Posts in Category: OM-1 & 100-400mm
Maine! Snowy Egret fun
Snowy Egret: York County, Maine, USA, July 2023 — Just for fun. There were at least a dozen Egrets, Snowy and Great, on a sand bar where a tidal creek comes into our local river just inland from the mouth. These two were apparently trying to decide whether to go airborne or not for a short hop down the sandbar. The photos were taken from across the river with my OM Systems OM-1 and the 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th.
Maine! Grass-pink Orchid (focus stack)
Grass-pink Orchid: Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — I always go check for the Grass-pink Orchids too early…before they bloom…and then, sometimes miss them…getting to the little remnant bog at Laudholm Farms too late. This year I caught them (though there were no Rose Pagonias, the other orchid of that bog). The OM Systems OM-1 does in-camera focus stacking, and the 100-400mm zoom focuses to just over 4 feet at 800mm equivalent…making the system pretty amazing for flower macros (or close-ups at any rate.) I know from past experiences with other cameras (I have been photographing these Grass-pinks for many years now) that it is very difficult to get a close up of the flower with every part in focus in the same image. The flower is just too three-dimensional. Focus stacking (hand held here…and a tripod would not have helped as there was breeze and the flowers were moving) gives us the depth of filed needed. It took a couple of tries because of the breeze, but it is hard to fault the results. 770mm equivalent (to frame the flower from closest focus). Equivalent exposure ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Maine! Snowy Egret in the noonday sun.
Snowy Egret: Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, Wells, York County, Maine, USA — It was high noon by the time I got to the overlook on the back side of the Little River marsh, and the light was really too bright for white birds! This Snowy Egret with a nice plume was busy feeding in the pool close in. Such a handsome bird! OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 250 @ f7.1 @ 1/640th and ISO 320 @ f7.1 @ 1/800th.
Maine! Great Egret
Great Egret: York County, Maine, USA, July 2023 — Great Egret banking into a turn as it flew in from far out in the marsh. Not ideal lighting for a white bird…mid-day sun on our first sunny day in more than a week here in southern Maine. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving birds-in-flight modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 2000 @ f6.3 @ 1/3200th. +.7EV (because I was expecting flight shots to be against the sky 🙂
Maine! Young and Downy
Downy Woodpecker: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2023 — Our pair of Downy Woodpeckers has successfully fledged, or semi-fledged at least, one chick this year. It is coming to the feeders with both the male and female downy in attendance. Though it is feeding itself already, and I have already seen it in the suet cage on its own, both parents are still feeding it on demand. It is a most curious bird, never still a moment, always with its head on swivel trying to take in its new world. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 3200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Maine! More Least Terns
Least Tern: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — More Least Terns in flight at the mouth of our local river. I got so dizzy following these birds with the long lens on my camera that I came perilously close to a falling down faint once I stopped and started walking back. Worth it though! OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving Birds-in-flight modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/4000th. +.7EV for backlight.
Maine! Hunting Least Tern
Least Tern: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — There were at least a half-dozen Least Terns hunting over the mouth of our local river. This is, as I have mentioned, a new colony this year I think…as the Least Terns reclaim more of their territory, moving up the coast from the main colony at the river mouth south of us. Terns are graceful hunters, and the Least Tern is among the most graceful. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving birds-in-flight modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 250 @ f6.3 @ 1/4000th.
Biggest Week in American Birding: making shoulders at me….
Red-winged Blackbird: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2023 — This Red-winged Blackbird was perched right over the boardwalk, just above head-height, and harassing the birders as they passed under him. Perhaps he enjoyed it. I know I did. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent and just about its closest focus (just over 4 feet). Program mode with an early version of my bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.7EV.
Maine! Willet on approach…
Willet: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — Another composite of three shots of an approaching Willet. It came in from many hundreds of yards out in the marsh, and I followed it all the way at 25 frames per second. These are the three shots I saved out of several hundred. 🙂 I had no idea when I started shooting that it was coming to me. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight modifications. Processed and composited in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/3200th. Plus .7EV for the bird against the sky.
Maine! Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — Along the reaches of the lower Mousam River, way out in the marsh. This Snowy Egret was leap hunting along the edge of a pool. Two shots going up, and two coming down 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 200 @ f8 @ 1/1250th. -1EV to save the highlights.