tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57657374833205395402024-02-18T23:07:45.861-05:00Steve Byland Nature PhotographyTips. Tricks, and Tutorials for Nature PhotographersSteve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-49433471390740584822014-10-22T22:43:00.000-04:002014-10-23T13:00:37.183-04:00Make A Suet Log For Better Photographs<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdR0Bq8cPHgUT3cxLgLplDjCEMYGVJXLe6_s8YdUXFRx4-2dk7Kwh4AwKOqCTyaBVv58rxBjLdL91R9KWE52Mw3LlKAcPJ4XLEqutjkmjGM4pQ_NXeAeRprZZOIEiPrH1rG_mmbDLADg/s1600/RBWO+-+IMG_7924pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdR0Bq8cPHgUT3cxLgLplDjCEMYGVJXLe6_s8YdUXFRx4-2dk7Kwh4AwKOqCTyaBVv58rxBjLdL91R9KWE52Mw3LlKAcPJ4XLEqutjkmjGM4pQ_NXeAeRprZZOIEiPrH1rG_mmbDLADg/s1600/RBWO+-+IMG_7924pcr.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While we’re on the subject of cheap, effective, easy to make
feeder stands, I wanted to pass along one of my favorite perches for
Woodpeckers (and loads of other birds). While the previous stand I blogged
about was cheap (less than $20 - link on the right side of the page), this one is darned near free! Below is a
wide-shot of the feeder:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrvm4aoOQS-lMbIswRYs9pLWYJfecufn1v1CQ6kfwg6n78PltVbyh0xDCd2wieg1oTnZWsD32RQzeGbZ3yqScm63kYC5JlxaxTc9pYM2YshAgdJknshL4t7nGbYFoXk1kq-T4YoYqgg/s1600/IMG_6552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrvm4aoOQS-lMbIswRYs9pLWYJfecufn1v1CQ6kfwg6n78PltVbyh0xDCd2wieg1oTnZWsD32RQzeGbZ3yqScm63kYC5JlxaxTc9pYM2YshAgdJknshL4t7nGbYFoXk1kq-T4YoYqgg/s1600/IMG_6552.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As you can imagine, it doesn’t take a degree in
feeder-building to construct this thing. EVERYTHING you need to build this is
as follows:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>o 1 log about 3
feet long with a diameter of 4 or 5 inches</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>o<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 scrap piece of 2x12 board maybe 2 feet long or a similar
piece of plywood</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>o<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2 decent sized nails</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>o<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hammer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>o<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hand Drill with 1/4 inch and 1 inch drill
bits</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>o<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suet or Peanut Butter</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o 2 Cans of Beer (optional - see following paragraph)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you don’t have these larger drill bits – DON’T BUY THEM!
Your next door neighbor has them, just borrow them and share the beer. The diameter of the holes you use isn’t terribly important. Larger or
smaller is fine:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJegd6agjb-p-1Xm7v7movJk4PGIAoMbnkgAZgkMKXwHiMAL03SKvxW4VFhJhEKEltteJXHXT85Ley-BcPhlSZsjye7fAENHfn-KBPgrCEehrdcqpo2tKr8EoTzw5NbLI_GXieQANag/s1600/IMG_6558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJegd6agjb-p-1Xm7v7movJk4PGIAoMbnkgAZgkMKXwHiMAL03SKvxW4VFhJhEKEltteJXHXT85Ley-BcPhlSZsjye7fAENHfn-KBPgrCEehrdcqpo2tKr8EoTzw5NbLI_GXieQANag/s1600/IMG_6558.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not to insult your intelligence, but here’s what you do with
the above pile of stuff. Nail the log to the board - go crazy and use both nails. I use a smallish log for
this purpose because it's easier to move around the yard. Drill a 1/4
inch diameter about an inch deep in the top of the log. Cram it full of peanut butter or suet (that's the brown muck in the middle):</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAN_PdH2gfOvxaUBlbSj7AhC0tWhbnFKGs2PLPa63BMKB2-lyC9yv0PIl2GhwwydYCH1-teS1i7ON7G7txTaE7vqCaAQxgtAM7ySesAomifobZLYG1nvsqd_rCgTiqc4aIDGHlVKZVQ/s1600/IMG_6555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAN_PdH2gfOvxaUBlbSj7AhC0tWhbnFKGs2PLPa63BMKB2-lyC9yv0PIl2GhwwydYCH1-teS1i7ON7G7txTaE7vqCaAQxgtAM7ySesAomifobZLYG1nvsqd_rCgTiqc4aIDGHlVKZVQ/s1600/IMG_6555.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Drill a 1 inch diameter hole on the side of the log about an inch deep and about 6 inches
from the top. Cram it full of peanut butter or suet too:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBdTDmXSoyhPXLk41D590zAA_up4Sq_bgcNM7_9iWS6n7JnNOLCOM36Up-2RMC_boQf9c1YFooKXMAyd8nbGz_J9MqVUIUTGt_38j1qZrZLjg4mAyV0_4tCFc_QHHuWuovKaHjtILcg/s1600/IMG_6554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBdTDmXSoyhPXLk41D590zAA_up4Sq_bgcNM7_9iWS6n7JnNOLCOM36Up-2RMC_boQf9c1YFooKXMAyd8nbGz_J9MqVUIUTGt_38j1qZrZLjg4mAyV0_4tCFc_QHHuWuovKaHjtILcg/s1600/IMG_6554.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Place the setup near your regular feeders for a day or two
so that the woodpeckers learn how to use it. Once they figure it out, they will
check it out often for goodies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I like to position the holes so that they are just out of
sight of the camera. This also puts the birds at the perfect angle for photos.
I place the feeder where the light is good and the background is nice. Below is
a focused shot of the background I used for most of the shots below which makes a
nice, colorful background when it’s out of focus:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhci8ZmuyipkAdzX7bWBetDK-qjsxsBUrj1vV5LCCTR7eH-hxc62eoJRxDMtvyN_59NCc-OpRSnAmRIZgu6bgn97YhyphenhyphenR7bkO2YBIjIkwGpusLRMvc8QUGQwtZE2ezeHzD4ZayWDv-6uyg/s1600/IMG_7999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhci8ZmuyipkAdzX7bWBetDK-qjsxsBUrj1vV5LCCTR7eH-hxc62eoJRxDMtvyN_59NCc-OpRSnAmRIZgu6bgn97YhyphenhyphenR7bkO2YBIjIkwGpusLRMvc8QUGQwtZE2ezeHzD4ZayWDv-6uyg/s1600/IMG_7999.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When you put this device near other feeders, all sorts of
birds that aren’t looking for peanut butter or suet will use the top for a perch
going to or from someplace else. Here's some of the shots - Downy Woodpecker (the 1 inch hole is in front of the bird, just out of sight):</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7n3rhCCvHeQzU3oJpYppleGH0V5DDRY2ht4o8jfv0kAw9QyMVb_HLuKWPqmdE6Y2FZVHPNAg7_fTwCWPNib64eQEAsXYxsEpUdPvHN9VVpKAphmeh_oUVV265eV6ISlKBihmwIf5seA/s1600/DOWO+-+IMG_6675pr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7n3rhCCvHeQzU3oJpYppleGH0V5DDRY2ht4o8jfv0kAw9QyMVb_HLuKWPqmdE6Y2FZVHPNAg7_fTwCWPNib64eQEAsXYxsEpUdPvHN9VVpKAphmeh_oUVV265eV6ISlKBihmwIf5seA/s1600/DOWO+-+IMG_6675pr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hairy Woodpecker:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEtKLO_rkSUEUAWVqmxGLKn89WKO4IkB8NHtRmpDvY2Pmioshz0pNaiUpJCRLZ_qO8wH_bI5uq5u9SR0vir_-7HesqMrOf3F4MUwT01R75qncATwk5yw9zbtw9jIl2W3SCwgsRRP_Yg/s1600/HAWO+-+IMG_7722pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEtKLO_rkSUEUAWVqmxGLKn89WKO4IkB8NHtRmpDvY2Pmioshz0pNaiUpJCRLZ_qO8wH_bI5uq5u9SR0vir_-7HesqMrOf3F4MUwT01R75qncATwk5yw9zbtw9jIl2W3SCwgsRRP_Yg/s1600/HAWO+-+IMG_7722pcr.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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Red-bellied Woodpecker on the top hole:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxt2NPMutW4xQymJuQLPgmpeE5RzWxwV2WHlY02HS1phqRDIXK5UbZ_f0RVbUCa35aAEnqLFG-HS4-XMEEFkko5ELGcmfHEOk6XIE034tFdv33z-57o0psfZdZuoRw0n72EzOf-otjDg/s1600/RBWO+-+IMG_7930prmhblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxt2NPMutW4xQymJuQLPgmpeE5RzWxwV2WHlY02HS1phqRDIXK5UbZ_f0RVbUCa35aAEnqLFG-HS4-XMEEFkko5ELGcmfHEOk6XIE034tFdv33z-57o0psfZdZuoRw0n72EzOf-otjDg/s1600/RBWO+-+IMG_7930prmhblog.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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White-breasted Nuthatch (the hole with peanut butter is near the tail):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuvfp6mv-kSy6VhIbnV4uBpR71fE6-a-FmG3koOa533Ww91ggZOBMPKzFujhGy-BLsJTCtQHk-J6T15bBYRiZJHY5gYoW-Lg-nxUoDd8KCm21GRcK5Iv2APpOcoHBybkMMlM-aw2Arw/s1600/WBNU+-+IMG_6726pr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuvfp6mv-kSy6VhIbnV4uBpR71fE6-a-FmG3koOa533Ww91ggZOBMPKzFujhGy-BLsJTCtQHk-J6T15bBYRiZJHY5gYoW-Lg-nxUoDd8KCm21GRcK5Iv2APpOcoHBybkMMlM-aw2Arw/s1600/WBNU+-+IMG_6726pr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tufted Titmouse:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKp-odION4RK0f_9YLY_2mAR9GxCuqe5RIGt47Iyxu8AwEksbg3pbTLvb6fLFeUAYloW4hwJUhNipgtUuToP780DAI9sL1YNTdpaujKD1FcOok0cRNdxYbBfwtJ_pMWeqYAmBTq8GHA/s1600/TUTI+-+IMG_7601pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKp-odION4RK0f_9YLY_2mAR9GxCuqe5RIGt47Iyxu8AwEksbg3pbTLvb6fLFeUAYloW4hwJUhNipgtUuToP780DAI9sL1YNTdpaujKD1FcOok0cRNdxYbBfwtJ_pMWeqYAmBTq8GHA/s1600/TUTI+-+IMG_7601pcr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bluebird using the top for other purposes (eating an insect):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGV7NO9vO7Mbxr1aYfsWjTpvbPmSp7r_1bcy835XUo58CrF23nyH_qPh27OYsPa5LS1W-EiN2YJhyphenhyphend4cytY8IqSODDneMWkjGp2xVA2XcalYMPLw6LrW22OJG6VMe5WyiLYNSV5lrdSA/s1600/EABL+-+IMG_7965pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGV7NO9vO7Mbxr1aYfsWjTpvbPmSp7r_1bcy835XUo58CrF23nyH_qPh27OYsPa5LS1W-EiN2YJhyphenhyphend4cytY8IqSODDneMWkjGp2xVA2XcalYMPLw6LrW22OJG6VMe5WyiLYNSV5lrdSA/s1600/EABL+-+IMG_7965pcr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanks for stopping by! You can see more of my work at:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.stevebyland.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">and:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
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My email is <a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com">sbbyland@aol.com</a></div>
</span><br />
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Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-44673427077572535892014-10-22T18:23:00.000-04:002014-10-22T18:27:36.044-04:00Photo Feeder Stand For Better Photography<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Photo Feeder Stand
For Better Photographs</span></b><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpOy377Q6sap9ZR6kMDu6DsYLfqwVydrJSrYxnwJIVvz_twh8ubbrrTSFuDlUBr1LXw-1kxDhCE2LX1HviMCiTGihwKjIbcBm309vvK9MO2BWECsh6uLOCJIaBL9mxftFQqcmQHRyVA/s1600/1+EABL+-+IMG_2278pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpOy377Q6sap9ZR6kMDu6DsYLfqwVydrJSrYxnwJIVvz_twh8ubbrrTSFuDlUBr1LXw-1kxDhCE2LX1HviMCiTGihwKjIbcBm309vvK9MO2BWECsh6uLOCJIaBL9mxftFQqcmQHRyVA/s1600/1+EABL+-+IMG_2278pcr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s been far too long since my last blog. Hopefully this
latest effort will give you something that you will find useful. I’ve gotten a
lot of favorable comments on my Flickr Photos recently along with questions
about how I manage to get them. Below, I’ll tell you how to make a copy of one
of my favorite photo accessories – an inexpensive and very useful stand that I
use to get some of the best photos. The total cost of this stand should be
comfortably under $20 and should take less than an hour to make. I recently
built one in about 15 minutes (not counting the trip to Home Depot to buy the
supplies and a stop at McDonald’s for lunch). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s start with a few photos of the stand that I will
describe:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_oUd1CxKvqy7PQh0vCGAjl4UBz-40N0XA6J60d0Nt3UrwGZV11YDa0ia4NtU1gq0qlmA-zr7Us45jaw8-7Vs6TU0yC0-w7ldqr-2B7iW6Y66td2uG535sOPojzOUrSnlfA3BYq8rxA/s1600/IMG_6540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_oUd1CxKvqy7PQh0vCGAjl4UBz-40N0XA6J60d0Nt3UrwGZV11YDa0ia4NtU1gq0qlmA-zr7Us45jaw8-7Vs6TU0yC0-w7ldqr-2B7iW6Y66td2uG535sOPojzOUrSnlfA3BYq8rxA/s1600/IMG_6540.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXK-XqTJPGaPcSZ_2DyBch8sr0Y6iKiZcZKixVjt69HJmJtjEMhJlutIMPvT2jF0xDohQWLSI6PJI0zQq4fEDA98SWRV2ARdgs1VXDBVIj3gKz0Cp8K1_yxPSG_2vjBTdTg0HLgHUuVA/s1600/IMG_6541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXK-XqTJPGaPcSZ_2DyBch8sr0Y6iKiZcZKixVjt69HJmJtjEMhJlutIMPvT2jF0xDohQWLSI6PJI0zQq4fEDA98SWRV2ARdgs1VXDBVIj3gKz0Cp8K1_yxPSG_2vjBTdTg0HLgHUuVA/s1600/IMG_6541.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyra2iADWj6K51hZWZtY5OGfbpjJEF0np3mXpx0mYB32fUtKIDWPzBst04A006jWhSDhLDR7i4vueZ_-zCNXd1Gncb42hjejlKVocRqqNM0c9VbrEcyFRYICa927JpSz3wmp1a-xULQ/s1600/IMG_6542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyra2iADWj6K51hZWZtY5OGfbpjJEF0np3mXpx0mYB32fUtKIDWPzBst04A006jWhSDhLDR7i4vueZ_-zCNXd1Gncb42hjejlKVocRqqNM0c9VbrEcyFRYICa927JpSz3wmp1a-xULQ/s1600/IMG_6542.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is made from 3/4 inch PVC pipe that comes in 10 foot
lengths at most home-improvement stores like Home Depot. The stand sits on a rectangular
base that is 2 feet wide and 3 feet deep. It is very stable and weighs just a
few pounds at most. The upright portion is 4 feet high with a lower crossbar 1
foot off the ground. Just above the lower crossbar, you will see a T Joint on
each side. These are 1 inch joints that hold various perches and can be moved
up and down as I will describe later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The only tools that you will need are a small saw (hack-saw
or jig saw) to cut the pipe and a power drill. The pipe cuts very easily and
goes together easily. You could glue the joints, but I would recommend against
it. The pieces fit together snugly and you might want to take the unit apart
for storage or to make minor adjustments in the future. The list of parts is as
follows:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o 3 - 10 foot lengths of 3/4 inch PVC pipe
(standard weight, not heavy duty)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o 6 – 3/4 inch PVC 90 degree elbows</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o 6 – 3/4 inch PVC “T” Joints</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o 2 –1 inch PVC “T” Joints</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o 2 nails or screws about 2 inches long<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cut the 10 foot lengths as follows:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 – 3 foot lengths</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 – 2 foot lengths</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o 4 – 1.5 foot lengths</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o 2 – 1 foot lengths</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o 2 – 11.5 inch lengths</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> o 1<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- 8
inch length<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Assemble the base using 2 of the 2 foot lengths, the 4 1.5
foot lengths, 4 of the elbows and 2 of the 3/4 inch “T” joiners. Turn the “T’s”
so that they point up when the base is on the ground. Put 1 foot lengths into
each “T” joined with another “T” and a 3 foot length. Slide one of the 1 inch “T”
pieces over each 3 foot pipe. Use 90 degree elbows and the last 2 foot length
to complete the top. Use the remaining 5 pieces to form the bottom cross-member
by connecting the two 11.5 inch sections with a “T” and placing the 8 inch
section into the “T” and capping it with the last “T” piece.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Drill a series of holes in the two 3 foot lengths of pipe as
shown in the photo below using a drill bit just a little larger than the nails.
Drill corresponding holes through the top side of the 1 inch “T” pieces. This
allows you to position the larger “T” pieces at various heights with a two foot
branch for the birds to land on, as you will see in the later photos. Use the nails or screws to hold the 1 inch "T's" in place:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgQivZvbD2J713qz9oj1ZY0KWH07XQoMOeWQSrNqeyiVX6fN1UbiXfjSEwqr7hYfgxAwe_es944lH7k0u-M9rGXjdp4CdNNCMkEdwrgcUHHxwfNesCYetjV3079ENFtmzSBcbLkZWyg/s1600/IMG_6544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgQivZvbD2J713qz9oj1ZY0KWH07XQoMOeWQSrNqeyiVX6fN1UbiXfjSEwqr7hYfgxAwe_es944lH7k0u-M9rGXjdp4CdNNCMkEdwrgcUHHxwfNesCYetjV3079ENFtmzSBcbLkZWyg/s1600/IMG_6544.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM-bQZeDDeogEHVEgepYiaRaDfg38i-DSj9YyhqGq67CV9kikxWXtjijLVePPIYMZM8KBKPPvXHfGonxp6PNJjmj-h8UrBTP6EVbq3BX4u6lAaMdKVpSaolV-nEVRXo-k1wlnUt8jwg/s1600/IMG_6545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM-bQZeDDeogEHVEgepYiaRaDfg38i-DSj9YyhqGq67CV9kikxWXtjijLVePPIYMZM8KBKPPvXHfGonxp6PNJjmj-h8UrBTP6EVbq3BX4u6lAaMdKVpSaolV-nEVRXo-k1wlnUt8jwg/s1600/IMG_6545.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, you’re almost ready to go! The bottom cross piece with
the 8 inch section coming off it is perfect for balancing a platform feeder of
some sort to hold seed for the birds. I like to use the white top of an old
bird bath which not only holds seed, it also reflect light up to the birds on
the perch to fill in shadows and provides wonderful light!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBkdWKQtOAAsehhf2i7wnnAeAHRLYW51c8iXFhKmHGnNvNHTf2Lxu6dyytcrzrN0cuYNvP1XJcLLp2z_bmDMJtwnq1xiL3_zThBhO1ED89xK_5PoNxvSOwNze8O35Bcnk4iTPa3llJA/s1600/IMG_6546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBkdWKQtOAAsehhf2i7wnnAeAHRLYW51c8iXFhKmHGnNvNHTf2Lxu6dyytcrzrN0cuYNvP1XJcLLp2z_bmDMJtwnq1xiL3_zThBhO1ED89xK_5PoNxvSOwNze8O35Bcnk4iTPa3llJA/s1600/IMG_6546.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I further modified my platform by drilling a hole in the
birdbath top which allows for a small cup to hold extra treats like mealworms
for Bluebirds. I made this holder by cutting a 1 inch section off the bottom of
a pill bottle and taping it to a 1 foot length of a coat hanger wire. I keep it
at the right height using a clamp. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHI98W4szEkd0TUrXScKtUyplyKUsRPUILU7qqZGL29Io2qwGKDco3QIcy7PGzFUN-8Mv1HwTFEcqtgc0r1IgngMTzAzY2ALQAuc8NxzqhyphenhyphenwIXTGQ-weLPb2kkUJ6S0Rf6GtkqXAuqPA/s1600/IMG_6548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHI98W4szEkd0TUrXScKtUyplyKUsRPUILU7qqZGL29Io2qwGKDco3QIcy7PGzFUN-8Mv1HwTFEcqtgc0r1IgngMTzAzY2ALQAuc8NxzqhyphenhyphenwIXTGQ-weLPb2kkUJ6S0Rf6GtkqXAuqPA/s1600/IMG_6548.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I change the height of the branch based on two factors.
