Blufftonian
Member
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
My first post here - I guess I'm a refugee from DPR - of a Least Sandpiper on a Hilton Head Island beach.
Least Sandpiper
- Thread starter Blufftonian
- Start date
If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).
My first post here - I guess I'm a refugee from DPR - of a Least Sandpiper on a Hilton Head Island beach.
nice image and welcome!
BAL Land
Well-known member
Welcome! I like the pose and behavior very much! I have a few critiques:
1. The light. On a sunny day, the only times you can shoot and still get nice looking light is from sunrise to 3 hours after sunrise, and from 3 hours before sunset to sunset. If you’re too far from sunrise or sunset, the light is too harsh, cool in color, and there’s too many shadows. Also, try to point your shadow directly at the bird the best you can unless you’re experimenting with backlighting or side lighting.
2. Whenever possible, try to get as eye level with the bird as possible. In this case, lying on the ground would’ve resulted in a much nicer angle with a cleaner and smoother background.
3. I would’ve prefers there to be a catchlight in the eye, but the absence of that is due to the light.
4. What were your settings for the shot? The image seems to have motion blur, especially on the birds head and legs. A faster shutter speed would’ve helped.
Also, what gear did you use?
Thanks for sharing and welcome!!
1. The light. On a sunny day, the only times you can shoot and still get nice looking light is from sunrise to 3 hours after sunrise, and from 3 hours before sunset to sunset. If you’re too far from sunrise or sunset, the light is too harsh, cool in color, and there’s too many shadows. Also, try to point your shadow directly at the bird the best you can unless you’re experimenting with backlighting or side lighting.
2. Whenever possible, try to get as eye level with the bird as possible. In this case, lying on the ground would’ve resulted in a much nicer angle with a cleaner and smoother background.
3. I would’ve prefers there to be a catchlight in the eye, but the absence of that is due to the light.
4. What were your settings for the shot? The image seems to have motion blur, especially on the birds head and legs. A faster shutter speed would’ve helped.
Also, what gear did you use?
Thanks for sharing and welcome!!
Blufftonian
Member
Thank you for your comments; I very much appreciate them and I agree with your critique.
This was just a casual image I shot last week. I just grabbed a recent shot for my first post on this forum. I certainly wouldn't be putting it up for any prizes! I agree that the middle of the day is far from ideal from a lighting point of view, but the tide rather than the time determined the shot. The high tide last Tuesday was a little after 10am and the best time to find shorebirds here is about an hour later. As the tide recedes the birds come out from where they have been sheltering and are hungry to feed on the freshly exposed beach, making them easier to approach. This shot was taken at 10.50am. I guess I should wait for a 6am or 4pm high tide next time.
I was crouching but a lower shot would have been preferable, although not always possible due to the presence of "pluff mud" here on these South Carolina beaches. It's nasty stuff and you can sink into it well over your ankles.
I guess this forum doesn't show exif data. The shot was taken with my Nikon D500 and Nikkor 500mm PF, and at 1/1600 sec @ f/5.6 and ISO 180. I cropped the image a little in LR and processed it with Topaz Photo AI.
Again, thank you for the welcome and the response.
Welcome!
If you are using Lightroom Classic then I think most people are using this preset before posting. It should allow metadata to show. BCG Forums Lightroom Preset
Blufftonian
Member
Terrific! Thanks for this. I just installed it to LrC.
Welcome to the group. The slight blur is as if motion blur. 1/1600th however
Blufftonian
Member
Thank you for the welcome. I can only think that these tiny least sandpipers - the smallest of all shorebirds - are very fast movers. And they are constantly in motion!
Hey there! Nice shot, there B! I decided to join this site, it looks nice, well laid out, and a familiar face is a good thing. It's too bad about dpreview but I think I may like this site better, actually. Be well!
Blufftonian
Member
I like this site too. I'm also looking at drprevived.com. There are a lot of dpreview people there, although the website software needs some polishing.
I'll have to check it out.I like this site too. I'm also looking at drprevived.com. There are a lot of dpreview people there, although the website software needs some polishing.