6 Mile Cypress Slough (part 1)....

Bill Baburchak April 13, 2018

This post is going to be heavy on the images. This was one of those rare days when the good images just kept on coming! We were like kids in a candy store! And we certainly enjoyed it because we know it doesn't happen very often, so we hope you all enjoy them too!!!

The next two images are very similar, but I need your help to decide which one is more pleasing to you. The only difference is the position of the head. Which one do you like?

Last but not least ..... another Tri Color....

All for now, lots more tomorrow!!!!!

BIF's........

Bill Baburchak April 12, 2018

Photographer's slang for "birds in flight", we try and improve our images of flying birds because these are the shots that everyone likes. They bring the birds to life with a sense of motion and action more than a static standing shot. But they are considerably more difficult to produce. You not only have to get your subject in crisp focus, but you also have to keep an eye on the background. You don't want a tree growing out of your birds' head!
I was fortunate enough to get a shot of a GBH the other day and the following is a sequence of the bird flying by me. All shots are early morning, high ISO shots.

This first one is the bird just after take-off, trying to gain some altitude.

This second shot is taken as he is gaining speed...

Here the bird has gained some altitude and is squawking, which is normal for GBH. They are a noisy bird....

And this last one is nearly the same image but pulled back to about the original size. It's more of an environmental shot, meant to show not only the bird, but the surrounding area.

I wish the bird was a little more to the left but I really like the dead branches as a compositional element. I'm still not sure I'll keep the branches and if I do I'll probably blur them a bit so they don't compete with the bird for your attention...... what do you think of the composition?

That's all for now. Tomorrow we have some really good images from Harn's Marsh. Or at least Mel does!!!! Thanks for looking!!

Harn's Marsh Revisited......

Bill Baburchak April 10, 2018

We were back at Harn's Marsh this morning hoping for some better luck and better light. And we got both!!!
First image is a Limpkin. Not the rarest of birds, but definitely doesn't like people.

Next is one of the apex predators in the area, the Osprey. This one was up high in a pine tree and Mel was able to get a good angle and a different facial expression!

Next up are the old reliable type birds, the herons. Always fun to watch, and sometimes difficult to get close to, these birds are the most common of the Florida shorebirds.

I was trying my 1.7 teleconverter on my D810 to see what kind of sharpness I could get. This teleconverter never produced what I would call sharp images on my D300 but on the D810 this can be one sharp addition to the camera bag, especially stopped down!

And last but not least... there are two nesting families of Sandhill Cranes at Harn's Marsh and I was lucky enough to get fairly close to one group of what appears to be an adult and a juvenile. They are large, beautiful birds and I had a great time getting close to these two!!

We had a great morning, got to spend time together, and just enjoyed being out there!
More to come....

Gingers, Gingers, and More Gingers!!!!

Bill Baburchak April 9, 2018

Went to the mouth of the Estero river, which is only a 15 minute walk from our place. It was a pretty quiet day without much bird activity, except for one little Reddish Egret. I spent the best part of an hour watching and photographing this bird. By far this is the most animated and enjoyable bird to watch down here! I wish I had taken some video so you could see all of his antics, but you'll have to settle for my pics! This happened just as the Sun was coming up, so the ISO's were fairly high.

1/2000 @ f7.1, ISO 4000

If you view these through the e-mail thread you don't get a chance to enlarge the image. They actually look better if you go through the blog page, www.longcreekphotography.com/blog
All for now, but we are going back to Harn's Marsh today so hopefully there will be more!!! Thanks for looking!

Playing catch up.......

Bill Baburchak April 8, 2018

Sorry, but I'm getting a little behind with my posts. Between shooting every morning and drinking beer every evening, it's an exhausting schedule!!!
We were at Harn's Marsh in Lehigh Acres for these images. This is a flood control impoundment just east of Fort Myers. It wasn't the best time of day to shoot, but sometimes you just have to take it while you can get it!

I had no idea what this bird was until I looked it up. This is a young Blue Heron. They don't turn blue until their second year. Blues are pretty common down here, but it was the first time I had seen an immature bird.

This is another first for us. What struck me about this bird is the size of the beak. It is the longest beak I have seen on a bird of this size. They are a little bit smaller that a GBH, but I think the beak is longer than a GBH!

That's all we've got for today, but I'll have a smorgasbord of Reddish Egrets tomorrow!!!!

Estero Pool.....

Bill Baburchak April 7, 2018

We took a trip up to Fort Myers Beach to visit the Estero Pool. This small pond sits right behind the Wyndham hotel in Fort Myers Beach and is a very good spot to catch wading birds. The light wasn't very good but we managed to get a few interesting shots.