I want to photograph the birds at something close to (or slightly below) eye-level
and I want a nice background. I use a blind for most of my shots where I sit in a chair, so I generally place the perches between two and
three feet high. I set up my blind with the sun at my back and place the stand
in front of me. I move it closer for small birds like Hummingbirds or
Chickadees and a little further away for larger birds, depending on their size.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithiyUqHbBD7hz7ty0-YPOK_sD3VqfaUYfr8SOX2p1UvsNlXCCnUoNKdD5vR_rPc7-WzX0jlNK47HUE3kCeBECjpBSSZ2s7vkPvUWeCCwaiUxfqZfhCe24f_-2UoAaCOO3EdWC8qNwvw/s1600/IMG_6551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithiyUqHbBD7hz7ty0-YPOK_sD3VqfaUYfr8SOX2p1UvsNlXCCnUoNKdD5vR_rPc7-WzX0jlNK47HUE3kCeBECjpBSSZ2s7vkPvUWeCCwaiUxfqZfhCe24f_-2UoAaCOO3EdWC8qNwvw/s1600/IMG_6551.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, let’s take a look at some of the shots. The first photo
is of a Bluebird feeding a baby. The cup with the mealworms is just below the
frame, The background is green(ish) lawn:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkerpyMkK6gmXCyaXzB99lSJA38x1KKkrOhMlU82sL7dlxxQFKNvJWVb18EXt8BV-FCEExOtGUwAp_NBVZ_xMDGS2Xm-dPaLvVL-OeG1WZd16tVkO69_MyLZupv7yCpKT56rJ1aK7Lg/s1600/1+EABL+-+IMG_2278pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkerpyMkK6gmXCyaXzB99lSJA38x1KKkrOhMlU82sL7dlxxQFKNvJWVb18EXt8BV-FCEExOtGUwAp_NBVZ_xMDGS2Xm-dPaLvVL-OeG1WZd16tVkO69_MyLZupv7yCpKT56rJ1aK7Lg/s1600/1+EABL+-+IMG_2278pcr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next shot is another Bluebird, but this time I placed a
basket of flowers on a stand about 10 feet behind the perch for a nice effect:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEX9leLoxXy78PYv7ZZEk5qysn-Xjx9QELUsoGlik4Mj4WfEorO8zcYy9Q7zSEnvvv3pVUVVKvSbAXyY0kMQB-UBkIZO_90IPyE6I4cABnSsyWhJPSuckX05IOykqsUGYqLc4Wb22Gw/s1600/2+EABL+-+IMG_3522pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEX9leLoxXy78PYv7ZZEk5qysn-Xjx9QELUsoGlik4Mj4WfEorO8zcYy9Q7zSEnvvv3pVUVVKvSbAXyY0kMQB-UBkIZO_90IPyE6I4cABnSsyWhJPSuckX05IOykqsUGYqLc4Wb22Gw/s1600/2+EABL+-+IMG_3522pcr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the Cardinal shot, I moved the perch to one of the
higher settings to use a tree that was turning yellow in the fall for the background. The Cardinals often stop on the perch before dropping to the feeder:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvV8GHDwL_OplJsCzWdTNDqYnHV9J9X8t1Bk-FzRyz-ji8yCIanohiatKwDsaWb4CZE-WnJeV0-NG0MNt3N0pC9ncsOi3GQdIpI38fB63GrjnVc0uJd5Kg8IZwVfaWvSSjOzzmY-f3Q/s1600/3+NOCA+-+IMG_7001pcJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvV8GHDwL_OplJsCzWdTNDqYnHV9J9X8t1Bk-FzRyz-ji8yCIanohiatKwDsaWb4CZE-WnJeV0-NG0MNt3N0pC9ncsOi3GQdIpI38fB63GrjnVc0uJd5Kg8IZwVfaWvSSjOzzmY-f3Q/s1600/3+NOCA+-+IMG_7001pcJ.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the next shot, I placed the perch at a height that used
some of the tall brown grass that you can see in the first photo of the stand
as a background:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BQiDJuvheWy78horDWJG3tHyeV2hrnHvqmodD7XMCgccuXOYVCsHINZK888Q3BtvD7DKVQXl-HbiWnNXdSFwdgxqFiVT-spLliu6HZKIzOX9KEixRov4LvMmjQw6JEgAHboPwuLgIA/s1600/4+TUTI+-+IMG_6851pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BQiDJuvheWy78horDWJG3tHyeV2hrnHvqmodD7XMCgccuXOYVCsHINZK888Q3BtvD7DKVQXl-HbiWnNXdSFwdgxqFiVT-spLliu6HZKIzOX9KEixRov4LvMmjQw6JEgAHboPwuLgIA/s1600/4+TUTI+-+IMG_6851pcr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A Nuthatch just above the feedeer using another basket of flowers for a background:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbrB_fF7egI8cyd0IBAX1c540FrYX6eEl-hb-9vivDbAs-m3ojwPjsJj38YS-i-mOnPZA70guNZ9Dqm_JtADo4gaRhB8fKK6wOBkJryxijliYkaC8IIiKkGDQMWussgLVSvanPSUjpA/s1600/4+WBNU+-+IMG_3720pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbrB_fF7egI8cyd0IBAX1c540FrYX6eEl-hb-9vivDbAs-m3ojwPjsJj38YS-i-mOnPZA70guNZ9Dqm_JtADo4gaRhB8fKK6wOBkJryxijliYkaC8IIiKkGDQMWussgLVSvanPSUjpA/s1600/4+WBNU+-+IMG_3720pcr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For this Hummingbird shot, I attached a feeder to the branch
which I raised to eye-level. I tied the feeder down securely so that I wouldn’t
turn or move and placed another pot of flowers in the background. Again, I put the
empty bird bath below to provide fill light to the bird:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkcjNaufV8GAzRVhI7KWY1T0jIK_yPeNz4YkQenX2MDhK25UwiMJ3UlWmqgcmp-Sl19wN9yZA9vQ5EO395EpqQhtfrnutTqLH4Jxhi1DLQkqR56dWyLQBokSE0-9VbQbmR6pcphy5Kw/s1600/5+RTHU+-+IMG_6736pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkcjNaufV8GAzRVhI7KWY1T0jIK_yPeNz4YkQenX2MDhK25UwiMJ3UlWmqgcmp-Sl19wN9yZA9vQ5EO395EpqQhtfrnutTqLH4Jxhi1DLQkqR56dWyLQBokSE0-9VbQbmR6pcphy5Kw/s1600/5+RTHU+-+IMG_6736pcr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For this final shot, I hung a peanut butter-stuffed pinecone
from a hook on the top crosspiece and used a pine tree as the background:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD8pb3erWaj7bZkIQal1q7QX_pJvAR5M86xHcsFNVC4oAkwIpsp-d4EyoLiAMLng0JynYEvBZ7DTCPyMMw_YGLX-2oVFg2I48ix5KAqXckKFY1oUqHN60dbJr7ds5Sd39pL2h3xrtNA/s1600/6+IMG_7136prm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD8pb3erWaj7bZkIQal1q7QX_pJvAR5M86xHcsFNVC4oAkwIpsp-d4EyoLiAMLng0JynYEvBZ7DTCPyMMw_YGLX-2oVFg2I48ix5KAqXckKFY1oUqHN60dbJr7ds5Sd39pL2h3xrtNA/s1600/6+IMG_7136prm.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanks for stopping by! You can see more of my work at:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.stevebyland.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">and:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/</span></a><o:p></o:p>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-7810951310443260162013-05-02T22:20:00.000-04:002013-05-02T22:51:51.728-04:00100 Creative Photography Exercises<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nothing says “fun” more than a TODO list – especially if
that list was put together by someone else. The mere fact that you are reading
this means that you either clicked on the wrong link, or are intelligent,
good-looking and interested in self-improvement – of course, I could be wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoAnCY3pJ0_KfSH2_ZQw0dNYX-KiYBpcACxIoKo_bZ9M6Ew0OR63up80JQcQX_Jn05rv_00XrLHqegsaA1jMAT65l1R5nA29HQd-yoavZd_GcoEBszgTcY5_4xX22Hd4iRZTvOLAadg/s1600/63+RTHU+-+IMG_2113prcnsm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoAnCY3pJ0_KfSH2_ZQw0dNYX-KiYBpcACxIoKo_bZ9M6Ew0OR63up80JQcQX_Jn05rv_00XrLHqegsaA1jMAT65l1R5nA29HQd-yoavZd_GcoEBszgTcY5_4xX22Hd4iRZTvOLAadg/s320/63+RTHU+-+IMG_2113prcnsm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Everyone gets into a rut sometimes. One day I was bored and
decided to try to get a photo of a hummingbird drinking from a straw. Little
did I know that getting the bird to drink from the straw would be the easy
part. Getting the sugar water to the top of the straw, keeping it separate from
the water in the glass, and keeping the straw from moving around were much more
of a challenge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I decided to put together a list of exercises while trying
to take a nap today. I should have been doing something more productive, like
watching television, but I had a migraine and was tired of playing games on my
computer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A couple of notes, before we get started. You are not
required to do all 100 exercises – you probably do most things in a half-assed
manner, so why should this be any different? Also, it’s best to ask permission
before taking pictures of people, or someone’s property, and, it’s a very bad
idea to take photos of minor children without their parent’s permission (and is
even illegal in many places).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Most of these exercises take a fair amount of time. Unless
you are willing to ignore your job and family, it could take the better part of
a year to get through all 100 exercises. Of course, if you DO make the
investment of time and effort, at the end of it all, you will be able to
proudly say, “What the HELL was I thinking?” The first two items might better
fall into the category of “taking better pictures” rather than unleashing your
creative inner self, but I want to make sure you get off on the right foot. Let’s
get started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. Spend a day shooting in “Manual.” If you don’t use manual
mode, it’s time to start. It’s really not that difficult. In an hour or two,
you should really have the hang of it. ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed – not all
that complicated. Many serious photographers never progress past Aperture Priority.
The problem is, in every mode other than manual, the camera makes decisions for
you. It tries it’s hardest, but it makes a LOT of mistakes and can turn you
potential masterpieces into second-rate snapshots. Remember, there is no law
that you have to get the shot perfect the first time. Shoot, review and adjust.
If you pick a sunny day where the lighting conditions aren’t changing much (as
they do when the sun peeks in and out from behind clouds), manual is the way to
go. Besides, it lets you sound snooty – “Oh, I shoot in manual.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2. Turn on the Histogram. Oh, quit whining! Find the manual
to your camera, or download it on the internet and learn how to turn the
histogram on. While you’re at it, find the feature that makes the photo on the
display blink if you have over-exposed anything. THIS IS THE SINGLE BEST WAY TO
MAKE SURE YOU EXPOSE YOUR PHOTOS CORRECTLY. If you don’t know how to read a
histogram, do a little research on the internet – there are lots of sites that
explain histograms. Most people think that you want to make a histogram that
looks like a bell-curve – WRONG!!!!!! If you take a photo of a black crow in
snow, the histogram will look like the letter “U.” The goal is to push the
photo to be as bright as possible without over-exposing anything. Too light,
you get “blinkies” that tell you that you have blown out the whites and you can’t
get them back. Too dark and you end up with a mediocre shot. If you have to
brighten your photo on the computer, you will hurt the quality and introduce
noise. If you haven’t used the histogram function before, take your time to
learn it. It will improve the quality of your photos immeasurably! Take a test
shot, check the histogram, and make adjustments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3. Try to reproduce a photo you like. This can be fun at
places where they sell postcards of the local sites. Copying a professional can
give you some insight as to composition, lighting and such. In grade school, it
was called “cheating” and you’d get expelled. In business, they call it “benchmarking”
and reward you. Of course, you shouldn’t be afraid to add your own creative
touches as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">4. Find a lens that you never use. Better yet, borrow a lens
that you’ve always wanted and spend an afternoon playing with it. Explore the
strengths and weaknesses of an unfamiliar piece of equipment. When you load the
photos on the camera, review them from last to first. Hopefully, you will
notice the photos getting WORSE as you go back in time, meaning that you got
better as you went along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. Get Low. Pretend that you are a puppy or a snake and take
photos from THEIR perspective. I once watched a video taken by attaching a
video camera to a cat and let it run around the neighborhood. It was amazing to
see things from the perspective of the animal. Take photos of everyday items
from the view of the animal. Trees, furniture and even people look very
different from down there. From a practical standpoint, a ground level shot of
a duck on a lake can be very dramatic. A picture of a duck taken from a
boardwalk looking straight down on that same duck is just a picture of a duck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuCmxGOAVVPuyEhxDOiD5wBVn6qVtyB3PW8axrTgvREuxWbTyjXvC4Lxz5QxXw_YL4VyTrYFhUQzXGeC9Pg1JEY1U9SEAQz16X7tmdz0whytmVzmlsfb0FH1ZSfpVkXRGKyvZ9EFrEQ/s1600/01+-+Bull+Frog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuCmxGOAVVPuyEhxDOiD5wBVn6qVtyB3PW8axrTgvREuxWbTyjXvC4Lxz5QxXw_YL4VyTrYFhUQzXGeC9Pg1JEY1U9SEAQz16X7tmdz0whytmVzmlsfb0FH1ZSfpVkXRGKyvZ9EFrEQ/s320/01+-+Bull+Frog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">6. Custom Modes. Time to get out the manual again. Many
cameras have one or more custom modes that allow you to save settings. If your
camera has these, they are worth their weight in gold! When I was in
Yellowstone, I set C3 for birds in flight (multiple focus points and AI Servo
focusing), C2 for more stationary subjects like elk (single focus point, single
shot focusing), and C1 for HDR landscape shots (single point focusing and
bracketed exposures). When I saw something I wanted to photograph, I would just
turn the dial to the right mode and start shooting – no need to make any major
adjustments. If a bear popped out on the road, or an Eagle flew overhead, I was
ready to shoot in less than a second with exactly the settings I needed to get
great shots. If your camera has these, learn to set them and spend a day
exploring different situations that allow you to switch back and forth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">7. Black and White. You can always turn a color photo into
black and white, but try setting the camera to B&W and have at it. Not
having color to use forces you to look more at light and the impact it has on
your photos. Besides, it can be fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">8. HDR – High Dynamic Range. HDR photography combines
multiple exposures of the same scene to make dramatic photos. Before trying
this, you need to make sure that you have software that can create HDR photos
and might want to look at some tutorials on the internet to learn a bit more
about how to take HDR photos. Play around with HDR – it can be a lot of fun.
More important – rather than making over-the-top HDR photos, you can use HDR to
make subtle enhancements to your photos to improve the overall quality of a
shot. I often use HDR to improve my shots of flying Bald Eagles by using
multiple copies of a single photo processed overly bright, overly dark and
right in the middle. This allows for the brown tones on the body to come
through without over-exposing the white head and tail. The result is a photo
the way your eye sees the bird rather than dark black and bright white.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">9. Shoot at Night (without a flash). Mount your camera on a
tripod and take long exposure shots. A remote shutter release is helpful.
Exposures may be several minutes long. Oceans and moonlight can be spectacular!
There is no rule of thumb for this. It’s all trial and error.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zs_rACz9xZiT1PashexBJPE0XTHPtBNIQ-ByuL0J9SMylkbC5ogMV5hP0OJhVwUmx1IHdfD60ddukTGxXJ0YDV1_lZCyJNx2sW6magLXVOTZez9rdK65IL2vvsDo0WGdXrKtGR44-A/s1600/23+Moon+-+IMG_3781prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zs_rACz9xZiT1PashexBJPE0XTHPtBNIQ-ByuL0J9SMylkbC5ogMV5hP0OJhVwUmx1IHdfD60ddukTGxXJ0YDV1_lZCyJNx2sW6magLXVOTZez9rdK65IL2vvsDo0WGdXrKtGR44-A/s320/23+Moon+-+IMG_3781prn.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">10. Time-lapse Photography. The idea is to take a series of
photos to combine into a video to create a scene over time. Easy to do and very
cool. There is a lot of info on the internet explaining how to make these. You
will need to find some software that puts the photos together (you might
already have it on your computer). The low tech way to take the photos is to
place your camera on a tripod and take pictures at regular intervals. You can
buy a device called an Intervalometer that hooks to the camera that does all
the work for you. Beginners might want to start with clouds moving across the
sky. More ambitious folks might like to try star trails.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">11. Ugly Ducklings. As a wildlife photographer, there are
certain species that are often overlooked as being “undesirable” such as
Starlings, Pigeons and such. If you take the time to photograph these birds in
flattering light they can really be quite handsome. Same goes for photographing
people. Not everyone has the looks of a runway model, but think of how many
stunning shots you’ve seen of old people. Think about the subjects that you
might have overlooked due to your own prejudices and give it a whirl. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">12. Slow Shutter Speed. Using a slow shutter speed (say 1/50<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
of a second) on a moving subject can be used to show motion. Look for subjects
like flowing water, cars, bike races, etc. A tripod is a must. Also, pretty
girls jogging in tight shorts can usually hit harder than you might think. A
bag of ice and a first aid kit might be helpful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">13. A Day In The Life. Follow someone around for a day and
document what they do. This can make a great gift for how you spend a special
day such as a birthday or anniversary and can be fun to look back on years
later. Another option is to document the day in the life of a pet. How does
Fluffy spend her day?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">14. Video. Many cameras and cell phones have the ability to
shoot really nice quality video, especially if mounted on a tripod. A still
shot of a Hummingbird at a flower can be beautiful. Imagine the same bird on
video with sound. Give it a try – you might just get hooked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">15. Fireworks. Get out the tripod and head to the fair.
There are a lot of different ways to shoot fireworks, but most involve leaving
the shutter open for several seconds. A remote shutter release is helpful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can open the shutter, wait for a rocket to
explode, then close the shutter. Alternately, leave the shutter open, cover the
front of the lens with a piece of black cardboard and remove the cardboard
repeatedly to capture multiple explosions. Lots of trial and error and it may
take a couple of events to get the hang of it. Hint – remote shutter releases
can be bought on ebay for far less than the manufacture charges. Expect to pay
about $10. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">16. Moon Shots. There are lots of things to play with here.
