master one day.

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  12. Oh wow!!!
    These are awesome!
    I remember your previous bird shots - you have a real talent for it.
    Coz I know - it is NOT EASY photographing birds.
    Mine are always just blurs or blobs.
    And I just love those little birds - they are beautiful.

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  13. These are beautiful shots Joan, so enjoyable to see.
    The Silvereyes are so hard to capture, such busy little birds.
    It's great when you have a good spot in which to lurk and wait for those pretty calls :D)

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  14. Beautiful! Love both birds and shots.

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  15. Some good bird photos. I like the Eastern Spinebill which we see in our garden too.

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  16. How fabulous that you can sit at your desk and keep your ear tuned for bird calls Joan, I love all of these shots, you've got me in the mood for a bit of birding!

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