BIF & flat blue skies, do they work for you?

[ootanaboot]

Here's a recent example of a Kestrel leaping from a branch. It seemed like he spotted dinner by the angle of it's head, but I find the backdrop makes the capture look false and ruins the image somehow. I'd like your opinions of BIF photography with flat sky backgrounds. Post your own pictures if you like, show me how or what makes it work. I'd love to see your good examples.

 

[nzmacro]

Stunning to see and most of mine are just plain blue skies. That doesn't take it away from the subject and the subject is gorgeous. Very well caught. Love this with the wing position and showing excellent markings and colours.

Danny.

 

[ootanaboot]

Thanks Danny. That helps.

 

[nzmacro]

Plain blue skies since you asked

And so on and on. For me blue skies are normal and we can always add clouds in PP nowdays, but certainly not my thing. I've tried it and it's hard to tell if you use the right settings, but and it's a big but, it wasn't there, so it's doesn't go in.

Danny.

 

[ootanaboot]

we can always add clouds in PP nowdays, but certainly not my thing

not mine either.

Your pics are great and it reinforces my need to ONLY give a good star rating to my pics that are this detailed as yours. Did I mention I need to get out even more...

Your last pic... what is that bird? Awesome capture, love the sandy orange.

 

[RichDitch]

I can go either with a plain sky or with an appropriate habitat background. Either works, although one needs to be careful so the background isn't overly distracting.

Canada Goose at Bosque del Apache

Canada Goose by Richard Ditch, on Flickr

Sandhill Crane at Bosque del Apache

Sandhill Crane by Richard Ditch, on Flickr

Neotropic Cormorant

Neotropic Cormorant by Richard Ditch, on Flickr

 

[nzmacro]

not mine either.

Your pics are great and it reinforces my need to ONLY give a good star rating to my pics that are this detailed as yours. Did I mention I need to get out even more...

Your last pic... what is that bird? Awesome capture, love the sandy orange.

Here that's a welcome swallow. In the US I think they call it a barn swallow.

 

[nzmacro]

I can go either with a plain sky or with an appropriate habitat background. Either works, although one needs to be careful so the background isn't overly distracting.

Canada Goose at Bosque del Apache

Canada Goose by Richard Ditch, on Flickr

Sandhill Crane at Bosque del Apache

Sandhill Crane by Richard Ditch, on Flickr

Neotropic Cormorant

Neotropic Cormorant by Richard Ditch, on Flickr

Excellent stuff as always there Rich. I think if the subject nearly fills, or we can crop in so it does fill in the frame, then it works with just blue skies like your crane shot. The original poster there with that shot has nothing to worry about. there's enough in the frame that more than makes up for it.

Danny.

 

[Box Man]

I can go either with a plain sky or with an appropriate habitat background. Either works, although one needs to be careful so the background isn't overly distracting.

Canada Goose at Bosque del Apache

Canada Goose by Richard Ditch, on Flickr

Sandhill Crane at Bosque del Apache

Sandhill Crane by Richard Ditch, on Flickr

Neotropic Cormorant

Neotropic Cormorant by Richard Ditch, on Flickr

Hey Rich, these are pretty awesome photos. Nice work! Did you use a DSLR or a V cam with the 70-300mm?

 

[RichDitch]

Hey Rich, these are pretty awesome photos. Nice work! Did you use a DSLR or a V cam with the 70-300mm?

Thanks Box Man.

These all pre-date my acquisition of Nikon 1 gear, before my knees and hips went bad. All three shots were with a Nikon D7200 which is collecting dust with my two other DX bodies. The goose and crane were taken with my "bargain" 600mm - an AF-S 300/2.8 with a TC20E 2x converter. The cormorant was taken with a Nikon 300/4D - an easy hand-holdable wildlife lens. The 2x300 was my bird lens from August of 1998 until February of 2017. I traded that in to get an AF-S 200-500 for less weight, more flexibility, and a bit more sharpness.