Full moon rising, crescent moon setting in the sunset, clouds crossing the
moon. A long lens can make the moon look larger against the foreground. A full
moon throws off a lot of light, but a crescent moon may require a fairly slow
shutter speed. If you lens has image stabilization, you might want to turn it
off when using a slow shutter speed to avoid the lens “hunting” and causing a
blurry subject.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">17. Self-portrait. These can be both fun and humbling. Set
the camera on a tripod and hit the self-timer. Get creative. Go to the park and
photograph yourself sitting on a bench wearing a tin-foil hat or explaining to
the police that you are not a danger to yourself or anyone else. Use the video
function to record yourself getting thrown out of the park and use it as
evidence in your suit charging that your first amendment rights were violated
and use the proceeds from the settlement to buy some really cool stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">18. Cars. Go to an antique car show and go wild. Try
low-angle shots with a wide angle lens or close-ups of cool wheels, chromed
engines or manufacturer emblems. Ask permission and/or offer to send the owner
photos. I’ve never had anyone say “No.” They work hard on their cars and are
usually flattered that you take an interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">19. Flowers. Cloudy, windless days are best for flower
shots. If you haven’t photographed flowers in a while, get out there and get
creative. Find a lens combination that allows you to get close. Again, a tripod
is a must. Play around with depth-of-field, different angles, etc. If the
flowers are labeled with their names, take a shot of the labels too for future
reference.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">20. Insects. Again, you probably want to get close, so use
the same combination as above. Insects can be very cool. Variations include
dragonflies, butterflies, spiders and whatever you happen to find. Shoot them
on flowers, white paper or a polished surface of a dark car. If you really want
a challenge, try to get them in flight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">21. Join a Critique Group. This can be done through a local
club, or on-line (Flickr has a number of these groups). Find somebody that will
be brutally honest (probably someone that doesn’t know you). This can be
humbling or sometimes aggravating. What you don’t want is for someone to stroke
your ego here. You want someone to hit you between the eyes and tell you how to
improve your photos. One person likened it to having someone tell you that your
kids are ugly. What you want is to have someone say, “Your kids are ugly, and
having met you, I know why.” My wife and I went to a class on taking travel
photos, and every photo the woman put up on the screen sucked. It’s a shame she
had to go all the way to Europe to take such lousy pictures. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">22. Volunteer to Shoot an Event. Many local groups hold
fairs, picnics, or parades. Meet with the organizers and volunteer to
photograph the event for them. Provide them with photos for their website, newsletter,
etc. Going to the clean-up of a local park is more fun when you are holding a
camera rather than a garbage bag. Be a cub reporter for the day and document
the proceedings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">23. Go to a Sporting Event. It’s important to get permission
first, especially if minor children are present. Many organized team sports
require all participants to have signed releases in advance. The coaches can
tell you. Ask them if you could take some shots and give them copies. Adult softball
games might be a safer bet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">24. Traffic – Day time. Play with motion blurs, movement,
etc. In a big city, you can show traffic and congestion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">25. Traffic – Night time. Play with blurred lights and
motion. Be careful where you stand – drivers won’t be able to see you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">26. Body Parts. If you are taking photos at a sporting
event, think about focusing on a player’s feet in a soccer game or the arm of a
pitcher throwing a ball. Legs and feet can be some of the more interesting
subjects. Maybe just the feet of a diver entering the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">27. Visit one of your favorite photo locations, but take a
step ladder. Shoot all the familiar scenes from a few feet higher. As long as
you act with confidence, people will not think that it is too strange.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">28. Macro Photography. Get your hands on a macro lens, grab
the tripod and plan on getting dirty. Every-day objects can look very cool when
you shoot with a macro lens. An alternative to a macro lens is to add an
extension tube to a longer lens to allow for close focus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">29. Super Macro. If you already use a macro lens, try adding
a teleconverter, maybe even two, for super close shots. 1 to 1 shots are for
sissies! Think ginormous!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">30. Take a photo outdoors of the exact same subject from the
exact same position every hour for an entire day to see how it changes as light
and weather change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">31. Shoot a magazine cover shot. Choose your subject and
create a photo with space for titles, etc and make sure that your subject fits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">32. Rule of Thirds – read up on the rule of thirds, if you
aren’t familiar with the concept and practice composing shots with this in
mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">33. Look for Great Light. Take a walk, looking for objects
that are in great light. It doesn’t matter what the object is, only that the
light is good and take a photo of these items.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">34. Play with Depth of Field. Take numerous shots of the
same subjects using progressively more or less depth of field by adjusting the
aperture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">35. Shoot on an Angle. Forget about horizontal and vertical.
Take photos at a 45 degree angle. Vary the angle as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">36. Play with a Polarizer. Use a polarizer to see how it
changes the look of the sky, water, reflections on glass, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">37. Spend a day with a friend shooting photos of that friend
in artistic ways in different locations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">38. Photograph your Pet. Spend some time photographing a
pet. Think about shots that might look good on a calendar or magazine. As an
added bonus, you will have a lot of photos of your pet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">39. Photograph streets. City streets, country roads,
highways, dirt roads – have at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">40. Panorama – If you have a software package that will
stitch together multiple shots into a panorama, get to it. If you are really
ambitious, try a 360 degree view. BTW – it’s best not to use an extremely wide
angle for this as the photos will be hard to fit together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">41. Zoom While Shooting. Using a long exposure, zoom in on
an object while the shutter is open to cause a blurred photo. Subject you might
want to try could include automobiles and lights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRT_CcWtXbUNEftqU2tuz5uY_PKwhhd_4GkR_i-_7jPY_GNe32ZwPDWqcCx3-_weHoBb7p8ncahLztGe5rwvJSQmmE-j8sr2K2RhXIb5vVbtFEgs-kPexaicTQAWjsSOJX5xTPyE0hg/s1600/01+Lights+-+IMG_5537pc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRT_CcWtXbUNEftqU2tuz5uY_PKwhhd_4GkR_i-_7jPY_GNe32ZwPDWqcCx3-_weHoBb7p8ncahLztGe5rwvJSQmmE-j8sr2K2RhXIb5vVbtFEgs-kPexaicTQAWjsSOJX5xTPyE0hg/s320/01+Lights+-+IMG_5537pc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">42. Make a Softbox. Search on line for how to make a simple softbox/lightbox
from a cardboard box, paper, plastic, etc. Make one and photograph some common
objects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">43. Concert in the Park. Go to a local concert and
photograph the performers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">44. Photograph Moving Water. Streams, rivers, waterfalls,
sprinklers, faucets, whatever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">45. Reflections – Glass, Windows and Mirrors – take photos
where the reflection is the main focus of the shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">46. Reflections – Puddles – Photograph the reflections in
puddles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">47. Reflections – Sunglasses – you get the idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">48. Abstract Patterns – look for patterns in object to make
the focus of your shots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">49. Take photos where color is the main subject of the
photo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">50. Water and Mirror Shots. Find an old mirror with a rim or
frame, lay it on a flat surface so that it is parallel to the ground. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pour water onto the mirror until the water is
at least a quarter of an inch deep. Shoot photos of the reflections in the
mirror. Flowering trees look fantastic!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">51. Cloudy Days. Cloudy or hazy days when there is no wind
are perfect for taking close-up shots of flowers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">52. Break The Rules – take a series of shots that completely
break the “Rule of Thirds.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">53. Break The Rules – take a bunch of shots where the sun is
behind your subject.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">54. Flash It. Dig the flash out of the closet, or use the
pop-up flash on the camera and play with it. Use the flash to fill in shadows
in the sun. Go out at night and look for unusual things in the yard to shoot.
You get the idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">55. Continuous Focus Mode – Find a reason to use the
continuous (or AI Servo) focus mode and start shooting. Moving people, cars,
birds, animals – anything that stays in motion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">56. Old People. Find somebody old to photograph<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">57. Children. Find some children to photograph – make sure
that it is OK with their parents first!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">58. Models. Find someone willing to pose for you and act as
a model. Direct them as to how and where to stand, what to do with their hands,
etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">59. Couples. Any two people will do. Take photos of them
interacting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">60. Unusual Angles. Take photos from up high, down low –
anywhere but the usual.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2Ylw2gNMoyAjtb1koO9g4Zy18AmhLsVaVgXopnNEuwyPTZJNtGcTKihYduOcRjB472EhPlGFxpA1gkHOUpzpG4MoMB5t5GqsMnxWCuCDPSrS0-Uv0OcmlAsAmzfnixcW4OnwT4tRoA/s1600/25+Stairs+-+IMG_1753prcn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2Ylw2gNMoyAjtb1koO9g4Zy18AmhLsVaVgXopnNEuwyPTZJNtGcTKihYduOcRjB472EhPlGFxpA1gkHOUpzpG4MoMB5t5GqsMnxWCuCDPSrS0-Uv0OcmlAsAmzfnixcW4OnwT4tRoA/s320/25+Stairs+-+IMG_1753prcn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">61. Shadows. Take photos where shadows are the main subject
of the shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">62. Frames and Borders. Find natural frames (trees,
buildings, etc.) that serve to frame your photo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">63. Photograph Food – Not just apples, go for the GOOD
stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">64. People Eating. Who looks good eating? Find out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">65. Photograph Trash. Not the garbage in the can, take a
walk around and take photos of things that have discarded. Maybe even consider
picking it up when you are done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">66. Doors. Find different doors and start shooting.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nkqgs0H533KGEioNirdmRaA1n5I1MfdXPnfHFlpf8kLYXCiJ3y-HHpzlYgAxsDgoKfAuJpaOZStkI9yHvcT30KrYdFr5vFuoXHePl6E4kUPttfnqxCvodzl95jUeS2xssZ2YYoD9cQ/s1600/57+Barn+Doors+-+IMG_1693prcn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nkqgs0H533KGEioNirdmRaA1n5I1MfdXPnfHFlpf8kLYXCiJ3y-HHpzlYgAxsDgoKfAuJpaOZStkI9yHvcT30KrYdFr5vFuoXHePl6E4kUPttfnqxCvodzl95jUeS2xssZ2YYoD9cQ/s320/57+Barn+Doors+-+IMG_1693prcn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">67. Rooms. Photograph different rooms and try to make them
beautiful. When photographing rooms of a house, try to make photographs that
would sell the house if they were in the real estate section.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">68. Water. Look for all different kinds of water (lakes,
rivers, streams, puddles, waterfalls, drops of water on cars, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">69. Architecture. Take shots of buildings that show off
something different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">70. Walk 100 paces and take pictures of 20 things from that
spot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">71. Light. Take photos of anything that shows remarkable
light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">72. Off Center. Take a series of photos where the subject is
well off-center.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">73. Using a zoom lens, take multiple photos of the same
subject. Change YOUR distance from the subject and use the zoom to make the
subject the same size in the photo. Note how this changes the background of the
photo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">74. Shoot several photos of the same subject, but from the
perspective of a giant, and adult, a toddler and a frog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">75. Take as many photos as you can of an object such that
each photo is unique. Try to select an object that will give you additional
flexibility. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">76. Take 76 photos of objects that have something in common
(same color, shape, size, begin with the same letter, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">77. Pan with a moving object (bike, car, jogger) to show
motion - the subject is in focus, the background is blurred.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">78. Take photos that portray emotions (love, anger,
happiness, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">79. Photograph textures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">80. Take photos of weather – rain, snow, heat, cold, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">81. Do a photoshoot with a friend/model.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">82. Light and Dark. Shoot a light subject on an almost
totally dark background.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">83. Dark and Light. Shoot a subject against a totally white
background. Try to get the background as bright as possible without blowing out
any highlights.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTCRkr7cji5jbgoi3Q6TMY9-WAl5Te949anSGiDU397p6EwAxNKGsmEU6HgV-ZhgjpKIm9GXYS_UDvTenRre14vo_qH-8Zlrcg67SSH9QCb3h3n470glADBrY4P5ipDjPfvEs8iwFQA/s1600/49X+RTHU+-+IMG_0621down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTCRkr7cji5jbgoi3Q6TMY9-WAl5Te949anSGiDU397p6EwAxNKGsmEU6HgV-ZhgjpKIm9GXYS_UDvTenRre14vo_qH-8Zlrcg67SSH9QCb3h3n470glADBrY4P5ipDjPfvEs8iwFQA/s320/49X+RTHU+-+IMG_0621down.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">84. Go For A Walk. Every 100 steps, take a photo of
something of interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">85. Go For A Walk. Take a photo of an object that begins
with each letter of the alphabet in order. If you can’t find something, take
two shots of something beginning with the next letter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">86. Go For A Walk. Take a photo of every object you see that
begins with the letter “B.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">87. Go For A Walk. Take a small stuffed animal and
photograph it enjoying the area - seeing the sites, stopping for a rest, a
drink, etc. If someone asks what you are doing, just pretend that you don’t
speak their language.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">88. Go To A Park. Sit on the toys (swings, slides, etc.) and
take photos that are unique because of where you are sitting. Swing your legs
and take photos of the sky, ground, etc. If you are clumsy, wear a helmet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">89. Produce. Take photos of produce in a farmer’s market
(ask permission first)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">90. Clouds. Figure it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">91. Chamber Of Commerce. Take photos of a community that
would draw tourists or business to the area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">92. Something Old. Take photos of old structures, cemeteries,
cars, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">93. Something New. Take photos of new things (construction,
seedlings, baby animals, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">94. Fire. Take photos, don’t burn anything down or hurt
anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">95. Stones. Find the beauty in a pile of rocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">96. Leading Lines. Take photos with leading lines that draw
your attention to a particular area or object in the photo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">97. Country Scenes. Go to farm country and capture photos
that really should be in a calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">98. Come up with five exercises that are not on this list.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">99. Make a list of ten exercises that you will actually try.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">100. Buy yourself an ice cream cone and enjoy life for a
couple of minutes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Steve Byland
is a wildlife photographer living in suburban New Jersey. His photos can be
seen at </span><a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.stevebyland.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> . You can
email him at </span><a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">sbbyland@aol.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-70394202030363477952013-01-13T13:26:00.001-05:002013-01-14T14:30:29.333-05:00An Alternative to Noise Reduction Software<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winter is here and some of my most memorable shots were
taken during falling snow. The problem I often run into, however, is that,
despite all the falling white stuff, it is often very DARK during a snow storm –
even in the middle of the day. To compensate for the lack of light, most of us
boost the ISO on our cameras, lower the shutter speed, open the aperture and
cross our fingers. After a few bone-chilling hours in my blind, I take my
precious (hopefully) treasure-filled memory card to the computer, plug it in
and start reviewing my photos. Lots of birds, falling snow and NOISE!!!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, noise. Those annoying little spots and flecks of
computer-generated junk in the dark areas behind my subjects. Under snowy conditions,
there is sometimes so much noise that it is difficult to remove with the noise
reduction application that came with my photo processing software or even the
expensive plug-in that I bought. RATS!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPBKth79RvD1mxUAFjZg-VLnrgMVBqPoDHqTacYRuj7T02z4jtlbgw3JI3W3NZZZNVe7CShM5mbQjg1UNva7VJkN3_oJqxd0cVZ2FBZvb7nuONmNF2rU8bnPGrQn-FWXYjuMOGck8eQ/s1600/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPBKth79RvD1mxUAFjZg-VLnrgMVBqPoDHqTacYRuj7T02z4jtlbgw3JI3W3NZZZNVe7CShM5mbQjg1UNva7VJkN3_oJqxd0cVZ2FBZvb7nuONmNF2rU8bnPGrQn-FWXYjuMOGck8eQ/s320/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What to do? What to do? I COULD go back outside and shovel
the sidewalk to make it safe for the neighborhood children, or I could try to
save some of my better photos. No contest – fire up the software. Here is a
shot of a Cardinal I took in a recent snow storm. I cranked up the ISO to a
modest 640 and used a shutter speed of 1/320 with an aperture of f/6.3. I
thought I was safe from noise, but, as you can see from the close-up, I was
not. Noise and lots of it! Noise is especially apparent in the dark areas in
the background.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_tbG2OXkPDCTWi__wgRwSfYVJzFr1R5K_4vI5bWTyRjMr9S4zdWnpb3sEvT5GqkktltQLHyGR6g22KB9cqMC12H_yKhG1mGwMLiQmgxUPLx4GesGSaEAx45J5rV_qZ-2VpUTD2RvrA/s1600/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_tbG2OXkPDCTWi__wgRwSfYVJzFr1R5K_4vI5bWTyRjMr9S4zdWnpb3sEvT5GqkktltQLHyGR6g22KB9cqMC12H_yKhG1mGwMLiQmgxUPLx4GesGSaEAx45J5rV_qZ-2VpUTD2RvrA/s320/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fortunately, the
photo is not too dark. If it needed to be lightened, that would introduce even
more noise. As it is, most shots taken under these conditions are a little flat
and need a slight boost in saturation. Guess what that does? Yup, it puts in
even MORE noise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For this photo I tried some of the standard Photoshop techniques,
including using noise reduction software (it couldn’t get it all out) or
blurring the background (I ended up with waves and ghosts). Then, I reverted to
a simpler method. First, I made a duplicate layer in Photoshop and set to work
adjusting the brightness and contrast of this new layer. I reduced the contrast
A LOT – to minus 40 and reduced the brightness to minus 30. I know this is a
huge adjustment, but it did get rid of the noise. If you want to get really
aggressive, apply your noise reduction software to this layer. The result looks
something like this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnIHUWLjqRiYQ0tDf6ojzWS24cdSIC15gyHdFkoxXLE3rzhyYbnB1I0yR4P08pTsxH64wV90Vwg-_99Pp1yWUM5PKxiW3QvyaEP9yGARKqcbcRIV99G56B5B3hndIAFoaHv-Q1sQeTg/s1600/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnIHUWLjqRiYQ0tDf6ojzWS24cdSIC15gyHdFkoxXLE3rzhyYbnB1I0yR4P08pTsxH64wV90Vwg-_99Pp1yWUM5PKxiW3QvyaEP9yGARKqcbcRIV99G56B5B3hndIAFoaHv-Q1sQeTg/s320/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, I want to get the main subject (the bird) and some of
the detail on the larger branches back. I apply a mask and mask off the bird
and the branches I want to keep:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2FAOrgA5PW2lJfFMTzkNmSZ4jBExHOkAx8akxWu49Rq0bg9-hV2pYCJ9hz3jtwk_5NAUNGhJitholhQ9MqmT9fT0fQ2pEB5sDqpLA8Lot4y5aycODPitCC_cW0vCyDLHu7bSTGqe2Q/s1600/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2FAOrgA5PW2lJfFMTzkNmSZ4jBExHOkAx8akxWu49Rq0bg9-hV2pYCJ9hz3jtwk_5NAUNGhJitholhQ9MqmT9fT0fQ2pEB5sDqpLA8Lot4y5aycODPitCC_cW0vCyDLHu7bSTGqe2Q/s320/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As you can see in the close-up, there is far less noise in
the dark areas of the background:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickM99rCNzQZPorDzxY0uQh6WOCj_So4PUxq_A2MLk-nfjqWWZZMAlieCyg2mZ5lCKaXFQ04V68ZPlYoFu37S4F7WtXWVW1pFIY37x7iB2Cmqcae39vFfKuniVeXf1Xh8OxRlK6o4OVg/s1600/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickM99rCNzQZPorDzxY0uQh6WOCj_So4PUxq_A2MLk-nfjqWWZZMAlieCyg2mZ5lCKaXFQ04V68ZPlYoFu37S4F7WtXWVW1pFIY37x7iB2Cmqcae39vFfKuniVeXf1Xh8OxRlK6o4OVg/s320/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The overall photo is still a little dull (it was rather flat
to start with). I fix this by putting BACK some of the brightness and contrast I
took out before (about plus 15 for both brightness and contrast) – this introduces
very little noise to the now-flat background. I also boosted the saturation a
bit – maybe plus 15 to put some color into the bird. If this had been almost
any bird other than a bright red Cardinal, I could have gone way up on the saturation.
