The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Owens Lake’s desolate setting provides two addictive photo opportunities: Very large flocks of migrating water birds in excellent light, and stark backgrounds both east and west. There are marsh plants and reflections, but one trick is to shoot the flocks when they fly high enough to provide a perfect montane backdrop – otherwise, you get the lake’s dikes, pumps, poles and other intrusions in the frame. I stopped by this alkaline Eastern Sierra lake (Mono’s southern sister) early one morning in late September and found thousands of Blue Winged Teals. This group flew east, providing the parched Inyo Mountains as a landscape backdrop.
Specific Feedback
Even in early morning the Inyos look blown out. Also, the high shutter speeds made it tough to get enough DOF without high auto ISO. Don’t look too closely – the birds are soft, owing mainly to the distance. I will be back; would be nice to know how to shoot this natural wonder and get better results. That said, I will always have this to remind me of those teals and their great numbers.
Hi James - this is quite eye-catching and so much a part of how ducks interact. Yes, the birds are soft and it is probably due to the distance as you say. The background works really well to make them stand out, something not easy to do with flocks of ducks except with a blue sky, and this is more interesting.
Possibly getting closer and using a shorter focal length lens could make a more crisp photo next time. In addition to just the space between you and them, you’re probably getting some atmospheric haze as well. That’s so much harder to deal with since it can’t be controlled, mitigated or overcome in the field and I’ve not had much luck with correcting it in post either. C’est la vie.
Thanks Kristen — Yes need to get closer. But those teals are skittish!
My plan for next time is to go with a partner, leave them on one side of the pond, then drive over to the other side.
The partner will set up in partial cover, and when the ducks see me they will fly away from me and toward them. Then we will repeat and they will send the ducks to me. Might be violating unwritten rules about photographers disturbing wildlife, but the ducks seem to frequently take wing and resettle. So, not so bad.
And cheaper than buying an 800MM !