Tri Colored Heron.... courtesy of Mel....

These are supposedly plentiful down here but we seem to have trouble finding them. Beautifully colored birds but a bit skittish. We'll be back to get more shots of this bird!

These birds are by far the most fun to watch! They literally run after the small minnows and flare their wings to cut the glare on the water so they can see their prey. It's very comical to watch them chase the fish around the pool!

I believe this is a Snowy Egret but I don't recall them having an Orange strip across the top of their beak.
That's your daily dose of Florida bird life.... More to come!

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Change of Pace....

Bill Baburchak April 4, 2018

Mel and I decided that a change of pace would be good for us, so we left the chilly weather up north and headed to south Florida! And of course I had to get out early on the first morning to see what was around. And that first morning gives you a chance to make all those dumb little mistakes you make when you're out for the first time. You know, like leaving your vibration reduction on even though you are shooting with a tripod! And speaking of tripods, if you are shooting a long lens in low light, your tripod should be your best friend! And a gimbal head makes it SO much easier to use! I'll have to do a future post on how to use a gimbal head and what it can do for you.
But the beach was calling me and of course I answered. The moon's shadow was playing on the Gulf water when I headed out. A beautiful morning!
It took a while, but I found some birds at the mouth of the river, including one I had never seen.

Pool Party! Least Sandpiper 1/200 f5.6 ISO 2000

These little ones couldn't get enough of the water! They reminded me of a group of kids at the local pool.

These birds are very common down here, but I like the pose here. And I think it looks pretty good for a high ISO image.

This Stilt is a first for me. They are supposedly common down here, but up until today I had never seen one. There's a reflection from the water ripples that runs across his face and neck that I don't like, but other than that it's a decent image. It looks like he caught a small fish.

That's all for now..... I will post when I get some pics that are worth sharing, and as long as my internet connection keeps working.

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Things Are Heating Up At Brick Pond....

Bill Baburchak April 1, 2018

Even though the weather is still cold, bird activity at Brick Pond is heating up! A pair of immature Bald Eagles have been seen feeding there in the last week and the waterfowl are using the pond as a resting spot on their way north.
I have been there 3 times in the last week, and have seen some species of ducks there that I have never seen before so it was a big thrill for me. Of course being the start of the year for birds my skill hasn't quite caught up to my ambition! And the weather hasn't really cooperated. ISO too high, shutter speeds too low make for less than perfect pics! But practice makes perfect and you won't see anything if you're not out there!

Northern Shovelers... 1/1000 at 5.6, ISO 2500

This was the first time I had seen a Shoveler. I went back 2 more times and they were nowhere to be found.

Ring Neck Ducks.....1/640 at 5.6 ISO 1400....  click to enlarge — Ring Neck Ducks.....1/640 at 5.6 ISO 1400.... click to enlarge

These Ring Neck ducks have been there all week and I still haven't been able to get anywhere close to them. These ducks are also a first time species for me. They are quite beautiful with the coloring on the bill....

We don't only see bird life at Brick Pond. This little guy sat very patiently for us one morning.

And I ran into this little one by accident when I was trying to get closer to the Ring Neck ducks. Shame about the piece of weed sticking up and ruining the image. :( I'm just glad I got the chance to see him!!

Last but certainly not the least, these guys put on a real show! There were 5 or 6 males chasing a female around and they would raise themselves up on the water, kick their heads back and croak like a frog!!! And they would constantly fight with one another! Of course the female didn't want anything to do with them!

Hooded Mergansers  1/1250 at f8, ISO 640 — Hooded Mergansers 1/1250 at f8, ISO 640

Had a great week!! Even though the pics aren't the greatest I had a terrific time! So now is the time to get out to Brick Pond. Some of these birds are just passing through and they wont be here much longer. Don't wait for the perfect day because those days are few and far between!
More to come....

Looking Back.....

Bill Baburchak February 5, 2018

It's hard to believe that another year has passed me by, and that I have more years behind me than in front of me. But that doesn't mean I'm going to go sit in the rocking chair and give up!

The last year didn't seem like it was that busy photography wise, but a look back through my 2017 pics showed me that there was plenty of opportunity for good pics. I have posted a gallery of my 2017 pics and you can find it on my website, www.longcreekphotography.com
It was fun looking back at what landed in front of my camera, and I hope you will enjoy the images too.... Now don't let 2018 get away, get out and shoot!!

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Lunch With Friends......