Finished product:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkuMQb9VL95sanUW3CNiZiSCXRj_OL9duubDxwemz8VOtDRowA1WJtq6P5p4fYs9VSg7xRI055YwOhpXWtdnkejeqjFCAhyphenhyphenYzpjqzoKehBpVOGtvLlQ-rRAwASTjRI7dZERH0NSCtqg/s1600/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkuMQb9VL95sanUW3CNiZiSCXRj_OL9duubDxwemz8VOtDRowA1WJtq6P5p4fYs9VSg7xRI055YwOhpXWtdnkejeqjFCAhyphenhyphenYzpjqzoKehBpVOGtvLlQ-rRAwASTjRI7dZERH0NSCtqg/s320/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Close-up:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYXtPdo-kAC1Ax8o_Ja0x8m7jEqb_nl8RsIpOLDcKV0PdbrCoXl36hH1mgvPIw5v-rWHE5U8cOWadFz_3f2n-_kYF7-HTRGE_VVr88BTIHz63gtaJHCcjaBxzENbrswpukc_gbBTQMg/s1600/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYXtPdo-kAC1Ax8o_Ja0x8m7jEqb_nl8RsIpOLDcKV0PdbrCoXl36hH1mgvPIw5v-rWHE5U8cOWadFz_3f2n-_kYF7-HTRGE_VVr88BTIHz63gtaJHCcjaBxzENbrswpukc_gbBTQMg/s320/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Side by side (click <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/8377610272/sizes/l/in/photostream/">Here</a> to see a larger version of this photo:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXU4wwf-1L-WvN2UIrbsla9sC43RCgTYS1K1gR6CLlxQbn92NUGF-xiPMVFrkyzqcQOMhPjLaN4I3__5O3wJxBALBVQ2l3Be08_LNLv3i4jN8eRgDxh4XbVpaNpJv_NaBCF9k4yRiqg/s1600/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-9a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXU4wwf-1L-WvN2UIrbsla9sC43RCgTYS1K1gR6CLlxQbn92NUGF-xiPMVFrkyzqcQOMhPjLaN4I3__5O3wJxBALBVQ2l3Be08_LNLv3i4jN8eRgDxh4XbVpaNpJv_NaBCF9k4yRiqg/s320/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-9a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Close-up (click <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/8376532559/sizes/o/in/photostream/">Here</a> to see a larger version of this photo):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/8376532559/in/photostream"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGGNz1adxXn-F34NpH6mnr2OXdbL3o8XFOOGUUjetd2iKMhXPPFPy5nv1AWozPtox5lMjMJTCFcb5AQDc71Rcti8M41rqkWbzMgFdZBw2Lc1tRoV7uGCZLoHRtWHXG8IP0M0BChBxqQ/s320/SNOW+-+IMG_8626-9b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Total time – maybe 5 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Steve Byland
is a wildlife photographer living in suburban New Jersey. His photos can be
seen at </span><a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.stevebyland.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> . You can
email him at </span><a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">sbbyland@aol.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-68953466183401957972012-10-07T13:10:00.000-04:002012-10-11T22:04:24.691-04:00Salvage A (Nearly) Great Shot Using Layers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicU-muBbKnGNiA6DjTYIaq2gyo3txV0Zxv-GQqkDxmuT3bZra7NXQKwS9yd-41m3hczAcbGv4wiXr7bSo3TF9IRtWp6UGZDeh4f3BbxEDENBSMnyPdkGV7PbntoCYlOHeIwnhW4vaHpA/s1600/BLOGIMG_3097+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicU-muBbKnGNiA6DjTYIaq2gyo3txV0Zxv-GQqkDxmuT3bZra7NXQKwS9yd-41m3hczAcbGv4wiXr7bSo3TF9IRtWp6UGZDeh4f3BbxEDENBSMnyPdkGV7PbntoCYlOHeIwnhW4vaHpA/s320/BLOGIMG_3097+5.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eventually it’s going to happen. You find yourself faced
with the “perfect” shot and you reach down deep and blow it. The moment passes
and you don’t get a second chance. Such was the case when I took the shot
below. The subject was perfect, the light was just right and I managed to get
the shot crooked. To be honest, I was lying on my back in a wet parking lot and
I took this shot from underneath my truck. I was lucky to get anything at all,
so a crooked shot was OK considering the circumstances. Here's my original shot:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OdMN0Hq2YDQ-_0ekEavqdcIee8xcPMpas5aGnivTiDlGMmf7f87TqYybmErETOLxr6iv6fMSfNsTbKsJ2gtcME-lB0SgAGiyCHT2oPAbCCwv46fqWiaGmFOHlKvjejpYo1nQK73nNg/s1600/BLOGIMG_3097+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljiomdj9VDMUzdJqDHG32-VGqS_A5ijAAlK8gxFqEtqICWjG6p3JE8fX_fKuI3XUg4xS0j9bNODkLKmuwuAvLhi7JEQw7ovGncMXbiuAd6W0Ux_YWIOFq0isOkywh0XMsqzQTOBL-pQ/s1600/BLOGIMG_3097+original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljiomdj9VDMUzdJqDHG32-VGqS_A5ijAAlK8gxFqEtqICWjG6p3JE8fX_fKuI3XUg4xS0j9bNODkLKmuwuAvLhi7JEQw7ovGncMXbiuAd6W0Ux_YWIOFq0isOkywh0XMsqzQTOBL-pQ/s320/BLOGIMG_3097+original.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was so close and the owl in the picture filled the frame
so well that simply straightening the picture in Photoshop was going to cut too
much out. One option was to add a lot of canvas to the shot, clone in a bunch
of stuff on the sides, then use the Straighten Tool. The problem is that this
leaves a lot of evidence behind and takes a lot of work. There is another way
to approach this problem using layers. I’ve choses a photo that is very busy
(providing a lot of opportunities for mistakes). Shots with less going on are
FAR easier, but even this shot is not that difficult. THIS is what happens when you use the "Straighten Tool" to try to fix the shot - my little owl is moving out of the frame:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix76U6VB4o_rF3OyFQZno7BQ0yGKzWtQ2tGd21Qq3LZCOiL1J74YZxLruS-AZC-yzQTDFBIqW9BE9JGU9zjZHYv4o0WIM9CVdUI46tK_s_YuwqVhxUQNfV0vWfUxyYPLLg-l5b086UVQ/s1600/BLOGIMG_3097+original+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix76U6VB4o_rF3OyFQZno7BQ0yGKzWtQ2tGd21Qq3LZCOiL1J74YZxLruS-AZC-yzQTDFBIqW9BE9JGU9zjZHYv4o0WIM9CVdUI46tK_s_YuwqVhxUQNfV0vWfUxyYPLLg-l5b086UVQ/s320/BLOGIMG_3097+original+1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, we need to fix this photo using layers instead of the "Straighten Tool."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Step One – Create a new layer and drag the top layer so that
the subject (the Owl) is positioned in approximately the right place – you can
adjust this a bit later if necessary. If you look closely, you can see parts of the bottom (original) layer on the left and bottom edges of the photo.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OdMN0Hq2YDQ-_0ekEavqdcIee8xcPMpas5aGnivTiDlGMmf7f87TqYybmErETOLxr6iv6fMSfNsTbKsJ2gtcME-lB0SgAGiyCHT2oPAbCCwv46fqWiaGmFOHlKvjejpYo1nQK73nNg/s1600/BLOGIMG_3097+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OdMN0Hq2YDQ-_0ekEavqdcIee8xcPMpas5aGnivTiDlGMmf7f87TqYybmErETOLxr6iv6fMSfNsTbKsJ2gtcME-lB0SgAGiyCHT2oPAbCCwv46fqWiaGmFOHlKvjejpYo1nQK73nNg/s320/BLOGIMG_3097+1.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Step Two – Rotate (straighten) just the top layer to get the
subject where you want it. If necessary, you can move the top layer to
reposition the subject. Using “Free Rotate” saves more canvas than “Straighten”
and gives a little more flexibility, but either tool will work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwQOrxJSPbLrwczLaourS6vrN42FG7dnYXFAHPLN8kl0-5X1BhX0OTZrVwyzJWG9FYvoBgKkxqY6_tuY7P_hlTPyjAlkeFOVPk6P2eOXZmwIpuC8sjZy5KozBEjAK4V1vMLAds2iM1w/s1600/BLOGIMG_3097+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwQOrxJSPbLrwczLaourS6vrN42FG7dnYXFAHPLN8kl0-5X1BhX0OTZrVwyzJWG9FYvoBgKkxqY6_tuY7P_hlTPyjAlkeFOVPk6P2eOXZmwIpuC8sjZy5KozBEjAK4V1vMLAds2iM1w/s320/BLOGIMG_3097+2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now the subject is straight, but there are obvious lines around the edge of the top layer from rotating/straightening the photo. I have hidden the bottom layer so that you can clearly see this in the photo below.</span></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAg0GAOtIc8x3qGjCl_Ncqk2Jz0sipZhakf1jQG285yMDsy_jWA0LksplBDJ78dgrl0j1vaCJAtB0RmyZ8YVaHh80DjiXvTDXNny-GVp3fTjzqfkTWfOL8iNV6WfpLrbHft5smJrBIBA/s1600/BLOGIMG_3097+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAg0GAOtIc8x3qGjCl_Ncqk2Jz0sipZhakf1jQG285yMDsy_jWA0LksplBDJ78dgrl0j1vaCJAtB0RmyZ8YVaHh80DjiXvTDXNny-GVp3fTjzqfkTWfOL8iNV6WfpLrbHft5smJrBIBA/s320/BLOGIMG_3097+3.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Step Three – What you want to do now is to blend the top (crooked) layer into
the original layer below. With both layers showing, apply a mask to the top
layer, choosing a mask that makes the top layer visible. Use a black paint
brush on the mask to hide the edges of the top layer to blend the top layer
into the layer below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6M0cObO0Zrjr8RuXUlaYvWGqDABfyYjgLXMNRO76olVIBlhJj5GlXsz3v3bAAcXFVqRLD_S5gXfj1Cfi_InrEVyh86I9z5wp57hUEqoaI0dqimToHGJMryXd8p2a06JCDNjbh2n0kQ/s1600/BLOGIMG_3097+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6M0cObO0Zrjr8RuXUlaYvWGqDABfyYjgLXMNRO76olVIBlhJj5GlXsz3v3bAAcXFVqRLD_S5gXfj1Cfi_InrEVyh86I9z5wp57hUEqoaI0dqimToHGJMryXd8p2a06JCDNjbh2n0kQ/s320/BLOGIMG_3097+4.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can spend a lot of time blending with a small brush to
make the photo perfect – I spent about 1 minute on this shot. The main evidence
of my handiwork is a duplicate of the large blade of grass to the left of the
owl, so I went back and cloned it out. All done and ready to move on to the
next masterpiece.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicU-muBbKnGNiA6DjTYIaq2gyo3txV0Zxv-GQqkDxmuT3bZra7NXQKwS9yd-41m3hczAcbGv4wiXr7bSo3TF9IRtWp6UGZDeh4f3BbxEDENBSMnyPdkGV7PbntoCYlOHeIwnhW4vaHpA/s1600/BLOGIMG_3097+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicU-muBbKnGNiA6DjTYIaq2gyo3txV0Zxv-GQqkDxmuT3bZra7NXQKwS9yd-41m3hczAcbGv4wiXr7bSo3TF9IRtWp6UGZDeh4f3BbxEDENBSMnyPdkGV7PbntoCYlOHeIwnhW4vaHpA/s320/BLOGIMG_3097+5.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve Byland
is a wildlife photographer living in suburban New Jersey. His photos can be
seen at </span><a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.stevebyland.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> . You can
email him at </span><a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sbbyland@aol.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-18569402709810857632012-07-31T16:57:00.000-04:002012-08-02T08:30:14.708-04:00Advanced Layering Techniques – Bring Back The Sky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3iKAGoMW9qsr3K0fNxdwSpZyOiukfmgOkJpsClVoNy5IN3zicro563y3g4b26WXkDoVRC6YFXQebooUYeHN2LeOg1-eNImiU95mfI1aGuO_Ot0QhAH1VjzNSAGyS43xicGtegnlD-w/s1600/IMG_4257b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3iKAGoMW9qsr3K0fNxdwSpZyOiukfmgOkJpsClVoNy5IN3zicro563y3g4b26WXkDoVRC6YFXQebooUYeHN2LeOg1-eNImiU95mfI1aGuO_Ot0QhAH1VjzNSAGyS43xicGtegnlD-w/s400/IMG_4257b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you shoot
birds in flight, you’ve probably been frustrated by trying to get the exposure
right. Either the bird is blown out, or, more often, the background sky looks
perfect, but the bird is just a dark silhouette. Been there, done that, hit the
“delete” button. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you expose the bird
perfectly (yay!) the sky is probably too light (boo!).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are a
number of ways to fix such shots. Making major adjustments usually cause some
problems. Noise and artifacts appear whenever you lighten a photo, so starting
with a photo where the sky looks good, but the bird is too dark probably won’t
win you any awards. Let’s work on how to fix the best of the miserable shots
you ended up with – the ones where the bird is exposed the way you want it but
the sky is too light. Since the bird is the main subject, that’s the part of
the picture that you will want to look best anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The simple
way to fix you photo is to make a separate layer, adjust the sky, then mask the
bird. That’s fine if you aren’t going to print the shot or try to sell it, but
it is VERY difficult and time-consuming to get the mask just right. There are
places that you just can’t get right (teeny-tiny feather edges) and such. If
you use the “Select” tool, there are often parts of the birds that aren’t
selected properly, and if you zoom way in, there will be little jagged edges
along the lines where one set of pixels were selected while others weren’t.
Nothing is more disappointing that working forever on a single photo and, when
you are done, it looks so bad that you just delete it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQt8lIqvubOJbxqwbwRNnq1DBPm6l9yLwAKZ8d5_wAml1FVMrt5TU-TlU29M8-frc1ysRbFM9g_Uj1L0IXnmcjmGJefAONl2SeGWHCmaJJDyy7TNbndwH6666BWfHZoJNz_efltaC4sw/s1600/IMG_4257+(2)a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQt8lIqvubOJbxqwbwRNnq1DBPm6l9yLwAKZ8d5_wAml1FVMrt5TU-TlU29M8-frc1ysRbFM9g_Uj1L0IXnmcjmGJefAONl2SeGWHCmaJJDyy7TNbndwH6666BWfHZoJNz_efltaC4sw/s400/IMG_4257+(2)a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While
nothing beats getting the perfect shot in the first place, there is a way to
fix these kinds of shots fairly quickly without showing a lot of boo-boos if
you zoom way in or print the photo at a larger size. Yes, you can take a lot of
time to go around and clean these things up, but it is time-consuming, and
doesn’t always leave a great end product. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDB5WMA0oGx3PgGEycnjIt7U8yTMYH6H1ewiiKDoC_BxOSDEJjE2mVOqot6zwq-MmcBzDEDCWcS-64btvrGOTQSqINdTCBuZpTjTj-A1G6ktdNARs7Y9R4FzQP6VcAjcZlZxbuQrYfyQ/s1600/IMG_4257aaaaa+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDB5WMA0oGx3PgGEycnjIt7U8yTMYH6H1ewiiKDoC_BxOSDEJjE2mVOqot6zwq-MmcBzDEDCWcS-64btvrGOTQSqINdTCBuZpTjTj-A1G6ktdNARs7Y9R4FzQP6VcAjcZlZxbuQrYfyQ/s400/IMG_4257aaaaa+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This technique will leave you with nicer edges</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let me also
take a second to mention that I have to downsize these shots a lot to use on my
blog page – there is WAY more detail in the full-sized shots. I’m also making
the assumption here that you have a basic understanding of how to use layers
and masks. If you DON’T know how to use these, LEARN!!!!! It will improve your
processing a million percent and cut the time it takes by about the same
amount. Photoshop and Corel Paint Shop Pro pretty much work the same way in the
steps I’m going to explain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s look
at a fairly quick and easy way to fix the shot below that is lacking sky detail:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NYfNn0P6KPolb2vUj1kHsC81PWJuxMchSBjZoUk-RTVEf1_9-SBNOWHQ1vhuczqUquThgr5WDY_7Gu_48z8f-gQDjIslKXZTnn7gS5JqqWd1YqVSPJ1iqoERSd6ZsU-g8kUoB4G3XQ/s1600/IMG_4257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NYfNn0P6KPolb2vUj1kHsC81PWJuxMchSBjZoUk-RTVEf1_9-SBNOWHQ1vhuczqUquThgr5WDY_7Gu_48z8f-gQDjIslKXZTnn7gS5JqqWd1YqVSPJ1iqoERSd6ZsU-g8kUoB4G3XQ/s400/IMG_4257.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">First step,
run a noise-reduction step – we’re going to darken the photo and that always
adds a little noise. Second, remove the bird (WHAT???) using a large clone tool
and save the file using a different name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIgE5oDxbLWUKf1SfBRwpaok9_zfqSKiPGnzOw87zIY8zlays-dkxBP4kmeGFA7dqcqG8pu3Q58NBXKGAMIbdnNd61i1E2tkspvsImmbOr9ZmXfICOGaCgeFE9Iry1fpCWjA8YnP_oA/s1600/IMG_4257a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIgE5oDxbLWUKf1SfBRwpaok9_zfqSKiPGnzOw87zIY8zlays-dkxBP4kmeGFA7dqcqG8pu3Q58NBXKGAMIbdnNd61i1E2tkspvsImmbOr9ZmXfICOGaCgeFE9Iry1fpCWjA8YnP_oA/s400/IMG_4257a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, make a
duplicate layer and set the layer type to “Multiply.” Duplicate the multiplied
layer a couple of times until you like the way the sky looks. In this case, I
used three layers. Merge all the layers down. Now the sky looks better, but it seems to be missing a bird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26qc_RPvLxtiH_bgmZvd6girBejSp-499-zAmzRIZQrqWjuzc-R4kOX-nE3JzhP4cdjWolX28GpbmFQhXuRyAhtYppW3SIbXxW3rY_dgSSt3On7RxN1LhL1ye5ep8iKTQH-eMvD2Z4g/s1600/IMG_4257aaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26qc_RPvLxtiH_bgmZvd6girBejSp-499-zAmzRIZQrqWjuzc-R4kOX-nE3JzhP4cdjWolX28GpbmFQhXuRyAhtYppW3SIbXxW3rY_dgSSt3On7RxN1LhL1ye5ep8iKTQH-eMvD2Z4g/s400/IMG_4257aaa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, go
back to your ORIGINAL photo, copy the entire thing and post as a new layer. If
you want to reposition the bird, you can select an area around the bird (instead
of copying the entire photo) making sure to get a little of the background all
around it and place it where you want. Make a duplicate copy of the layer you
just copied in and click the “Visibility” button to make the top layer
invisible. You now have 3 layers. The bottom layer is the adjusted sky without
the bird, the second (middle) layer is the original photo, and the top layer is
the original photo, but not visible. At this point, your photo will appear to
look just like the original photo since it is on top of the adjusted sky photo.
Now, set the middle layer type to “Darken.” This will put back most of your
bird as shown below:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXC90Wu5KfKOQfpf3fCRv6WNmzZOmsFECeY2GEq3PS19svIFgdIWaPBvnIH3kmOH7QIV5K76yUQflQZ8FBnwOaMgIcNtCjj6i1HAp8bE3BgW6c-Ek5Vb0jC7o1haK9b884nr2pMeO5Q/s1600/IMG_4257aaaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXC90Wu5KfKOQfpf3fCRv6WNmzZOmsFECeY2GEq3PS19svIFgdIWaPBvnIH3kmOH7QIV5K76yUQflQZ8FBnwOaMgIcNtCjj6i1HAp8bE3BgW6c-Ek5Vb0jC7o1haK9b884nr2pMeO5Q/s400/IMG_4257aaaa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The problem
is that the white/light areas of the bird will appear blue as they are not
darker than the background. The nice thing is that the computer did all the
hard work of putting in all the really fine details on the darker edges of the bird
without leaving any harsh transitions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jTtTQ5noHkP3zxzE7CIC5z5h1BCYIenngFeGS26qlHgRh-DPtD7GrGoVVMnpmt0jrFxcoLBzm-IOiNBtUBdmNjSZLGV98GV4p4GcLrR8leLsfXXzxsQScg_RU2XfngyipL2baRluaQ/s1600/IMG_4257aaaa+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jTtTQ5noHkP3zxzE7CIC5z5h1BCYIenngFeGS26qlHgRh-DPtD7GrGoVVMnpmt0jrFxcoLBzm-IOiNBtUBdmNjSZLGV98GV4p4GcLrR8leLsfXXzxsQScg_RU2XfngyipL2baRluaQ/s400/IMG_4257aaaa+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, make
the top layer visible again and select a mask that masks the entire photo.
