Steve'sDigicams

zoomn · Jun 14, 2004, 10:56 AM

Hummer · Jun 14, 2004, 11:45 AM

Neat shots of a California Quail doing his thing! When we built our house a male quail would call from the roof top, about 22ft high. They are great birds to have around but can be difficult to photograph because they flush readily.

Hummer

Normcar · Jun 14, 2004, 12:27 PM

That sharp grass really adds a nice ingredient to the photo. Great looking bird. I'd personally love to see a ruffled grouse some day but they keep pretty hidden. I used to hunt them with a riflemany years ago. Maybe they remember.

zoomn · Jun 14, 2004, 1:31 PM

Thanks for the kind comments. Appreciate you taking a second to respond.

It was fun sneaking up on this quail in the top of a 10' tree.

Took about 15 minutes to get this close.

How do you feel about the lighting on the bird? Does it look too bright?

It was a very bright sunny day and I was trying to keep them looking like they really did to bring out the colors but still keep the suns glare off them.

eric s · Jun 14, 2004, 2:32 PM

I like the shots, but they do seem a little washed out, probably because of the sun. Playing some with the contrast might help.

Since it's a bird I've never seen I'd like to have taken these shots.

Eric

zoomn · Jun 14, 2004, 5:02 PM

I don't know if these are any better.

I went down on the brightness and up a little on contrast.

eric s · Jun 14, 2004, 7:20 PM

Ya know, I looked at the other Quail that hummer(?) posted and they had similar colors as yours did. So while I thought they looked a little washed out and light, maybe I was wrong? I have no experience with these birds, so I can't say what they "should" look like, but what I imagine them looking like.

I don't have any of my bird books here, so I can't look them up. Ignoring the CA on the breast of the top bird, I do think these look good. But are they "correct"? I don't know.

Eric

Normcar · Jun 14, 2004, 9:02 PM

From the look of the light on the back of this bird you probably took this photograph when the sun was high in the sky, a very difficult time to get good even exposure. I think you did a great job at this time of day. Processing would probably help, but the best thing to do would be to return to that spot later or earlier in the day when the sun isn't so high and let the natural lighting do the tough stuff to get the photo greater.

zoomn · Jun 15, 2004, 9:00 AM

Eric s and Normcar I really thank you for your input.

Yes the day could not have been any brighter and high noon as well.

Appreciate your kind remarks, very helpful.

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Jun 14, 2004, 10:56 AM	#1
zoomn Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 750

Jun 14, 2004, 11:45 AM	#2
Hummer Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 84	Neat shots of a California Quail doing his thing! When we built our house a male quail would call from the roof top, about 22ft high. They are great birds to have around but can be difficult to photograph because they flush readily. Hummer

Jun 14, 2004, 12:27 PM	#3
Normcar Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3,748	That sharp grass really adds a nice ingredient to the photo. Great looking bird. I'd personally love to see a ruffled grouse some day but they keep pretty hidden. I used to hunt them with a riflemany years ago. Maybe they remember.

Jun 14, 2004, 1:31 PM	#4
zoomn Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 750	Thanks for the kind comments. Appreciate you taking a second to respond. It was fun sneaking up on this quail in the top of a 10' tree. Took about 15 minutes to get this close. How do you feel about the lighting on the bird? Does it look too bright? It was a very bright sunny day and I was trying to keep them looking like they really did to bring out the colors but still keep the suns glare off them.

Jun 14, 2004, 2:32 PM	#5
eric s Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 5,803	I like the shots, but they do seem a little washed out, probably because of the sun. Playing some with the contrast might help. Since it's a bird I've never seen I'd like to have taken these shots. Eric

Jun 14, 2004, 5:02 PM	#6
zoomn Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 750	I don't know if these are any better. I went down on the brightness and up a little on contrast.

Jun 14, 2004, 7:20 PM	#7
eric s Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 5,803	Ya know, I looked at the other Quail that hummer(?) posted and they had similar colors as yours did. So while I thought they looked a little washed out and light, maybe I was wrong? I have no experience with these birds, so I can't say what they "should" look like, but what I imagine them looking like. I don't have any of my bird books here, so I can't look them up. Ignoring the CA on the breast of the top bird, I do think these look good. But are they "correct"? I don't know. Eric

Jun 14, 2004, 9:02 PM	#8
Normcar Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3,748	From the look of the light on the back of this bird you probably took this photograph when the sun was high in the sky, a very difficult time to get good even exposure. I think you did a great job at this time of day. Processing would probably help, but the best thing to do would be to return to that spot later or earlier in the day when the sun isn't so high and let the natural lighting do the tough stuff to get the photo greater.

Jun 15, 2004, 9:00 AM	#9
zoomn Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 750	Eric s and Normcar I really thank you for your input. Yes the day could not have been any brighter and high noon as well. Appreciate your kind remarks, very helpful.