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I Brake For Cardinals


I Brake For Cardinals
Photo Information
Copyright: Howard Cheek (marhowie) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5810 W: 1246 N: 10726] (35311)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-12-26
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM, Digital ISO 400, Hoya UV-Guard (77mm)
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/2500 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of Texas, Interacting birds, 5 favs. and up - PART 2, Birds in Flight [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-12-27 7:41
Viewed: 2024
Favorites: 9 [view]
Points: 82
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is a mockingbird applying the "brakes" as the female cardinal is seen cutting it off inflight. I spent several hours yesterday from around 10:00am thru 1:00pm set-up with tripod about 8 meters distant. I used manual focus, wired remote and tripod for this, no flash. Clear and sunny. ISO 400 and an exposure bias of -1

Post processing included removel of OOF bird blur top left corner, a 3 pixel layer of gaussian blur to the background and the usual adjustments.

Hardly felt like winter yesterday with temperatures in the 70's!!

Thanx for lookin'
elroyie, petrudamsa, Alan_Kolnik, paulbright, dew77, Friday, bartove, wishnugaruda, coasties, Janice, PDP, Robespierre, scottevers7, Dave, marmottelolo, livios, CTP, correp01, Luc, lovenature has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Fisher: Happy New Yearmarhowie 4 01-01 23:23
To ellis49: Thank Youmarhowie 1 12-29 09:16
To livios: Backgroundmarhowie 2 12-29 04:58
To Evelynn: What Technique?marhowie 1 12-27 22:12
To anoop: WSmarhowie 1 12-27 11:49
To Platypus: How?marhowie 1 12-27 08:34
To Alan_Kolnik: Plenty of It Heremarhowie 1 12-27 08:00
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Critiques [Translate]

Excellent capture, I have no words to say about this beautiful capture of these birds in motion, well done!

Hi Howard,
What an amazing capture - you managed to freeze the scene at the precise moment - very impressive and not easily done.
TFS - Shir

You freezed this moment in the right second. Everything looks perfect. I just imagine what patience you had to have to get this one right!

Regards, Petru

Great action shot! Very unusual to see what looks like a sports photo transported to the bird world. Your patience and careful setup paid off! Lucky TX with temps in the 70's - if you are missing winter, come up to MD - we have plenty of it here!!

Great shot ! This is really unsual...
How did you setup the camera with manual focus using the wire remote ?!! Do you wait for the birds to fly in front of the camera, hoping they are at the right distance for focus ?
Anyways, well done !
TFS,
Pascal.

  • Great 
  • reina Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 261 W: 1 N: 322] (1992)
  • [2005-12-27 8:42]

Hi Howard, what a difficult shot, to my humble opinion. Havent succeeded in catching a flying a bird, and you did to. Congratulations!. Reina

I wonder how often one can get such shots in a lifetime. Lucky if I can get one. Traffic jam in air is not that common you know.
Very well done! Excellent work, breaking bird is in perfect focus, I can see the entire breaking system working. bird is almost perpedicular to the ground, the tail flaps all streched out and down , the wings spread out, WOW!

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2005-12-27 9:58]

Hello Howard!
Excellent action shot.POV,blurred BG,moment you caught,catchlight in eyes and composition are perfect.TFS...:-)

Great title and a beautiful stop action shot. Gorgeous detail. Well done.

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 883 W: 23 N: 930] (5015)
  • [2005-12-27 10:56]

Howard , c'est du grand art!! Que de mouvement dans cette photo splendide!! Congratulations Didier.

Cool shot! I didnt knew that birds have so strong mimic... U can read all in their eyes. Thanks for sharing,
Laila

Hi Howard,
Excellent action shot.
Regards,Eyal.

Hi Howard,
wow, I've never seen such a shot - full of action, excellent. Also so sharp, have you done magic here? Both birds are so wonderful, I love the cute red one very much.
Thank you so much, bye
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • anoop Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 14 W: 1 N: 14] (106)
  • [2005-12-27 11:42]
  • [+]

Excellent work!! breathtaking indeed!! Its so hard to get these kind of pictures, It would be great if yu have a Ws on the techniques!!

Clihé de toute beauté Howard c'est très pro et très agréable à admirer MERCI

Awesome capture of the inflight of these two birds, I wonder if they share nautical sail rules like haulting for approaching vessels with starboard tact? Well done Howard. :)

Starboard-
The Vikings called the side of their ship its board, and they placed the steering oar, the "star" on the right side of the ship, thus that side became known as the "star board." It's been that way ever since. And, because the oar was in the right side, the ship was tied to the dock at the left side. This was known as the loading side or "larboard". Later, it was decided that "larboard" and "starboard" were too similar, especially when trying to be heard over the roar of a heavy sea, so the phrase became the "side at which you tied up to in port" or the "port" side.