Using a white brush, carefully unmask the white/light areas of the bird. You
may want to brush across the entire body of the bird to bring up white/light
areas there as well. The only place you really have to be a little careful is
where the white on the bird reaches the very edge of the body. Still, it is not
very difficult to get nice results without much effort – now you only have to
work on a few areas with the mask because the computer did the rest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before and after:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QfcbVaF2qVnkTuoTHD_MMdUI31zcgYqGYCEawZUHtRh-STfDPRnHdAZxo9h3TMAK8hs0iK1G6uavfePBHtr13pCscXw_d-1zJQXefL37HShzHp4ch87qbnz6_gZKd9M1A09PcW7N3Q/s1600/cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QfcbVaF2qVnkTuoTHD_MMdUI31zcgYqGYCEawZUHtRh-STfDPRnHdAZxo9h3TMAK8hs0iK1G6uavfePBHtr13pCscXw_d-1zJQXefL37HShzHp4ch87qbnz6_gZKd9M1A09PcW7N3Q/s400/cut.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To see more
detail, you can view a large version of the above photo at:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/7686943072/sizes/o/in/photostream/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/7686943072/sizes/o/in/photostream/</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here’s the
finished product:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm9EkYf-6aMKokEG7BwY7xbdwU-EwAbEuV3oCT79j_RNTpZVjCtiBZHYo3qL3i0bc1T3OxE5S2Q2GI5nhsEN5N47Yeewlc8GYbQ8qmJPJoXTVxSVjKP7diCX1eEwONKmj-qqWk1UTvw/s1600/IMG_4257aaaaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm9EkYf-6aMKokEG7BwY7xbdwU-EwAbEuV3oCT79j_RNTpZVjCtiBZHYo3qL3i0bc1T3OxE5S2Q2GI5nhsEN5N47Yeewlc8GYbQ8qmJPJoXTVxSVjKP7diCX1eEwONKmj-qqWk1UTvw/s400/IMG_4257aaaaa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is it cheating? I'll let you make your own decision. Either way, this is the way it looked through my viewfinder when I took the photo and now I have a nice photo. Essentially, this isn't much different than just selecting the sky only and darkening it. The real difference is that this method only impacts the sky behind the bird and leaves the bird exactly as it was - which is the whole point of what you otherwise would have been trying to achieve by just selecting and working on the sky. The difference is that this method doesn't leave a bunch of lines or require a ton of work to make it look good.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will admit that using photoshop too much can be thought of as turning a photo into art. The same can be said about using polarizers and colored filters - techniques used by photographers for decades. The same can be said about techniques old-timers used in the darkroom such as dodging and burning to give mist around moving water or even (gasp) trying to save a photo like the one I started with.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In this case, I didn't add or delete a single element of the photo. I was simply VERY selective about which components I darkened (which is what a "Multiply" layer does). I didn't even change the contrast, color or saturation. If someone said that they simply darkened a photo, most people would just shrug their shoulders and say, "So what?"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Decide for yourself what you want to do. There may be a gray line (or even a black line) between what you consider art and photography, but you can always fix that with Photoshop ;-)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Steve Byland
is a wildlife photographer living in suburban New Jersey. His photos can be
seen at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/">www.stevebyland.com</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> . You
can email him at </span><a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">sbbyland@aol.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-36178041646890732602012-07-22T14:53:00.001-04:002012-07-25T23:53:31.744-04:00Create Your Own Bird Sanctuary<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you love
birds, you’ve probably visited a nature sanctuary near your home and marveled
at the wildlife. The feeders at the visitor center are teeming with birds of
all kinds. It may be only a 15 minute drive, but it might as well be an entire
world away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ye9VjzY5fapR_DO0LqvXMAL_svNusgCWWPQgPt5ezA950BmXq-umbbcVOZfj8j07eDMS2Ii8V0lF3jgxtIu9JlprIky6tW_3iKV7WCZKDzljrZqHIkbsxAtfZY5waGNme8c8LEW4Aw/s1600/40+Cardinal+-+IMG_4533p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ye9VjzY5fapR_DO0LqvXMAL_svNusgCWWPQgPt5ezA950BmXq-umbbcVOZfj8j07eDMS2Ii8V0lF3jgxtIu9JlprIky6tW_3iKV7WCZKDzljrZqHIkbsxAtfZY5waGNme8c8LEW4Aw/s400/40+Cardinal+-+IMG_4533p.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apple trees are the perfect
cover for birds year round. They have insects in spring and summer, apples
through the fall, and thick masses of branches in the winter<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, what is
the difference between YOUR back yard and THIS place? You have a feeder or two
and get your share of Cardinals and Chickadees, especially in the winter.
Still, your yard pales in comparison to the local nature center. They always
seem to have something special. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t you
wish that your backyard was more like the nature center? It could be. You may
not have 100 acres, a pond, open fields and wooded acres like they do, but
there are things that you can learn from them to attract more birds into your
own yard. I live less than 30 miles from New York City and sometimes feel like
I’m directly in the flight path to the Newark Airport, but my yard is swarming
with birds. While writing this article, I took a break to take care of the
birds in my yard. It’s going to be over 100 degrees today, and they appreciate
a little extra attention. I put out some dried meal worms for the Bluebirds and
their newly fledged young. The Hummingbird feeders needed to be cleaned and
refilled. The Catbirds and Woodpeckers have emptied the suet feeder again. I
wiped the birdbaths clean and filled them with cool water. Some seed in the platform
feeder, another handful sprinkled on the ground, a few peanuts for the
Squirrels, and I was back inside in less than 10 minutes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During that time, I encountered about 50 birds
and close to 20 species. If I had stayed out an hour, I would have probably had
closer to 35 species.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4O61pxZ_5IxKV0XFP2HwmfN7YmlY3uTtwMlB8aaBMc1trDqZgRZpPG-Q6v5ZAQARN5i33qFMHS50ZD5D82pKryUSU8EL5RHgHKDv6Hq_l7JjMBQcQNvd7kJoI3O2vijiY7iy69qw5g/s1600/66+COYE+-+IMG_0356pcr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4O61pxZ_5IxKV0XFP2HwmfN7YmlY3uTtwMlB8aaBMc1trDqZgRZpPG-Q6v5ZAQARN5i33qFMHS50ZD5D82pKryUSU8EL5RHgHKDv6Hq_l7JjMBQcQNvd7kJoI3O2vijiY7iy69qw5g/s320/66+COYE+-+IMG_0356pcr.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">Even if birds that don’t come to your feeders may use
butterfly bushes like this Common Yellowthroat. Hummingbirds and butterflies
will visit in the summer for nectar and insects</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Was my yard
always like this? Certainly not. It took years to entice Bluebirds to nest
here, but they are now fixtures in my neighborhood. The same is true for
Hummingbirds. They can be difficult to attract to nest in my part of the
country, but I have them visiting my feeders all summer long like clockwork –
about every 10 minutes. How did I do it? More important, how can YOU do it too?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Think of
creating a backyard bird sanctuary the same way you would think about planting
a beautiful garden. Most new homeowners have had the experience of moving into
a house, admiring the neighbor’s beautiful garden, then rushing to the garden
center for a few flats of flowers. Once in the ground, most of the flowers died
within a few weeks and we moaned “I just don’t have a green thumb.” It’s the
same thing with birds. We bought a feeder and bag of seed at the hardware store
and set it up. It either attracted nothing and the seed spoiled, or we got only
Starlings and House Sparrows. “There just aren’t any good birds in my
neighborhood,” we said. Why did the flowers die? Why no flock of pretty
songbirds? The answer is pretty much the same. They didn’t get what they
needed. Flowers need the right soil, the correct amount of light and the proper
amount of water. Needs differ for each type of flower. Birds are no different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpG_8I7CU1gLG_iTowW7IF5OJhinoQ_OAHi8cQ6WVsmUeiApk1ZNk_etRG-Bb1WhLioDMvn6JkFVMxIvq7GejUJAUqErng7PtJoVBl-WPtJh_EVrXbJb0UhTIHqWOliR7UgwRBZbefQ/s1600/Roof+Top+Suet+Feeder+4269+-+Photo+2a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpG_8I7CU1gLG_iTowW7IF5OJhinoQ_OAHi8cQ6WVsmUeiApk1ZNk_etRG-Bb1WhLioDMvn6JkFVMxIvq7GejUJAUqErng7PtJoVBl-WPtJh_EVrXbJb0UhTIHqWOliR7UgwRBZbefQ/s400/Roof+Top+Suet+Feeder+4269+-+Photo+2a.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">Some feeders are designed to prevent “undesirable” birds such
as Starlings like this suet feeder that can only be accessed from below</span> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Each species
of bird has very specific needs. If you give them what they want, they will
probably come to your yard. Okay, what do they need?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Safety from predators<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Food<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Water<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A place to nest and raise their young (assuming that they breed in your area)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">ALL of these
are important. Let’s look at each of them.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Safety From Predators</u></b> – A bird’s
eye view of the world is one filled with danger. Hawks above, cats and other
predators below. The best shelters come from trees, bushes, brush piles and
tall grass. Of course, predators use the same things for cover, so keep a
little open space between sheltered areas so that the birds can use their keen
eyesight to keep watch. Plan and manage the habitat – that’s what they do at
the nature center.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGv_00ecjKsLEtCuxmq7hZftdpUiD4McuU2NVIyw6mK_eqXlOqLUzumXgCoY553L1uBGJTZq3mOTAvBCyC5srxhF3PuURWfnPgtA8uGo56eP2K-qLZSEV5qDG6T62WaWFsS_TlB3P80w/s1600/RTHU+-+IMG_6496pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGv_00ecjKsLEtCuxmq7hZftdpUiD4McuU2NVIyw6mK_eqXlOqLUzumXgCoY553L1uBGJTZq3mOTAvBCyC5srxhF3PuURWfnPgtA8uGo56eP2K-qLZSEV5qDG6T62WaWFsS_TlB3P80w/s400/RTHU+-+IMG_6496pcrn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">Hummingbird feeders need not be fancy. Red feeders with
yellow flowers are recognized by most hummingbirds as a good source of food.
This feeder is about the size of a roll of quarters and cost less than $5.00</span></span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Food</u></b> – This is something that
might take a little research. For optimum success, you need to know what birds
are in your area at each time of year, what their favorite foods are, their
preferred type of feeder, etc. You need to match the type of feeder and food to
the species you want to attract. Cardinals, for instance, prefer platform
feeders with black oil sunflower seeds. Hummingbirds want sugar water feeders. Woodpeckers,
Catbirds and Titmice love suet. A visit to the local nature center can put you
on the right track here. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t go crazy at first. Just
get a few feeders with the appropriate food at first and work your way up
slowly. Remember to place the feeders close to the safe places mentioned above.
Make sure they are where you can see them as well so that you enjoy your new
friends and remember to feed them. Keep the feeders clean, but you don’t need
to fill them to the top until the birds are eating more. Having fresh food is
important. Since the species of birds in your area changes with the seasons, so
will the types of food you should offer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEaUsQkh6DuXENk2Gt052KuFreWnv5I5WQhSXFajBTGe9ce5onHp6JFVWIMhmseJVJDlOzuKQJCGKoseFClrqkFIJZFMpZk4pnhfpwOwCdJo_fSIAhPUBxlN5F9q6DBqDxcXH0D-cWvA/s1600/White+Pedestal+Birdbath+-+a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEaUsQkh6DuXENk2Gt052KuFreWnv5I5WQhSXFajBTGe9ce5onHp6JFVWIMhmseJVJDlOzuKQJCGKoseFClrqkFIJZFMpZk4pnhfpwOwCdJo_fSIAhPUBxlN5F9q6DBqDxcXH0D-cWvA/s400/White+Pedestal+Birdbath+-+a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">This birdbath is heated for year-round use and can accommodate
the whole family</span></span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Water</u></b> – Birds need water
year-round. Birdbaths range from expensive heated affairs with cascading
waterfalls to something homemade. Try turning over a large flower pot, placing
the base on top and filling the base with water. The important thing is that
the water be clean and available at all times. Not all birds come to feeders,
but almost all come to water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_y63f9aDd0AN7BWR85BxOG5MALigqa1MYum9Im45_AmK8dEDDZVSqe59tBH9uisdHeCST-J0aGPCfG5d-lkLjaBuf8WJm6WCpSyNkivEvA2TIMCg8iwNsZ8I9tVPors7p01Om5stuSA/s1600/EABL+-+IMG_7899prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_y63f9aDd0AN7BWR85BxOG5MALigqa1MYum9Im45_AmK8dEDDZVSqe59tBH9uisdHeCST-J0aGPCfG5d-lkLjaBuf8WJm6WCpSyNkivEvA2TIMCg8iwNsZ8I9tVPors7p01Om5stuSA/s400/EABL+-+IMG_7899prn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Here is part of the same
family bathing in a bath made from a large, broken flower pot and its base<o:p></o:p></span></span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Nesting</u></b> – Some songbird species
will nest in birdhouses and some will not. Bluebirds, Swallows, Chickadees and
Wrens are among some of the more popular songbirds that use nest boxes. Each
prefers a slightly different kind of box that will meet their needs while
discouraging other species. You might want to buy birdhouses that target the
species you want from a manufacturer such as Duncraft (</span><a href="http://www.duncraft.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.duncraft.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">) that has different
birdhouses for different species. Other birds will probably nest in the
sheltered areas listed earlier. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZ19UmtdSnyB9_EocgwMHneQNJVJO8pqFdS11_oD3oZh_4W06frgQu6WHloUMZrsJS8uEY-L4OEFgJ3AYuVbPZfZov8N60oKYxjHUuo3OlVScgy14ckKi0zfzEte5rBXNfLt7sJNl_A/s1600/52+TRES+-+IMG_8977pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZ19UmtdSnyB9_EocgwMHneQNJVJO8pqFdS11_oD3oZh_4W06frgQu6WHloUMZrsJS8uEY-L4OEFgJ3AYuVbPZfZov8N60oKYxjHUuo3OlVScgy14ckKi0zfzEte5rBXNfLt7sJNl_A/s400/52+TRES+-+IMG_8977pcrn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Birdhouses can be made from
plans easily found on the internet and can be customized for different species.
This box has a wide hole to let more than one baby Tree Swallow look out at a
time.</span></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"></span></span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you are a
photographer, like I am, think about lighting while you make your plans. I have
a spot in my yard that gets fantastic light in the afternoon. Guess where I put
the Bluebird house. Most of my feeders and birdhouses can be rotated to follow
the sun provide different backgrounds. I do most of my photography from a blind
that keeps me out of the sun and minimizes disturbance to the birds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicme-6BY_NQY0s8pyhpLzimFzNiDJSHQL3b68LXl3EQ9ZqXjA3hmSHCcElk7J87d1BDCOyBVS40eysDHHyv9dhkubEdm9wtKZTns79hhb1PSkelWSWtatnvY-EMFoKRbwijLTrFKtgIw/s1600/Diamond+House+Wren+4266b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicme-6BY_NQY0s8pyhpLzimFzNiDJSHQL3b68LXl3EQ9ZqXjA3hmSHCcElk7J87d1BDCOyBVS40eysDHHyv9dhkubEdm9wtKZTns79hhb1PSkelWSWtatnvY-EMFoKRbwijLTrFKtgIw/s400/Diamond+House+Wren+4266b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">Smaller bird houses are perfect for smaller birds such as
Wrens, Chickadees and Titmice</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like a
beautiful garden, a backyard bird sanctuary grows and matures over time. Every
year, you can make it a little better, a little safer and a little more
attractive to you and the birds that will come to call your yard home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Steve Byland
is a wildlife photographer living in suburban New Jersey. His photos can be
seen at </span><a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.stevebyland.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> – many of
which were taken in his own backyard. You can email him at <a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com">sbbyland@aol.com</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-1313311158122230222012-07-20T21:18:00.000-04:002012-07-22T21:14:44.347-04:00Ten Tips For Taking Bird Pictures Like A Pro In Your Own Backyard<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlSiK5g4PXrpbR0BV8MacqBqtekOHNKDo0XpFxBc84f7qn5drkHTFjJmGoPcLD6-icJpy71HvynMILD1HQjPKg2GnFlHePGQxezm1BFZR_Dcfu1otrzu2VfaFuUh35FqVYZP2dZz70A/s1600/12+EABL+-+IMG_9011pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlSiK5g4PXrpbR0BV8MacqBqtekOHNKDo0XpFxBc84f7qn5drkHTFjJmGoPcLD6-icJpy71HvynMILD1HQjPKg2GnFlHePGQxezm1BFZR_Dcfu1otrzu2VfaFuUh35FqVYZP2dZz70A/s400/12+EABL+-+IMG_9011pcrn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Planning your photos in advance
increases you odds of getting great photos. This male Bluebird often hovered
over his mate during the mating season<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve been a professional wildlife photographer for years and
travel all across the country to take pictures. It’s a great job, but
somebody’s got to do it. I’ve crisscrossed the United States from north to
south and east to west. Winter, spring, summer or fall, I’ve been there. Still,
my favorite place to take photographs is my own backyard. I know it like the
back of my hand. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of birds visit my bird feeders
every year. I’ve spent so much time out there that I recognize a good number of
them individually. Most of my best-selling shots are of birds that I’ve known
for years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Very few of
my shots are random. When I walk out the back door, I usually have a plan for
what I want to shoot that day. Certainly birds and animals are somewhat
unpredictable, so I don’t know exactly what I’m going to get, but whatever is
presented to me, I’m usually ready for it. Let me share with you the ten steps
I use to get the shots I want.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tip 1: Pick your subject<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I select the
camera/lens combination based on the species, or at least size of bird I want
to photograph that day. I don’t use the same set-up for tiny Hummingbirds that
I use for larger birds such as Blue Jays. I find that NOT concentrating on
something specific leads to missed shots. The best way to get the
once-in-a-lifetime photo is to be ready for it when the opportunity presents
itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitekxU-TeY9MNjis-7mQ6KChN3wUP9M-qnjn5WJfTUCLBl-IPQuwtfKtBah7IcByYUIdv7mNwpOkjXHFpGHPrLKb6xAZEEnKmPKRKrH0U4THSBoZpWguTRLPjddPD2t3QHx5dqrCidgA/s1600/36+PIWA+-+IMG_3385prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitekxU-TeY9MNjis-7mQ6KChN3wUP9M-qnjn5WJfTUCLBl-IPQuwtfKtBah7IcByYUIdv7mNwpOkjXHFpGHPrLKb6xAZEEnKmPKRKrH0U4THSBoZpWguTRLPjddPD2t3QHx5dqrCidgA/s400/36+PIWA+-+IMG_3385prn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Male Pine Warblers often visit my suet feeders in late March<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tip 2: Learn Behavior<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you know
a bird’s behavior, you increase your chances of getting great shots. You don’t
have to do a lot of studying – just observe the birds in your yard. How often
do they come to the feeder? How long do they stay? What do they eat? How do
they interact with other birds? I often find that individual Hummingbirds will
come to a feeder on a set schedule that varies by less than a minute during the
day. They often feed exactly the same each time they visit. Knowing this is all
the advantage I need.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tip 3: Anticipate Behavior<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My reflexes
are slow compared to those of birds. By the time I see the scene I want and
communicate to my finger to press the shutter button, it’s usually too late.