Bill Baburchak January 22, 2018

Mel and I went for a walk at the Lindsay Parsons Preserve in Danby yesterday. A great place for a hike and the weather cooperated so we had a great time. On the way up there, in between Spencer and Danby we went by a large empty corn field. I looked out and saw what I thought was a couple of Turkeys..... but then did a double take when I saw what they really were!!!

Just goes to show, if you're not out there you have a 0% chance of seeing anything!!! It was a very long shot, and not a great pic, but it made our day!

Practice with the new toy...... :)

Bill Baburchak November 7, 2017

We went to the NYC Photo Expo last weekend and I was a very lucky man! They had a copy of the lens that I was looking for and I saved $300 in the process!!
Now it was time to begin to learn a new lens. This lens is the Tamron 15-30 2.8. A really wide, really sharp landscape lens. I have never been able to shoot this wide before and it's going to take some time to learn the idiosyncrasies of this lens.

I was able to get to the Lindsay Parsons Biodiversity preserve in Danby to get some early morning practice in. This was the first time I had been to this particular area of the preserve so I wasn't really expecting much. But when you least expect it, Lady Luck throws you a bone. The sunrise was fairly nice and it gave me a chance to see what I could do with this lens. Take a look and let me know what you think....

If you click on the image and enlarge it, you will find several ducks and geese in the picture, but it was so early they weren't saying much.

Same spot, but opened up to 15mm... now this is a wide angle!

And last but not least, the best time for a vertical is right after a horizontal!
It's going to take some time, but I think I'm going to like this new lens!

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At Brick Pond.....

Bill Baburchak September 16, 2017

I've been spending more time at Brick Pond lately. Small, easy and quick to get to, and it has a fair amount of opportunities if you are patient. Make sure you are wearing boots that can handle water and muck!

The other day I was watching a juvenile Green Heron trying to swallow a small Bullhead with little success. The Bullhead has sharp spines that stick out from the sides of its body and the spines stuck out so far that the Heron couldn't find a way to get the fish down its throat! Eventually it abandoned the fish on the shore and flew off. Probably went to look for Mom to come and help!

The same morning I spent a considerable amount of time keeping an eye on a GBH who was fishing near the beaver lodge. He (or she) just wouldn't move completely out in the open for a clear shot, but I think having the lodge in the shot adds a sense of perspective to the image.

If you go: Wear knee high rubber boots or hip waders. The best hiding spots seem to be the wettest spots also! Camouflage or a small portable blind wouldn't be a bad idea either. And take a thermos of coffee. It sometimes takes a while for the action to heat up and you need to have patience. Most of all, just enjoy the beauty of a spot that is so close to home.....

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Practice, Practice, Practice......

Bill Baburchak August 14, 2017

If you think about it, photo ops happen all the time. It's just that many times we are not prepared to take advantage of them. And many times we are not prepared because we did not take the time to practice. Just plain simple practice. It does not have to be anything special either. Take the image below as an example. We were eating dinner the other night out in the sunroom when this little guy showed up at the feeder. At first I thought it was just one of the many Dark Eyed Juncos that grace us with their presence, but something was different about this bird. Luckily, he stuck around long enough for me to go get the camera and put the 200-500 on. Now this is a pretty new lens to me so a good picture was not guaranteed. But one of the many I took was good enough to show up on this page. Is it a great image? Nope. But when I get a chance to get a killer pic of a Kingfisher, I will have a better chance because I took the time to practice on this little bird.

Like Wayne Gretzky said, "You will miss 100% of the shots that you don't take". So get out there and practice!!!

The same with the next picture. I was learning how to use a set of extension tubes. They allow you to use your lens to get a larger than Macro image. But it takes some time to learn the idiosyncracies of the tubes. Take the time to practice before the shot of a lifetime comes your way. Because it won't wait around, it will go find someone else........

This is an abstract of a Canna Lily. This is a stretch for me but I'm trying to get out of my comfort zone! I kinda like it.....

More to come....

Back to the Fair....

Bill Baburchak August 7, 2017

I was able to get back to the Tioga County Fair this year to see what was happening. Unfortunately, between the weather and some bad luck, I missed the best day of the horse show! But that was okay because I knew I would be able to find something interesting to shoot. And I really wanted a chance to practice with my new camera. It usually takes me a good year and a half to really learn how to use anew camera. So the Fair would be good practice.

The first day I spent some time at the Lumberjack competition. The people with the hot saws were first. A hot saw is a souped up version of a regular chain saw and they are loud and fast!!

