We certainly dont get birds like this in Chicago! Definitely something I want to try again. I just plopped myself down in "the front row" under the trees and start snapping!
Great shots Katie! ; Was this in the bird show? ; I can't remember seeing this many different types of birds in there.
Thanks for sharing these katie, I can't wait to get back to AK with my new lens to take some of these.
Awesome shots! ; You must have great patience, as you really caught some nice closeup details in good light, or breaks in the trees. Those bird areas are actually on both trails - Pangani in Africa, and Maharajah in Asia. ; Each has a great selection of amazing birds from their respective continents. Warning to photographers - always look above you whenever you pick a spot to linger and take a shot...while watching one bird, another diretly above you may decide to give you a present...one you DO NOT want! Another thing for photography - the contrast in there is harsh as can be - very dark, shadowy branches hiding under leaf canopies with streaky light and shadow, and nearly always backlit by very bright sky or sun shining through the netting above. ; When shooting birds in the trees, high ISO is usually a must - at least 400, sometimes 800 or even 1600. ; Blowing out backgrounds to meter on the birds is often a necessity. ; And purple fringing and chromic abberations are a threat. ; If you spend a lot of time there, only shooting when the birds land in a perfect beam of light, then you can get away with less ISO and backlight problems. ; I usually just pass through in 10-20 minutes, so I don't really take the time to set up shop in there and wait for the perfect moments. A few from the Asia side too: And a few from the Pangani trail too: As you can see, I didn't devote the time and care to the place like you did - I should do that next time. ; I always just walk through, try to get a few shots in there, but without really taking the time to wait for the right light or location of the bird and background. ; A lot of ISO800 in mine, especially Pangani, as it can be quite dark in the shadow areas where the birds like to sit.