Often, though, there is something that will signal you that good things are
about to happen. Baby Tree Swallows looking out of a birdhouse start squawking
a few seconds before the parents show up with a meal which allows me to start
shooting before they get to the nest.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDtuwXmRgnuF9vkszhxY1Yuz-csI_QvoAcFwiA3za54hIfqRDZWDLH3M_xVnFm2vkjoEI7pebvifP-gBQ0HtS4JIJaU10ylXs0ZSCNeQse6xQYCULO7-ckBsWjdjNZqgLse__P_NcTQ/s1600/60+TRES+-+9235prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDtuwXmRgnuF9vkszhxY1Yuz-csI_QvoAcFwiA3za54hIfqRDZWDLH3M_xVnFm2vkjoEI7pebvifP-gBQ0HtS4JIJaU10ylXs0ZSCNeQse6xQYCULO7-ckBsWjdjNZqgLse__P_NcTQ/s400/60+TRES+-+9235prn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The baby Tree Swallow would announce
the anticipated arrival of the parent with food<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tip 4: Plan For Good Light<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Study the
light in your yard. Light is best in early morning and late afternoon, but
often shadows from trees block the light. Look for places in your yard where
the light is still present at these times. Pictures taken at high noon on sunny
days will be harsh. If you can only shoot at mid-day because of trees, choose
days that are overcast, but bright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-d8HzGzuOE1ZrVtpqJoatZXJ1vd7ZBEHXY7Hs5Ra68YJi08t529BCohYNnrzq1nImeSFIMyegBese0AVzFd_QXw5Umn0HlI48J_OFF5t4XFJHpP8TBeacSat1_ctYJf2sp-x2sNGHyA/s1600/56+EABL+-+IMG_5146pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-d8HzGzuOE1ZrVtpqJoatZXJ1vd7ZBEHXY7Hs5Ra68YJi08t529BCohYNnrzq1nImeSFIMyegBese0AVzFd_QXw5Umn0HlI48J_OFF5t4XFJHpP8TBeacSat1_ctYJf2sp-x2sNGHyA/s400/56+EABL+-+IMG_5146pcrn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Birds often get into habits like this
Bluebird that likes to bathe in the afternoon<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tip 5: Watch Your Background<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s an
old saying that if something doesn’t add to the picture then it takes away from
it. You don’t want the subject of you picture to get lost in the clutter. It
should be prominent enough to make a statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tip 6: Control Depth Of Field<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Using a wide
aperture gives a shallow depth of field (DOF) and allows for faster shutter
speed. A shallow DOF blurs the background and allows you subject to stand out.
Most lenses are sharpest about one stop smaller than the widest aperture. </span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRypNgzkevWMzbZ6nho8NdvXng4Dh67mlmi0qsi-7T3KJMdLETPzsNCFUKpkd_9uyhTDZehEOnMaF0qv24SCjAvDQUddGSkJQNhwuCBDWzWm79b2t_Mn5eY7ericyPnFOGsmwdVcjs4Q/s1600/24+RTHU+-+IMG_1816pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRypNgzkevWMzbZ6nho8NdvXng4Dh67mlmi0qsi-7T3KJMdLETPzsNCFUKpkd_9uyhTDZehEOnMaF0qv24SCjAvDQUddGSkJQNhwuCBDWzWm79b2t_Mn5eY7ericyPnFOGsmwdVcjs4Q/s400/24+RTHU+-+IMG_1816pcrn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Out of focus flowers and a shallow depth
of field make this Hummingbird stand out against the background<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tip 7: Compose Your Shot<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before you
start shooting, consider what you want the shot to look like. Do you want a
tight head shot, or a wide shot of birds playing in a birdbath? Knowing this
will help you decide where to set up and what length lens to use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tip 8: Focus on the Head<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another old
saying is that nobody gives a rat’s ass about the ass. You can cut off any part
of the body in a shot except the head. Focus on the head (especially the eyes).
Try to get the bird looking at you or almost perpendicular to you with the beak
ever so slightly towards you. You don’t want to get the shot from behind or
with the bird looking away.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogzj119S2WaKXM2CeEwiL1LOwusfDTMj5VNEITrghYUfznHSxxRrQOJH6bVmCOQK_HkTOKGazfvR5DRws78qeQigRqnrvGC0S7PdosNWLIwmxR9sQxnbyDBF2TRaByVY9sloDSjMIKA/s1600/27+RTHU+-+IMG_2314pcr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogzj119S2WaKXM2CeEwiL1LOwusfDTMj5VNEITrghYUfznHSxxRrQOJH6bVmCOQK_HkTOKGazfvR5DRws78qeQigRqnrvGC0S7PdosNWLIwmxR9sQxnbyDBF2TRaByVY9sloDSjMIKA/s400/27+RTHU+-+IMG_2314pcr.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The use of a blind can allow you get
close – especially if you let the bird come to you<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tip 9: Use a Tripod<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nobody
really LIKES to use a tripod. They are heavy and limit your ability to move.
They offer tremendous advantages, however. First, shots taken from a tripod
will be significantly sharper. Also, if your camera is on a tripod, it will be
ready to shoot and there will be less movement from getting the camera in
position. The less you move the camera, the more likely the bird will remain
where you want it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tip 10: Use a Blind<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A blind
doesn’t have to be fancy. There are commercial pop-up blinds available for less
than $50, but even a simple sheet draped over a ladder or a fence will do the
trick. You will get your best shots when the bird comes to you rather than the other
way around. They will be far more comfortable if they feel in control. Also,
some sort of covering will help keep you out of the sun. I have a large
home-made blind on wheels that I keep out in my yard. The birds are so used to
it that they often perch on it while I’m in it. I even have birds land on the
lens of my camera and peek in at me.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtGSPzQ0TH6qSS6L624vu0y0sn8Mh35exKTEhiu90k-ni9BhEBbrnxjfeqBKnMyAmuzBWVPM9KzfqI8HU0Xa6cr2XEvUbMsK7lvsRUYbdtL3AsrrCEI5GzkEHuZaOvCM6gQPPXM5hfQ/s1600/63+NOCA+-+IMG_1875pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtGSPzQ0TH6qSS6L624vu0y0sn8Mh35exKTEhiu90k-ni9BhEBbrnxjfeqBKnMyAmuzBWVPM9KzfqI8HU0Xa6cr2XEvUbMsK7lvsRUYbdtL3AsrrCEI5GzkEHuZaOvCM6gQPPXM5hfQ/s400/63+NOCA+-+IMG_1875pcrn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This shot combines everything. This
male Cardinal has a favorite perch near a sunflower seed feeder. I used the
blue sky as a background. He came close because I was in a blind. His head is
at the right angle. I focused on the eye. I caught a shot showing some
behavior.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A Final Word<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The most
important thing that I have found about wildlife photography is to enjoy the
time that I spend doing it. Learn to appreciate the wonderful things you see
whether you get photos or not. If you follow my advice, by design there will be
certain shots that you will miss because you just aren’t set up for them (too
much or not enough lens, for instance). Think of those instances not as missed
opportunities, but as scouting missions for the next photo session. Perhaps you
will come to find that the family of Bluebirds comes to the birdbath every
afternoon to cool off or there is a Grosbeak you didn’t know lived in your
neighborhood that likes the safflower seeds in the feeder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You may
never know exactly what you are going to get, but with a little planning and
observation, you might just get that once-in-a-lifetime shot in your own
backyard. I get them all the time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtGSPzQ0TH6qSS6L624vu0y0sn8Mh35exKTEhiu90k-ni9BhEBbrnxjfeqBKnMyAmuzBWVPM9KzfqI8HU0Xa6cr2XEvUbMsK7lvsRUYbdtL3AsrrCEI5GzkEHuZaOvCM6gQPPXM5hfQ/s1600/63+NOCA+-+IMG_1875pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Steve Byland is a wildlife photographer living in suburban
New Jersey. His photos can be seen at </span><a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.stevebyland.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
– many of which were taken in his own backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-38340310520033601622012-07-12T20:41:00.002-04:002012-07-22T21:13:13.235-04:00How to Photograph Birds Crossing the Moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIZSNtCrVfpKpkJlp6KLIfTadCDrX_qgsqw5qTsBmIPeN8HPB4Rjv0VaOxJPwoU0V5IVO-YA0KV59-Lmug7kDfwvd4mwubYpdx6Npf6E1Lj6FY2GEFKKQ5ELZyAuTlzTCdkD_uFnCeQ/s1600/22+SNGO+-+IMG_0659pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIZSNtCrVfpKpkJlp6KLIfTadCDrX_qgsqw5qTsBmIPeN8HPB4Rjv0VaOxJPwoU0V5IVO-YA0KV59-Lmug7kDfwvd4mwubYpdx6Npf6E1Lj6FY2GEFKKQ5ELZyAuTlzTCdkD_uFnCeQ/s400/22+SNGO+-+IMG_0659pcrn.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Snow Geese crossing the moon in late afternoon - notice that the moon isn't quite full</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Using the moon as a background in a photo can make for a
really fantastic shot. A shot of a bull Elk bugling with the moon so large that
it fills half the scene or a flock of geese passing in front of a full moon can
be pretty dramatic. Unfortunately, the better the shot, the more likely that
people will assume that it has been photoshopped – actually, not too bad an
assumption.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you think about it, such shots can be incredibly tough to
get. The moon is only full (or nearly full) a few days each month. The sky has
to be clear, and the subject needs to be positioned properly. Photos with the
moon rising are particularly difficult. The window for getting such a shot is
incredibly short. The moon is only positioned properly on the horizon for a
minute or so. It’s no wonder that people assume that such photos are more the
result of time spent at the keyboard rather than behind a lens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not saying that there is necessarily anything wrong with
digital manipulation (unless you try to pass it off as the real deal). The
problem comes when the artist puts together two objects together that aren’t
possible to capture in the same frame. An extreme example would be a setting
sun next to a full moon – two objects that are never next to each other in the
sky. Most people would catch that right away, but there are other, more subtle
things to look for that may make you suspect shenanigans.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gxH54cGd1okQJiDygfJyoK2L53Rpo_TR_Xm0M2YpHpdPgAcKqBoaQWW6iA6syHOlsNzwXUwWjQUXmJHo3wCjwU_2XMNC-yUQA_naafp1c6toVXx8Tbfyo0hT74ht6tktgQf4GO4okQ/s1600/33+SNGO+-+IMG_0727pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gxH54cGd1okQJiDygfJyoK2L53Rpo_TR_Xm0M2YpHpdPgAcKqBoaQWW6iA6syHOlsNzwXUwWjQUXmJHo3wCjwU_2XMNC-yUQA_naafp1c6toVXx8Tbfyo0hT74ht6tktgQf4GO4okQ/s400/33+SNGO+-+IMG_0727pcrn.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
More Snow Geese</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The best way to tell the difference between a (potentially)
manipulated shot and the general article is often a matter of perfection as
well as imperfection. A photoshopped photo will generally contain both
elements. Consider the position of the full moon relative to the sun. A few
days before the moon is full, it rises before sunset. The full moon rises as
the sun sets. You won’t have a completely full moon out during daylight hours.
A completely full moon against a bright blue sky with a Bald Eagle crossing it
just can’t happen, however, an ALMOST full-moon against a beautiful blue sky IS
possible one or two days each month. Another problem comes from depth of field.
Having the moon with other subject all in relatively good focus is no easy
task, especially if the second subject is moving. Getting the moon to fill the
frame requires a long lens. Getting all of the elements in focus requires great
depth of field, which comes at the price of high ISO (introducing noise) and/or
slow shutter speed because of a small aperture. In other words, don’t expect to
get a crisp shot of a Peregrine Falcon crossing the moon.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0bFE1v3YAMl3CE-Ap8EKibTk44k-4tCytqHSJi3aNQhhgtPJhXgS1ww0w4zJ-oL3Sz-p27BtNGZzf_wsPa-X7F8-OHFKA-TuSHN6w-yJWsYTbKbWpLg8qRTGyMpustQoT0P8dpVK6A/s1600/CONDOR+-+IMG_3609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1IC4T-sqk_GAKYlr1mysxWlpvMIPCj8j72KqQ6sXK7_dpst8b53dxy_fpqEExLNsO_wBTJh8KOX4hPWcnnYKqGo52UlWAo8G8CPfpobqX3y3HelcUghOniXw7FaVMRdXyFHc5j_Ycw/s1600/Condor+Moon+-+IMG_3615pcrmn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1IC4T-sqk_GAKYlr1mysxWlpvMIPCj8j72KqQ6sXK7_dpst8b53dxy_fpqEExLNsO_wBTJh8KOX4hPWcnnYKqGo52UlWAo8G8CPfpobqX3y3HelcUghOniXw7FaVMRdXyFHc5j_Ycw/s400/Condor+Moon+-+IMG_3615pcrmn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Digitally manipulated shot - the focus on all subjects (especially the moon) is too sharp. This was made from the next two photos - California Condors, BTW</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now that I’ve established how difficult it is to come by
great shots of the moon with wildlife, let’s look at how you can get such a
shot in the real world, without the help of a software program. If you know
what situations ARE possible, you can put yourself in a position to get some
pretty dramatic photos. As I mentioned before, a few days before the moon is
completely full, it rises before sunset. That isn’t perfect, but it can be
close enough. Another thing that works to you benefit in these conditions is
that the sun will be at your back, which IS perfect for many shots. You might
be lucky enough to just find yourself in the right place at the right time, but
you can dramatically increase your chances with a little planning. Find a table
that tells you when the sun and moon rise and set and circle those days when
the moon rises an hour or two before the sun sets to capture a nearly full moon
against a blue sky. Alternatively, if you want silhouettes against a full moon,
you’ll want to be in position while the moon is still low in the sky. The best
time of year is often winter when the air is cold and haze is at a minimum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0bFE1v3YAMl3CE-Ap8EKibTk44k-4tCytqHSJi3aNQhhgtPJhXgS1ww0w4zJ-oL3Sz-p27BtNGZzf_wsPa-X7F8-OHFKA-TuSHN6w-yJWsYTbKbWpLg8qRTGyMpustQoT0P8dpVK6A/s1600/CONDOR+-+IMG_3609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA0bFE1v3YAMl3CE-Ap8EKibTk44k-4tCytqHSJi3aNQhhgtPJhXgS1ww0w4zJ-oL3Sz-p27BtNGZzf_wsPa-X7F8-OHFKA-TuSHN6w-yJWsYTbKbWpLg8qRTGyMpustQoT0P8dpVK6A/s400/CONDOR+-+IMG_3609.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I didn't follow my own advice - I focused on the moon. The Condor was too close and ended up out of focus.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve had the most success with the nearly full moon against
a blue sky which occurs just before sunset. The reason for this is that it is
still light enough to see the birds coming, which allows enough time to react
and shoot. Also, monsters come out after dark, especially when the moon is
full. Everybody knows that. Another advantage of shooting in the late afternoon
is that many birds are flying at this time of day in order to get to where they
plan to spend the night. I have had the best luck with ducks and geese as there
tend to be lots of them, improving the chance of success. That pretty much
covers “what” “where” and “when,” leaving us with “how?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pWSVl3jIr4SFqVYPUPw8I0wM905xST6RAf3KPeSTCrCc8ii7cHtwVH1ACylD051DxmvZLOe-80TDA0nViQ1S8zmfgNdzphA3iDTULWmV7ncWBRcsXUe1GMca0RtV6RvOr0jRBvs1Tg/s1600/CONDOR+-+IMG_3615U.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pWSVl3jIr4SFqVYPUPw8I0wM905xST6RAf3KPeSTCrCc8ii7cHtwVH1ACylD051DxmvZLOe-80TDA0nViQ1S8zmfgNdzphA3iDTULWmV7ncWBRcsXUe1GMca0RtV6RvOr0jRBvs1Tg/s400/CONDOR+-+IMG_3615U.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Condors in better focus - no moon</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you’ve ever taken a photo of the moon, you know how small
it will appear in the picture. To make the moon appear large, you need to use a
long lens. I recommend 400mm at a minimum, but preferably longer – as long as
you’ve got. You’ll also want to use a tripod and a remote shutter release. The
idea is to mount the camera on a tripod and watch for birds that might cross
the moon. When they approach, you hit the shutter release, but first things
first. As mentioned earlier, you want plenty of depth of field to have the moon
and the birds in fairly good focus. Ideally, shoot in manual mode. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try to get and exposure that provides an
aperture of about f/9 or better and a shutter speed of 1/500<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> or
faster. You’ll need to adjust the ISO to get the overall exposure right. Take
some test shots and check the histogram. Where to focus is a challenge. If you
focus directly on the moon, the birds will be soft and vice versa. Focus
manually (you don’t want the camera hunting when it counts), take some test
shots and adjust as necessary. Error towards having the moon in focus if the
birds are silhouettes and focus more on the birds if it is light enough to see
detail on them.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheu6HIza8FeSBk_dQry8g-aIzi7F0FhiRrxMKlY2hXGmcPAjiTw4ex0WH5jbj61FBmJP9XeuLRPbKuda7h0ux16sPV9wo1vfRYajN4kORSYsVSIuAu3UUztlfZVsjkYlqdl9JXm5_FuQ/s1600/SNGO+-+IMG_5566a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheu6HIza8FeSBk_dQry8g-aIzi7F0FhiRrxMKlY2hXGmcPAjiTw4ex0WH5jbj61FBmJP9XeuLRPbKuda7h0ux16sPV9wo1vfRYajN4kORSYsVSIuAu3UUztlfZVsjkYlqdl9JXm5_FuQ/s400/SNGO+-+IMG_5566a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p>Sort of a bonus shot - Snow Geese Flying in front of setting sun</o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once you have everything set up, stand back with the camera
pointed where you want it and watch for birds approaching the moon. With the
camera set to take continuous shots, start shooting before the birds get to the
moon and continue shooting until they are past. You might have to adjust a bit
if you have a low burst rate. Keep checking your histogram. It is very easy to
mess up the exposure as the moon rises and the sun starts to set. This isn’t
going to be easy, but it will be fun and when you do finally manage to nail a
couple of shots, it will be worth the effort that went into it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can see thousands of my photos at </span><a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.stevebyland.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> They are all available for sale as prints or license. I can be reached by email at <a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com">sbbyland@</a><a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com">aol.com</a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<o:p></o:p></span>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-88161284004031465062012-07-09T11:49:00.000-04:002012-07-22T21:12:12.723-04:00Attract More Vultures To Your Yard<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Say What????<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW95zJ4IUcKtm-OWAYCWJVy-QGgIlc7fMzBMJm6jja_ZiCw_HBhTKBE7wqZZmbZGt7K3MrPPAHbL8uLPEySIAler_3BchFbv9jvM13BNl62t-PZBsbMb2CxiH48bbJ2AsDcfMEBEMo7w/s1600/69+BLVU+-+IMG_6527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW95zJ4IUcKtm-OWAYCWJVy-QGgIlc7fMzBMJm6jja_ZiCw_HBhTKBE7wqZZmbZGt7K3MrPPAHbL8uLPEySIAler_3BchFbv9jvM13BNl62t-PZBsbMb2CxiH48bbJ2AsDcfMEBEMo7w/s320/69+BLVU+-+IMG_6527.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pair of Black
Vultures</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Okay, so Vultures aren’t up there with Cardinals and
Goldfinches when it comes to what most people think of as “desirable” yard
birds, but I still like them. Besides, I’d rather have Vultures than Starlings.