But the most interesting event for me was the next one, called the Springboard Chop. A discipline based on the need for old-time loggers to establish a cutting platform above the massive root bases of old growth trees, the competitor uses an axe to chop pockets into a 9-foot poplar pole and then place 6-inch wide springboard platforms into the pockets. The following series of images shows the competitors progression up the pole, culminating in cutting the "tree" down.

Looks like an awful lot of work to me!!!

On Sunday I was joined by my friend and horse whisperer Mary Lou at the Horse Show. We had missed the barrel racing earlier in the week but wanted to get a chance to see what was on the schedule for today. The following pics are some from the days events.
What really struck me is how young these kids are and how big the horses are compared to the kids!! But these kids knew their stuff and made handling these huge horses look easy!! We had a blast and I'm already looking forward to next year!!!

More to come.....

Dogging It.....

Bill Baburchak July 30, 2017

So last weekend was the Dog Show at BCC. Dave and I have been shooting this for several years now and this year his younger son Tyler was there to help us with the tagging and editing. Which was a HUGE help, because it is a genuine PIA to tag several thousand photographs quickly. But Tyler did a great job!
This is an indoor shoot with fairly dim lighting, so we were shooting at ISO 3200-5000. There is definitely some grain, but nothing disastrous.
There are several poses of the dogs as they are competing in the ring, but everyone wants to see the jumps so that is what I am posting.

Just trying to be one of the big dogs....

A great way to spend the weekend and catch up with some of my furry friends!

Been Too Long......

Bill Baburchak July 28, 2017

Once again I am way behind on my posting. Maybe someday I'll get the hang of it!

Anyhow, back in June, Dave and Becky and I were lucky enough to be picked to shoot the NYS HIgh School Championships in Baseball and in Track and Field. On the same day. At the same time! While the track and field was in one venue, the baseball tournament was scattered on five fields from NYSEG Stadium to UE High School! But we made the best of it and had a great time shooting! It looks like they will be back here next year. Let's hope it's not on the same weekend!!!

MORE TO COME.......

Sometimes You Just Get Lucky......

Bill Baburchak April 3, 2017

Last weekend Mel and I were at home when I heard her call me from the sunroom out back. It was in a tone of voice that I immediately recognized as the "come here quick there is something you will want to see" voice. So I went to the back door as quickly and quietly as I could. She pointed to the tree between our house and the neighbors and here was this Coopers Hawk just sitting there quietly staring at us. The hawk is a frequent visitor to our house, frequently snacking on the Doves and Sparrows that frequent our birdfeeders.

I really didn't think he would sit there while I went to get my camera, but he did just that! So that just goes to prove that sometimes, you just gotta get lucky!!

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Back In The Saddle.....

Bill Baburchak March 23, 2017

Once again, it's been too long since I posted anything! I will try and make up for it.....

Dave and I had the chance to shoot the NYS Boys High School Basketball Championships at The Arena last weekend. Lots of games and lots of pics!!! Here are a few of the 5000+ that we shot over the weekend.....

A little soft, but I like the composition. Heavily cropped.

Eventually I will post a gallery of several of the best shots. Until then.......

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Something new.....

Bill Baburchak July 10, 2016

I can't believe it has been 3 months since my last post!!!

Actually, I can.... For a while there my motivation wasn't where I wanted it to be. I had no plans to give up photography, but I just couldn't get excited about shooting. I needed something to give me a swift kick in the ass. I'm hoping I found that last weekend at the Tioga County Fair.

I hadn't been to a fair since I was a kid, but there I was last weekend. What drew me to the fair was the Equestrian events. Most of the competitors were kids and what struck me most was their command of their horses. Most of these kids didn't weigh more than a hundred pounds and here they were bossing around a 1200 pound horse!! I had never shot horses before and I wasn't sure I would get anything worth keeping, but take a look below and see what you think.....

Just so you know, sometimes they are not perfect. On occasion they actually fall!!! This young lady was more embarrassed than hurt.....

Little Estero Island.....

Bill Baburchak March 13, 2016

Mel and I have been shooting at Little Estero for the last two days. Little Estero is a critical management area due to the number of shorebirds that nest in the area. We've photographed here before and it used to be a photographer's dream. Below is an image from a few years ago:

Unfortunately the last two years the pool was no longer being supplied with water from the Gulf of Mexico, and it was turning into a stagnant pool of dead water. I don't know what happened but the pool seems to be making a comeback!! Below are some pics from the pool.
Click on the images to enlarge.

We had a great time, and it's good to see the Estero Pool back to normal!!