Hi Howard

Wow!!

Unfortunately for me it is back to work, so I am sneeking this in while I sit at my desk and think of those enjoying their festive holiday. Nice work. Good POV and colours. Very well composed. TFS.

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3464 W: 145 N: 5943] (17794)
  • [2005-12-27 14:38]

Howard, what a winner! They both look like they are frozen in time. Excellent capture, and I wonder what "alien" comments Red Greg will come up with when he sees this!!
It's just wonderful...
Janice

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2951 W: 366 N: 3779] (11763)
  • [2005-12-27 14:38]

Hi Howard, excellent capture. Love the action. Very well done.

Very nice shot, it must be hard to catch them flying in a proper way, congrats :)

Amazing capture, I've never seen anything like this. Great job, Howard, I wish I could give it 100 smilies!

Alli

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3103 W: 234 N: 5930] (20016)
  • [2005-12-27 16:10]

Wow, Howard. This has got to be a once in a lifetime kind of shot. What timing. Just awesome. Hats off to you, my friend. TFS. : )

Hi Howard,
Great picture! Perfect timing. Looking to this kind of pictures you see that (sometimes) a long period of waiting is rewarded with a beautiful shot. Impressive! Well done, thanks for sharing and regards, Ruud

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1674 W: 5 N: 2130] (11898)
  • [2005-12-27 17:34]

L'action est excellente,deux oiseaux en plein vol. La netteté est parfaite et les couleurs sont jolies.

Merci Howard!

Joseph.

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1552 W: 0 N: 1169] (6448)
  • [2005-12-27 17:54]

Hi Howard,
Incredible catch!
very nice sharp with good details,
great timing, nice colours.
Thank you and happy new year!

I was wondering what technique you use for isolating the subject from the background before applying the gaussian blur to the background. However you did it, great job! Evelynn

Hi Howard,
SUPERB! I think that covers it pretty well. Worth 10 points in my book. Nice shootin TEX
Scott

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 527 W: 47 N: 674] (2171)
  • [2005-12-27 22:45]

Too cool Howard! Incredible shot with a cute and fitting title...
Very nicely done!
Definitely my treat lookin'...
Thank you Howard!
Dave

bonjour howard
une tel capture est exceptionnelle,beaucoup de patience pour un resultat magnifique.
lauent

Im not sure how this was done, but it was a BRILLIANT job!!

Howard, it's easy to notice your effor paid off.

I like the action. A great natural moment with a very nice composition.

Another question (please, don't be mad at me): as for the "3 pixel layer of gaussian blur to the background", do you duplicate the layer and the uses the erase to bring back the original mais subject(s)?

I`am say only: WOW!!!

  • Great 
  • deud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 498 W: 2 N: 464] (2157)
  • [2005-12-29 2:39]

amazing action shot! i can imagine how much shots you've done, to obtain some resonable results!

i want to wish you a happy New Year and thanks for all your kind words and very useful critiques in my address!

Hi Howard,
It's a great inflight.
Perfect timing, very good details and well composed.
Great work, my friend.

I just drop in to wish you a Happy New Year.

  • Great 
  • CTP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 774 W: 6 N: 1107] (3183)
  • [2005-12-29 12:08]

Hi Howard,
Excellent capture on these lovely birds in motion.
Cardinal looks awesome and that is my favorite bird in USA:)
Great bg,focus,composition,colors and note.TFS
CT

Marvellous, the moment, the capture, the colours. Thanks for sharing this GREAT shot !

Hi Howard,

A WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Super capture as your patience paid off. Your p.p. work is excellent. Good for you. ;) I'm lookin at the image on my new toy, Flat panel LCD, finaly.
Happy New Year.

Mike

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2052 W: 315 N: 4301] (14719)
  • [2006-01-01 10:20]

I call this a great shot, Howard, an extraordinary one. I am glad to have so much to learn and to have a teacher as good as you.
Many Thanks my friend.

wow,
Great moment, colour and POV!
Ana:)

Wow!
This is amazing Howard, two birds in flight and one putting on the breaks. Your notes are very helpful, it so great to find out how you captured this dramatic image. Well done.
TFS Janice

  • Great 
  • methos Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 216 W: 56 N: 287] (1167)
  • [2007-03-16 10:33]

WOW!!!
I don't think there is anything more to say.
WOW!!!
TFS! and a Favorite!!

Hello Howard
Ive Just come across the picture..and there is so little to say apart from its "expletive Hot"!!
Best Regards
Paul

  • Great 
  • liskit (95)
  • [2008-02-11 12:53]

Vow what a catch of the moment! Thanks for sharing that capture..

interesting combionation of birds, TFS Ori

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