Vultures never moved into a Bluebird nest and they haven’t taken up residence
in my garage (thank goodness). In fact, aside from their peculiar habit of
eating the windshield wipers on tourists’ cars in the Everglades, I’ve never
heard of Vultures doing anything bad. Besides, the windshield wiper thing is
pretty funny to watch, as long as it’s not your car they’re eating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pUAYGzurqbsPTQiStarrD-sUShYSBMBsE9gGBIhYbUejCYevvVjnhxTcgIWjKZNWgFLvfGdT105C36taO9zzmCJkAesDOhkM0N5J7e70iuHQp6n_T8m0Bm9V2Mam18OB8FioYuMMFw/s1600/09+TUVU+-+IMG_1307prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pUAYGzurqbsPTQiStarrD-sUShYSBMBsE9gGBIhYbUejCYevvVjnhxTcgIWjKZNWgFLvfGdT105C36taO9zzmCJkAesDOhkM0N5J7e70iuHQp6n_T8m0Bm9V2Mam18OB8FioYuMMFw/s320/09+TUVU+-+IMG_1307prn.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Turkey Vulture<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vultures are nature’s garbage collectors (or, maybe they
prefer “sanitation engineers”). Since the towns in my area stopped picking up
roadkilled animals due to cutbacks, the Vultures have stepped up to the plate
(so to speak) and have taken on the task of keeping our cities clean. On top of
that, they don’t demand pensions and never take a day off. In my part of the
country, we have two species of Vultures – Turkey and Black. They aren’t that
closely related, but they look fairly similar. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTve601nejJFaa6xx2hVDrtjaD91jp-xcET3o2-O_5tpOuqkGe79ArSmrTOtQrPa_RWJbuRYGE9c4ECX5hN4l7xM7Vam_uEFHppi8aN9rp5qzhzmlGXoUX9DNdnHItldhD9g9WaSa-pw/s1600/30+TUVU+-+IMG_3624prn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTve601nejJFaa6xx2hVDrtjaD91jp-xcET3o2-O_5tpOuqkGe79ArSmrTOtQrPa_RWJbuRYGE9c4ECX5hN4l7xM7Vam_uEFHppi8aN9rp5qzhzmlGXoUX9DNdnHItldhD9g9WaSa-pw/s320/30+TUVU+-+IMG_3624prn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Turkey Vultures have
silver and black under wings and a longer tail<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While Turkey Vultures fly effortlessly, often going for hours
without beating their wings, the heavier Black Vultures have trouble getting
off the ground and seem to beat their wings franticly to get airborne. Turkey
Vultures are one of the few birds with a well-developed sense of smell and are
frequently first on the scene. Black Vultures are the more aggressive of the
two, flying high in hopes of spotting Turkey Vultures feeding and then
moving in and pushing them aside, but enough of the ornithology lesson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpd0cnx4NYW4ykAG7zbFsyFii3tdPBhtSc8Oh9ewfLmwE9UsVp1IuJhWEtwVnOYOOQYZEQ6P4flNz0KuGUu9SgMPPZv6HPK2Fjteo_gqFk7kgdFHDYQ8nOHMfJSFzXoMMtAL6gc4yq0w/s1600/31+BLVU+-+IMG_4213pcn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpd0cnx4NYW4ykAG7zbFsyFii3tdPBhtSc8Oh9ewfLmwE9UsVp1IuJhWEtwVnOYOOQYZEQ6P4flNz0KuGUu9SgMPPZv6HPK2Fjteo_gqFk7kgdFHDYQ8nOHMfJSFzXoMMtAL6gc4yq0w/s320/31+BLVU+-+IMG_4213pcn.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Black Vultures have
white patches at the wingtips and a shorter tail<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I began feeding Vultures about ten years ago when I came
across a dead deer in my backyard. I thought about dragging the thing into the
woods, but then decided to move it into the yard a bit. I put it behind a tree
so that it couldn’t be seen from the kitchen window. At least I have SOME
common sense. My wife soon noticed about a dozen large black birds in the trees
with more circling overhead and asked me what was going on. I confessed to
dragging the carcass under the tree out of sight. She was upset and demanded
that I move the body into the middle of the yard where she could watch the
activity. I KNEW there was a reason I married her. In just a few days, the huge
mess was reduced to a small pile of fur and bones that easily fit into a trash
bag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1plwUSfhMm7EM2PeVeZRpyYSQA9TdB6myh0ZIxmf1AJNtCTxS5k2ayA96iy3V5ba-IzVe-OcvJthNZ7YH5zZmYVRYWLCezx4OpFG9p0OjE73nJw665ibQi62FviC_lQ3b4a7FDQb8Q/s1600/51+BLVU+-+IMG_9091prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1plwUSfhMm7EM2PeVeZRpyYSQA9TdB6myh0ZIxmf1AJNtCTxS5k2ayA96iy3V5ba-IzVe-OcvJthNZ7YH5zZmYVRYWLCezx4OpFG9p0OjE73nJw665ibQi62FviC_lQ3b4a7FDQb8Q/s320/51+BLVU+-+IMG_9091prn.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have lots of gruesome
shots, but there is a chance that you might be eating<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A couple of months later, I drove past another carcass on
the side of the road near my house. I looped a short rope around a leg, tied it
off to the bumper of my truck and dragged it home. As I bounced off the street
and onto my lawn, I saw my neighbor standing by his mailbox with a look on his
face that could best be described as “horrified.” Oops – Busted! He followed me
into the backyard to find out what on earth I was doing. I fessed up to my
social faux pas. The next day, he came over to see the activity around my new
“feeder” and told me to call him if another such feeder became available so
that he could have one too. Now, THAT’S a good neighbor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQsMfT4vbJiDoebwwAgPvpoErnF5yybeaDzqpJf3FkFisc2rqahp5aDFOEMwLF-wNX6KIuJeJlw_I0pYBbo6ls36jQ6uicZGde3pWnUL84I-alRt80x9QJp1nLdLACN43-_-2Oo29qw/s1600/56+TUVU+-+IMG_1015prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQsMfT4vbJiDoebwwAgPvpoErnF5yybeaDzqpJf3FkFisc2rqahp5aDFOEMwLF-wNX6KIuJeJlw_I0pYBbo6ls36jQ6uicZGde3pWnUL84I-alRt80x9QJp1nLdLACN43-_-2Oo29qw/s320/56+TUVU+-+IMG_1015prn.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The heads of ADULT
Turkey Vultures turn red<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over the years, I have put out a variety of things for the
Vultures to eat. They aren’t very picky. In fact, the worse the offering is,
the better they seem to like it. They make very short work of such things as
the remains of the Thanksgiving Turkey or a package of roast beef that went bad
in the back of the refrigerator. I presented my boldest offering two years ago when
I pulled a frozen turkey out of the freezer that had been there for three
years. There was no way that I was going to eat it. It was the middle of winter
and the snow was deep so I took plastic wrap off the bird and carried it out
into the yard. I worried that a coyote or fox might drag the still-frozen thing
away, so I drove a long piece of rebar through it to hold it down. Did I
mention that the location I choose was right outside my bathroom window and
visible from the street? I wanted to get pictures and didn’t feel like standing
outside in the cold. It would be much more comfortable, I figured, to set up a
tripod in my bathroom and shoot through the open window.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPT97El4hfjiUjTTPd0KdrEtj6WztTENmraMt5O5Q-2v5i7teuyte_hW5a2FC4ojhzajeSKEVA3FDzn1xSvfH8ytl_cwxiZ0eHKSf0LZ-n9Hoh0fqH9z4dlSPNOPnlajFvCWA1ro-OA/s1600/82+BLVU+-+IMG_3514pr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPT97El4hfjiUjTTPd0KdrEtj6WztTENmraMt5O5Q-2v5i7teuyte_hW5a2FC4ojhzajeSKEVA3FDzn1xSvfH8ytl_cwxiZ0eHKSf0LZ-n9Hoh0fqH9z4dlSPNOPnlajFvCWA1ro-OA/s320/82+BLVU+-+IMG_3514pr.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The heads of Black Vultures are always dark<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next day, there were Vultures flying low over the
yard and perched on the roof of every house in the neighborhood. More were
on my roof, of course, than anywhere else. This time, my neighbor called me to
ask what was going on (too cold out to stand by the mailbox). I confessed to
what I had done and, again, I could hear the jealousy in his voice. Actually,
he was dead silent, but I knew that he was green with envy. As it turns out, a
rock-hard turkey that has been frozen solid for years takes the better part of a week to
finish off. It makes me wonder why they aren’t sold in the upscale bird feed
stores that are down on the highway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFaT8bODx5jG3HHc_WrELRq5h8PwhXbFEmvzPo8o4VWLvR902VqfTemM-e8IgaVqL6VEet5zLz9RsLSibHTkN-qI7SmkbqHM_R8UQPUq5fGdtrdf0V7qdUNDjR2hNtFZTvCaYusQ5Tg/s1600/BLVU+-+IMG_9455pcr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFaT8bODx5jG3HHc_WrELRq5h8PwhXbFEmvzPo8o4VWLvR902VqfTemM-e8IgaVqL6VEet5zLz9RsLSibHTkN-qI7SmkbqHM_R8UQPUq5fGdtrdf0V7qdUNDjR2hNtFZTvCaYusQ5Tg/s320/BLVU+-+IMG_9455pcr.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrdj1fV8ugb5LmDKlwe53kGxeT4pJ8w9u27Bmv_vr_TBeDMg1N203jDkX8OPL1B4kRYSdu2HxgByftYduSbEckhaM82eA4TR-Q95S-JV_kSLxUHOdBODo4PI68E6aQ3qhWZxlOw6TLA/s1600/BLVU+-+IMG_9455pcr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is as bad as I’m
going to show – raw turkey at its finest<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you decide to follow my example, make sure your keep your
expectations realistic at first. It may take a couple of weeks for the Vultures
to get interested in your offerings. You can put something out at any time of
year, but the summer heat seems to help the process along. Keep in mind that
Vultures are wary, so it’s probably best not to put a carcass too near the
house (like on the patio or next to the pool), until they get comfortable with
your yard. Also, offer a variety of food – nobody likes to eat the same thing
every day. Above all, take the time to smell the roses, so to speak. Enjoy your
new bird friends and send me a photo of your successes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Steve Byland is a wildlife photographer
living in suburban New Jersey. His photos can be seen at </span><a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.stevebyland.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> – many of which were taken in his own backyard. He
can be reached by email at <a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com"><span style="color: #004c99;">sbbyland@aol.com</span></a>.</span><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-54912154822417681472012-05-03T20:25:00.001-04:002012-07-22T23:16:05.916-04:00The Man Cave<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPrXYdfoSHysK3q3hxPcRPafWsNVAyJxg0WfffYqtLAUIKezLIBTykoDf6qABJxMzcDsqUAp-tdMOUopEYbK_279nX2TE54_OmOlvz8WUeahf9KRKmAipYvErnKpGrZKtdqZ9SwZ38w/s1600/IMG_0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPrXYdfoSHysK3q3hxPcRPafWsNVAyJxg0WfffYqtLAUIKezLIBTykoDf6qABJxMzcDsqUAp-tdMOUopEYbK_279nX2TE54_OmOlvz8WUeahf9KRKmAipYvErnKpGrZKtdqZ9SwZ38w/s320/IMG_0021.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View of the front - note the wheels</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and the foot rest under the cameras</span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A lot of people who know me have heard about “The Man Cave,”
which is my own, custom-build blind that I use for photography in my backyard.
If you don’t know me (and I can’t imagine WHY you would be reading this if you
don’t, but we’ll ignore your lack of judgment – for now) I am a professional
wildlife photographer. I have used a variety of blinds for a number of years –
mostly those pop-up camo blinds, in order to allow my subjects to get closer to
me and to keep me out of the elements – more or less. They are a great tool,
but they wear out, blow over in strong winds and you have to take them in and
out every day. They can also get a little cramped inside with tripods, chairs,
coolers and such.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvyWSZiYHy06UxMfeRG81Itkj6u5tePa4uDir73I1E_biw-ubHps2K96fsZ3rhr2Kegr7UOEKBSC1gzdC8aH_uxyf0N_dS0-8qLHG8BlazIB7D9z2G6XD7V7jc5TUYlnTB_eegBJFdA/s1600/IMG_0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvyWSZiYHy06UxMfeRG81Itkj6u5tePa4uDir73I1E_biw-ubHps2K96fsZ3rhr2Kegr7UOEKBSC1gzdC8aH_uxyf0N_dS0-8qLHG8BlazIB7D9z2G6XD7V7jc5TUYlnTB_eegBJFdA/s320/IMG_0020.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little plastic on top helps keep out the rain</span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About two years ago, I decided that I wanted something a bit
more permanent. I knew the basic elements that I wanted – weather resistant,
solid and movable. I even knew the size (4’ x 5’ x 6’ – W x L x H). Now, all I
had to do was build it.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6P55FP3ngv0zSOIONQvAVCNjZ_Fg7c1Cm9EnhpK_d3xKPae-9z0TTOv-hTQ0tYWb76eI6KTVTANBtFG8dSq-hEbPs2F8dpatpcixb7tjbYCcQkZtoXAyhPU8tpDgRuh6GzilgN3Xdg/s1600/IMG_0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6P55FP3ngv0zSOIONQvAVCNjZ_Fg7c1Cm9EnhpK_d3xKPae-9z0TTOv-hTQ0tYWb76eI6KTVTANBtFG8dSq-hEbPs2F8dpatpcixb7tjbYCcQkZtoXAyhPU8tpDgRuh6GzilgN3Xdg/s320/IMG_0019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Run-flat wheels were a later addition</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got a flat early on - AAA does not service photo blinds</span></div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started with a simple frame of the size I wanted, added
siding in the form of plywood and wood salvaged from some old pallets, then
threw on a roof that provided an overhang to protect me and the camera from the
rain and snow. I wanted to avoid the need for a tripod, so I made a front
support from 2 x 12’s that could accommodate two cameras on sturdy Bogen heads
as well as food and drink for me. To make it mobile, I added two run-flat
wheels with handles on the opposite side so that I could roll it around the
yard. As you can see from the photos, I may not be a master carpenter, but I am
creative.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHP7DzBLp8oP0SaMhF8K_bx_QAjm5B0_hH4nF5GKYnK7AEnnpxeEMVEjJtTO_38m-D1MWVBGWLvKyRfVzJbIgL6_gdFAflC9oGrAlr88rg-0xordgzyEizTK_NoBIoLJZC2DKtzr61A/s1600/IMG_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHP7DzBLp8oP0SaMhF8K_bx_QAjm5B0_hH4nF5GKYnK7AEnnpxeEMVEjJtTO_38m-D1MWVBGWLvKyRfVzJbIgL6_gdFAflC9oGrAlr88rg-0xordgzyEizTK_NoBIoLJZC2DKtzr61A/s320/IMG_0017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Room for
two cameras - a big plus when doing catalog shoots<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, as things started coming together, the cave became
heavier and heavier. So heavy, in fact, that I never put on the back door,
instead opting to use an old camo sheet to keep the weight down. The crowning
touch, though, has to be the addition of a rocker/glider that my wife found at
a local garage sale for just $10. It is not only the most comfortable chair
ever made, but it “glides” back and forth to allow for easy entry and movement
towards the cameras. I have to admit, I have fallen asleep more than once
during lulls in activity</span>.</span><br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit2731PpDinTJ-8wAfZx6Z4WTGMdtX1NS-M5J_Vrm9gz2ifeqF3-BV6cOMLljTl9lxwyS0P3vcKc5WxYNnaVEvc-Mh_QFIN1M5Y8bmzDNRYlo0lsvgUYThhSY8lvIFJhwQoYpMBQk97w/s1600/IMG_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit2731PpDinTJ-8wAfZx6Z4WTGMdtX1NS-M5J_Vrm9gz2ifeqF3-BV6cOMLljTl9lxwyS0P3vcKc5WxYNnaVEvc-Mh_QFIN1M5Y8bmzDNRYlo0lsvgUYThhSY8lvIFJhwQoYpMBQk97w/s320/IMG_0016.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Probably
the only photo blind in the world with a "Glider"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A final hint to those of you that might be inspired to build
your own man cave. Don’t ask your wife if it would be OK to build one. Of
course she’ll say “No!” If I had asked permission, I would never have been able
to build one either. My wife may be patient with me, but she has her limits.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Full disclosure - these photos were taken with my pocket camera which sucks - not that I did it any favors. To prove that I really can take good photos, check out some of these shots, all taken from my man cave: </span><a href="http://stevebyland.com/index.php?p=1_231_Eastern-Bluebirds-2011"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://stevebyland.com/index.php?p=1_231_Eastern-Bluebirds-2011</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can see thousands of my photos at </span><a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.stevebyland.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> They are all available for sale as prints or license. You can contact me at <a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com">sbbyland@aol.com</a>.</span> </span></span><br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-23124714258505739972011-05-22T20:35:00.008-04:002012-07-22T23:17:15.134-04:00Taking Wildlife Photos In The Rain<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3g8ypzatbPHQwbh9bDtL50E3iOyKCk6wtr3mjgOgGo565OViHo7cctxi6pb7jSmgVP4fIeEZpjhrkUS_-0HWKPJjUAXFtQJR4pGKfiSywh4wLUfN9XBYsIAKaorlF5eCyTDobnqN0Q/s1600/Black-chinned+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+7562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3g8ypzatbPHQwbh9bDtL50E3iOyKCk6wtr3mjgOgGo565OViHo7cctxi6pb7jSmgVP4fIeEZpjhrkUS_-0HWKPJjUAXFtQJR4pGKfiSywh4wLUfN9XBYsIAKaorlF5eCyTDobnqN0Q/s320/Black-chinned+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+7562.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Black-chinned Hummingbird during an Arizona Monsoon</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
400mm, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/40 second</div>
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Many photographers will tell you that there is never enough light. Maybe it would be better to say that there is never enough PERFECT light. To me, with the exception of a poorly cooked hamburger, nothing is more disappointing that having a photo that is both underexposed and overexposed at the same time. For example, an adult Bald Eagle flies by, banks perfectly and still, the body feathers are too dark and the white head too light so that you lose detail on both ends.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjYPgt054jOWuWTFisLjCFIDxgOAsqbvo1A14lFWxoHX_A6fFq4hOUUj-BHMfsiaD4jm_e-pgREJC6Z88VKdNnxrqXQvkTOQTXrJz7Z5ZCK2rem6O3GO7bz4g3nQiZ8WOszDFGXFkDg/s1600/IMG_9617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjYPgt054jOWuWTFisLjCFIDxgOAsqbvo1A14lFWxoHX_A6fFq4hOUUj-BHMfsiaD4jm_e-pgREJC6Z88VKdNnxrqXQvkTOQTXrJz7Z5ZCK2rem6O3GO7bz4g3nQiZ8WOszDFGXFkDg/s320/IMG_9617.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is an example of a photo that came out poorly </div>
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because of too much light on a bright sunny day</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
This is usually not a problem during the “golden hours” which are thought to be an hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset. The golden hours are also known as the “magic hours” or, as I like to call them, about two hours before I haul my butt out of bed and an hour after my feet hurt so badly that I can hardly walk anymore.</div>
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<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ACg5umqSAFs6VkogNp5-ZuyWiFi06lMemQqIto3IPXFEYSUa0-_ph86yk2dqWnshBeGwf4TIf0Uz2H-4Dsh3Kl01IGPGXKR5h36oUhCwi9yqTZEth3HJb0Zv2PXj0cJZNnAd_vNadA/s1600/IMG_0859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ACg5umqSAFs6VkogNp5-ZuyWiFi06lMemQqIto3IPXFEYSUa0-_ph86yk2dqWnshBeGwf4TIf0Uz2H-4Dsh3Kl01IGPGXKR5h36oUhCwi9yqTZEth3HJb0Zv2PXj0cJZNnAd_vNadA/s320/IMG_0859.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Eastern Bluebird - if you look closely, you can see rain on his back</div>
