[allachie9]

Great shot Ed. I love to see trains 'in the landscape', and this is a fine example.
Here's my offering for today - a white tulip from my garden.

White_Tulip by Alan Butterfield, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by allachie9

Great shot Ed. I love to see trains 'in the landscape', and this is a fine example.
Here's my offering for today - a white tulip from my garden.

Very nice! Way to rack the 100-400mm all the way out to 400 and open it wide open. Great bokeh and you did great to get the all green BG. Somehow, you still got decent DOF on the flower. Nice.

Dave

[allachie9]

Thanks, I thought you might look at the EXIF !
Just an experiment really, I wanted to isolate the single bloom, so stood well back and used the out of focus lawn as my background. I think it worked well, even though it was an unusual way to get a flower portrait.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by allachie9

Thanks, I thought you might look at the EXIF !
Just an experiment really, I wanted to isolate the single bloom, so stood well back and used the out of focus lawn as my background. I think it worked well, even though it was an unusual way to get a flower portrait.

I predict more shots taken that way, now that you see how well it works and how easy it is.

Here's 700mm out the car window. I was so close that I actually needed f/8.0 to get enough of the petals in focus:

Untitled by David Stephens, on Flickr

Think about using your 100-400mm with an Extension Tube and 1.4x TC to get more magnification, say when you're shooting a bug on a flower and mainly want the bug.

[allachie9]

700mm ! wow !
But it works doesn't it ?

The other way I have, more traditionally, tried flower portraits is a bit of an odd arrangement.
The only macro lens I currently have is a 60mm EF-S lens, so I attach it to my 5D using a 7mm extension tube.
Here's one shot using that combination.
The whole flower head is about the size of a golf ball.

Purple Pompom by Alan Butterfield, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by allachie9

The other way I have, more traditionally, tried flower portraits is a bit of an odd arrangement.
The only macro lens I currently have is a 60mm EF-S lens, so I attach it to my 5D using a 7mm extension tube.
Here's one shot using that combination.
The whole flower head is about the size of a golf ball.

Just enough DOF there. You don't have to get the whole thing in focus, but you need enough to show what the flower's about. Here you show the repeating petals in a pattern and the great colors, which all that's need for a great image.

What I really like about the longer focal lengths is the generous working distance. It's particularly useful when chasing a bug.

Dave

[Itsed65]

Sorry, all I seem to have lately are osprey and trains

I'm heading down to LA for the 4th, so I hope to get some good Paso Robles wine country shots on the way

I Rule This Nest by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

Sorry, all I seem to have lately are osprey and trains

Life can be so tough...

[Itsed65]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Life can be so tough...

The list of my first world problems is a long one

[allachie9]

Back to the birds !
Nothing as exotic as Ed's wonderful osprey shots, but here we have a little chaffinch posing for the camera.

Chaffinch Posing by Alan Butterfield, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by allachie9

Back to the birds !
Nothing as exotic as Ed's wonderful osprey shots, but here we have a little chaffinch posing for the camera.

Damn, that's sharp. I see a 100-400II in my 2016 budget...

[dcstep]

Lucky, at 700mm, to get two moving birds decently in focus:

Okay, okay, I'm outta here... by David Stephens, on Flickr

[allachie9]

Brilliant shot Dave !
The one on the right looks like he's walking on water.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by allachie9

Brilliant shot Dave !
The one on the right looks like he's walking on water.

Thanks.

Yeah, I lucked out on that. 10-fps certainly increases the odds of the serendipitous pose.

Dave

[M_Six]

Wow, some killer shots. Love the flower shots. Big zooms really do work well with flowers for isolation.

Love the birds, DC. This is surely a case of making your own luck. Right equipment at the right time.

[C5driver]

Mr. Grumpy Gills

[Itsed65]

Soon the males will begin to compete for the ladies

Wandering Tule Elk by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[M_Six]

Escarpment


Escarpment by Mark Johnson, on Flickr

[M_Six]

Denver Sunset


Denver Sunset by Mark Johnson, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Denver Sunset

Glad you captured it. I saw it, but there was too much crap on my horizon.

We have good prospects for tomorrow, I think. I found a coyote den today, an oriole nest and I think I'm close to a hummingbird nest. If all else fails, there are plenty of flowering weeds and wildflowers.

Dave

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Glad you captured it. I saw it, but there was too much crap on my horizon.

We have good prospects for tomorrow, I think. I found a coyote den today, an oriole nest and I think I'm close to a hummingbird nest. If all else fails, there are plenty of flowering weeds and wildflowers.

Dave

Long lens from the hotel window helped cut out the foreground clutter.

Looking forward to tomorrow. Weather looks promising.

[dcstep]

I saw the sunset that Mark captured, but wasn't in good position for a shot myself. Here's one that I like from yesterday:

Thistle, ready to bloom by David Stephens, on Flickr