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600mm, ISO 500, f/7.1, 1/320 second</div>
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<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
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Besides, if I am traveling, I want to shoot all day, regardless of how harsh the light might be (think white birds in <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Florida</place></state> at mid-day). If I’m at home, taking pictures is a good excuse for not mowing the lawn (with all due apologies to my neighbors).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPQlefOG5S3i4VobyIbNvaPNR5ZWwtdwQi8OUNq6TRbgrwygZC6eliDDlxIhGxtQi7q7UkfHSWCfCxI32FCj3ZG260-0aU9LMdAPxWxd5NiR2jFeXrql7P8ztYnBn4wj9nEDIKHmupA/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPQlefOG5S3i4VobyIbNvaPNR5ZWwtdwQi8OUNq6TRbgrwygZC6eliDDlxIhGxtQi7q7UkfHSWCfCxI32FCj3ZG260-0aU9LMdAPxWxd5NiR2jFeXrql7P8ztYnBn4wj9nEDIKHmupA/s320/IMG_0725.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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600mm, ISO 640, f/7.1, 1/125 second</div>
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<br /></div>
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Unless I’m taking photos that need to include a blue sky, some of my favorite times to shoot are days with a high, hazy cloud cover. It’s sort of bright out, but there are no harsh shadows. I hate those “beautiful” days with big fluffy clouds that make the exposure change every two minutes (i.e. right when the fox runs across the path).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBY1ubOgi2AU3jJV8Ja1qgcqywOfVQVcRDamyQMSGS1YQTgO0F5BgxDPLYx2_czEOb0zd_I6If12W5vio03Qp6bGb18Nab-axa8bAucRxKwOaid6ccHvAQ-XjF4e-QU_lfitSZSTsAWw/s1600/5744802336_21de78cb9d_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBY1ubOgi2AU3jJV8Ja1qgcqywOfVQVcRDamyQMSGS1YQTgO0F5BgxDPLYx2_czEOb0zd_I6If12W5vio03Qp6bGb18Nab-axa8bAucRxKwOaid6ccHvAQ-XjF4e-QU_lfitSZSTsAWw/s320/5744802336_21de78cb9d_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Wild Turkey<br />
600mm, ISO 1000 f/10, 1/250 second</div>
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<br /></div>
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The weather in my area has been quite miserable for the last two weeks, but I got out there and took a bunch of photos anyway. I don’t have the luxury to crank up the ISO too high if I hope to sell a photo, but I push it a bit, mount the camera to a heavy tripod and do my best. I end up with more shots in the trash bin than usual – darker days mean slower shutter speed, resulting in more blurred shots. Think outside the box – sometimes slow shutter speeds are better. Most people that shoot waterfalls pick cloudy days so that they can show motion in the water.</div>
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<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGBgipThKWqCvM3lUzaO_p827djAWIeYIdo7OFjSlKv3yolAnNd31ZWtb_HJjOZfeCQOziSiuFtvOzzJg5sqlcR-hOcKMZX-AtgE4C-1NZMlhhpwe0PhMjBLUCks_RyHQ8UgOZLXlOg/s1600/72+FH+Falls+-+IMG_4590prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGBgipThKWqCvM3lUzaO_p827djAWIeYIdo7OFjSlKv3yolAnNd31ZWtb_HJjOZfeCQOziSiuFtvOzzJg5sqlcR-hOcKMZX-AtgE4C-1NZMlhhpwe0PhMjBLUCks_RyHQ8UgOZLXlOg/s320/72+FH+Falls+-+IMG_4590prn.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Firehole Falls - Yellowstone National Park </div>
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50mm, ISO 100, f/22, 0.8 second</div>
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<br /></div>
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So I sometimes take wildlife photos in the rain. People may think that I’m crazy, but that is a whole different issue that has nothing to do with my photos. Usually, I either shoot from the car or stay at home and use a blind in the backyard. My new “man cave” is both waterproof and wind resistant. It did, however, recently suffer a flat tire. How many people can say that their photo blind got a flat? If you go all the way to the very bottom of the blog, there is a link to Amazon.com that shows the types of portable blinds that I like. They are easy to use and fairly inexpensive (and weigh at least 250 pounds less than a fully loaded man cave). It's also easier to sell your spouse on the idea of a pop-up blind than a really cool man cave. You ladies out there have to get to work on your own lady caves so we can compare and contrast. I'm thinking of installing something really macho in mine like a gun rack or a Holly four-barrelled Carb.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsybSzjNEX74YkZtGzt3gGBHQL3fRefUzZht6MicHUvjvR9q9oN40xEL9M0XRkQjYhFXgHkDdNi3yRmwdeHuL2mWFKg2G52Ow8QxB7vDBXQdj_XlTRdp9WTsulSX6EBW3RbVNAkm8Llg/s1600/IMG_0954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsybSzjNEX74YkZtGzt3gGBHQL3fRefUzZht6MicHUvjvR9q9oN40xEL9M0XRkQjYhFXgHkDdNi3yRmwdeHuL2mWFKg2G52Ow8QxB7vDBXQdj_XlTRdp9WTsulSX6EBW3RbVNAkm8Llg/s320/IMG_0954.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Female Eastern Bluebird</div>
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600mm, ISO 500, f/7.1, 1/250 second</div>
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I have selected a few photos taken during rather rotten weather. To make up for the rather flat light in poor weather, try boosting the saturation in photoshop - the results can be pretty good. Most of the photos included here have very little processing involved. In fact, most were made from the small jpeg files that I use to sort my photos rather than their corresponding RAW files. Many people try to follow the rule of thumb that you want to shoot at a shutter speed at least as great as the inverse of the length of your lens. In other words, if you are using a 400mm lens, you want a minimum of 1/400 of a second shutter speed. As you can see, I shot way slower than that for most of these photos because I was using a tripod.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BSxBQlaM0QssAvqnoa7jz15wII3X7iuFePC5H3c4spdp-CjcAr5MA59ErPyghclyhXo9tuPDhNrAAqihmAQ62uDK9TMxuhqE-TNZYhZu-xdRX9oay3aN1A0hIE0umhmu-718eq6HQg/s1600/IMG_0474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BSxBQlaM0QssAvqnoa7jz15wII3X7iuFePC5H3c4spdp-CjcAr5MA59ErPyghclyhXo9tuPDhNrAAqihmAQ62uDK9TMxuhqE-TNZYhZu-xdRX9oay3aN1A0hIE0umhmu-718eq6HQg/s320/IMG_0474.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Red-winged Blackbird</div>
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600mm, ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/125 second</div>
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Poor weather can also good for shooting typically difficult subjects such as crows and blackbirds where details can be lost. Instead of shooting hummingbirds at the highest possible shutter speed, try shooting at the slowest you think you can get away with and still get the body and head sharp.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIf3xHthMMCnLJORY2fi9yCc4FLohxISWmcRpXdBLLDYG_FOkSKrYZVabKmkmbA5bsQUAfuHEN8tEN-6s_IAQFT2aA3hQkSS508PzzslwPFcDyese-0lpRqHs4rQCOAax3iGOlKwehzA/s1600/RTHU+-+IMG_0151pcrM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIf3xHthMMCnLJORY2fi9yCc4FLohxISWmcRpXdBLLDYG_FOkSKrYZVabKmkmbA5bsQUAfuHEN8tEN-6s_IAQFT2aA3hQkSS508PzzslwPFcDyese-0lpRqHs4rQCOAax3iGOlKwehzA/s320/RTHU+-+IMG_0151pcrM.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ruby-throated Hummingbird</div>
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600mm, ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/250 second</div>
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A good question might be why I don’t just use a flash. The simple answer is that the things are just too darned complicated for me to figure out. Too many photos taken with a flash look like photos taken with a flash.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5Dwg1fi0pS43QTWcRjxWq3Xejniag_IxxryQ9YHFOgXm3VTg_StXdWfrK_SkKq8x7_VUDAnhE9xKQJ6LMUg1Lx1I2QsKzhM3P_Acr4JEgjMmeJIoXO5xY7moAKGNrU-0cLUN64NhIA/s1600/IMG_1429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5Dwg1fi0pS43QTWcRjxWq3Xejniag_IxxryQ9YHFOgXm3VTg_StXdWfrK_SkKq8x7_VUDAnhE9xKQJ6LMUg1Lx1I2QsKzhM3P_Acr4JEgjMmeJIoXO5xY7moAKGNrU-0cLUN64NhIA/s320/IMG_1429.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Male Eastern Bluebird</div>
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300mm, ISO 500, f/4.5, 1/500 second (this one fell within the range of the "rules")</div>
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The photo snobs that only shoot during the golden hours will tell you that life is too short to drink cheap wine. To them I say, “Like fine scotch, cheap wine is an acquired taste.”<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can see thousands of my photos at </span><a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: #004c99; font-family: inherit;">http://www.stevebyland.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> They are all available for sale as prints or license. You can contact me at <a href="mailto:sbbyland@aol.com">sbbyland@aol.com</a>. </span></span></div>
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</div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-49597850704676218352011-05-21T20:19:00.008-04:002011-11-06T17:41:22.491-05:00End Of The World Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0598L_lVP31s2wZOy_zySEEzdjB58ri4c9pguSLnV1th-iN7ZAY9rZg-MF-B8LFW__4EhJbtscnlZlmnM42B80f47Te6iIX_NxmDubw66HwHxEM0KQOCFktP7gOP6sy5FXvUCOxeFyQ/s1600/IMG_0923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0598L_lVP31s2wZOy_zySEEzdjB58ri4c9pguSLnV1th-iN7ZAY9rZg-MF-B8LFW__4EhJbtscnlZlmnM42B80f47Te6iIX_NxmDubw66HwHxEM0KQOCFktP7gOP6sy5FXvUCOxeFyQ/s320/IMG_0923.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Man Cave</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">You might not know it if you just watch the regular news, but the world is supposed to end today – sometime this evening. You would THINK that this might make the news, but apparently not. Now, as some of you know, I built a “man cave” a few weeks ago as a heavy-duty blind from which to take photos. I don’t mean to imply that this will protect you in the case of the world’s end, it just fits into the events of today.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69nj_8n_19ZIou1wTozXKRcGQW_RgHdt1HdSENFd9MM0zpL_Ul4vGjYBUvgjkZJM1Yof5VFPPIVI8HM4CEGM8_CcnI-Q9uguea7KP-OYFA0gPdqWcRpSfsljIJqQadQcAjUREnDS-Ow/s1600/IMG_1114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69nj_8n_19ZIou1wTozXKRcGQW_RgHdt1HdSENFd9MM0zpL_Ul4vGjYBUvgjkZJM1Yof5VFPPIVI8HM4CEGM8_CcnI-Q9uguea7KP-OYFA0gPdqWcRpSfsljIJqQadQcAjUREnDS-Ow/s320/IMG_1114.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Juvie Cooper's Hawks Terrorizing the neighborhood today</div><div align="center">Note: Raptor vs Rapture - very important difference</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Side note – APPARENTLY the world isn’t actually supposed to come to and end, per se. Instead, all the good people will go up to heaven and leave the rest behind. Again, very skimpy reporting. After what I believe was the deadline, I began calling those people that I figured might be among those going to heaven. No answers from any of them. I guess that means that I might have missed the cut. If that’s the case, I am going to stop recycling.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidjAw-CM6818ot0Jo2JSprYOUahRR5FjwKEDBYRTzN2TqrxL6ZykaHrRYUj8NCns_P8lC7TE4oQBCibg4HKYmeRPmX32Ns7vo6LTSiPMdFgZBMDtkO8kOsjdafPmtuJb1yQxdipetoQ/s1600/IMG_1146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidjAw-CM6818ot0Jo2JSprYOUahRR5FjwKEDBYRTzN2TqrxL6ZykaHrRYUj8NCns_P8lC7TE4oQBCibg4HKYmeRPmX32Ns7vo6LTSiPMdFgZBMDtkO8kOsjdafPmtuJb1yQxdipetoQ/s320/IMG_1146.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Hummer made a showing today</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a name='more'></a><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Anyway, I was out in the man cave when I saw a large object approaching quickly and quietly. Very hard to see out of that side of the man cave, so I wasn't sure what it was. I always sort of thought that God would be wearing a white robe, so I figured this shouldn’t be interpreted as good news. Also, I noticed a rather serious flaw in my man cave. Only one point of entry/exit. Crud. I’m apparently not even as smart as a prairie dog.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Not ready to give up, I searched my surroundings for a weapon. Unfortunately, all I had was a paper cup filled with lemonade. Figures that I had cut back on Diet Coke because of everyone saying that it will kill you. I could have used something deadly.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFg4_aDVR4A_P-yU556Wzcq-K5UO_VSNmkxZBj_3yK0CP_QZZKWiovB6S5bIgJBPLv8Yz96o84nIiYKF6hIVc4JgFy8n_sdcQNcUhSxFVhw82EcVRfGAV8WdmfE4NvnqA-wfOPZicvw/s1600/IMG_1178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFg4_aDVR4A_P-yU556Wzcq-K5UO_VSNmkxZBj_3yK0CP_QZZKWiovB6S5bIgJBPLv8Yz96o84nIiYKF6hIVc4JgFy8n_sdcQNcUhSxFVhw82EcVRfGAV8WdmfE4NvnqA-wfOPZicvw/s320/IMG_1178.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Turns out that the mystery creature was a Wild Turkey. While they seem to be everywhere in my town, I had only seen one in my yard in the past 25 years. It wandered over to my bird feeder and pretty much had it’s way with my nuts, so to speak. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9WtsbNQY0DWm5HP-DPaoe1I_l3G9vH2RqIS10zeSQQfHzcqMa9BFasyAZrd1ZgWHeBKt_jL-KmYHUXwChNE6LM2Mc5mFXLwBNawF62GYYHg-bisb5cvu951RO1rqLhRsWNLNtSI2PQ/s1600/IMG_1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9WtsbNQY0DWm5HP-DPaoe1I_l3G9vH2RqIS10zeSQQfHzcqMa9BFasyAZrd1ZgWHeBKt_jL-KmYHUXwChNE6LM2Mc5mFXLwBNawF62GYYHg-bisb5cvu951RO1rqLhRsWNLNtSI2PQ/s320/IMG_1249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Anyway, I got a few shots. It was a little tough since I was working with a 600mm of lens and the stupid bird was less than 10 feet away most of the time.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHcgtP4IMAE-MHGyC4U9dFI1cPT5IstXBigHBw9e3dPKc737W1dm5IVXyJEGFgozbmGF9Q1nQRjn7IGY54ljNl__v7TO_aKHroI6vzq1x-XlAGYrpbUN0hV-dEz161RXOpeQtWYC14g/s1600/IMG_1268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHcgtP4IMAE-MHGyC4U9dFI1cPT5IstXBigHBw9e3dPKc737W1dm5IVXyJEGFgozbmGF9Q1nQRjn7IGY54ljNl__v7TO_aKHroI6vzq1x-XlAGYrpbUN0hV-dEz161RXOpeQtWYC14g/s320/IMG_1268.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
If you are reading this, I guess that you are an unrepentant sinner doomed to spend all eternity in hell. That being the case, maybe you could drop by my website and buy a few photos. You can use credit cards and then skip out on paying your bill later due to the whole end of the world thing. You may also want to pick up the current edition of Birds and Blooms Magazine (the Hummingbird Issue) which has a lot of my work in it, inclucing an article.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgman5zbGZo97do3V9vLVUPjNtu_ssbE_HOF2CeAqYdrmNTf7jPpvhZZxDiKM_9BJzkuSGm2wboOtsOelFwM6v5fP9uqulHEodzAX63ruaO7dLebf3NBuHdwctmQgzLIpKoiMS962X1cQ/s1600/IMG_1283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgman5zbGZo97do3V9vLVUPjNtu_ssbE_HOF2CeAqYdrmNTf7jPpvhZZxDiKM_9BJzkuSGm2wboOtsOelFwM6v5fP9uqulHEodzAX63ruaO7dLebf3NBuHdwctmQgzLIpKoiMS962X1cQ/s320/IMG_1283.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I do intend to do a story on the building of the man cave, but apparently one of my cameras decided to take a vacation without the rest of the family.<br />
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As an update, I did manage to contact my brother who is a pretty spiritual guy and I figured him to be out on the first wave. He said he didn't think it would necessarily work that way, but he was pretty sure that this wasn't really the end of the world. He still plans to go to work tonight, so maybe we dodged the big one - THIS TIME.<br />
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In the event that you are not dead, you can see more of my photos on my website at:<br />
<a href="http://stevebyland.com/">http://stevebyland.com/</a></div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-4642697737976660502011-05-02T20:54:00.003-04:002011-11-06T16:15:29.889-05:00House Wren Nest BuildingLots of birds building nests in the yard this week. Eastern Bluebirds have 4 eggs, while the Tree Swallows and House Wrens are working hard on their nests. While generally efficient nest-builders, one particular House Wren seems to have a bit of a problem with measurements.<br />
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Step One - Select stick of correct size:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpN3ddslYKQOfisNWvL9kHlGIicbNgIyY652PKEvTVQqLzVY_pgMyfoitIErIZK1B0BuPsxn_aly_HV2bNJjPT4qBq0GpAbBHhqHObLQVa1cLc6IZ0-BxiPPJT1uwApmzL1OqJ3HELGA/s1600/House+Wren+6756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpN3ddslYKQOfisNWvL9kHlGIicbNgIyY652PKEvTVQqLzVY_pgMyfoitIErIZK1B0BuPsxn_aly_HV2bNJjPT4qBq0GpAbBHhqHObLQVa1cLc6IZ0-BxiPPJT1uwApmzL1OqJ3HELGA/s320/House+Wren+6756.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Step Two - Check your measurements:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvZA0g6gQq2bX2J_QGYlhyphenhyphen0mp1P2XJdy_PrfwCdFRilyPomvJVDU98AaUlgOTguMWQ-RaXQ04X4Nui5kei4wdkkM2BoG5LystH-0YHTOB6dTEiUTz4g1DRqpGIyJJ1GD2PfZXT7Z1KQ/s1600/House+Wren+6767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvZA0g6gQq2bX2J_QGYlhyphenhyphen0mp1P2XJdy_PrfwCdFRilyPomvJVDU98AaUlgOTguMWQ-RaXQ04X4Nui5kei4wdkkM2BoG5LystH-0YHTOB6dTEiUTz4g1DRqpGIyJJ1GD2PfZXT7Z1KQ/s320/House+Wren+6767.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Step Three - Slam that baby home!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDu-iXZ5w0H-pJQxhoocSn6dNaRtfJ20DQ9YTqXTZ1WUciHW4QpG4UBYrA-TCqDfSjOvvQMYjkzcUnf_uFPvCA7YM7dzYS36pvC7aB0Xjx0RvqKNJ5Hi9U9GU0ObTl6HJXXg_ct7dlIg/s1600/House+Wren+6773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDu-iXZ5w0H-pJQxhoocSn6dNaRtfJ20DQ9YTqXTZ1WUciHW4QpG4UBYrA-TCqDfSjOvvQMYjkzcUnf_uFPvCA7YM7dzYS36pvC7aB0Xjx0RvqKNJ5Hi9U9GU0ObTl6HJXXg_ct7dlIg/s320/House+Wren+6773.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Thwang!!! (Ouch)</div>
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Step Four: Celebrate your successes:<br />
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Lots of recent Bluebird Pic can be seen here: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_byland/</a><br />
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You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/">http://www.stevebyland.com/</a>. They are all available for sale as prints or license.<br />
</div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-53876462696132968112011-04-25T20:40:00.010-04:002011-11-06T16:38:11.778-05:00Use Perches For Better Photos - Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Male Bluebird</div>
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Canon 7d - 300mm f/4.5 1/400th Second ISO 500</div>
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I’m known for a couple of things; a twisted sense of humor, the occasional good photo, and the creative use of stumps as perches for my shots. I don’t really much care for shots of birds on feeders, so I try to put something more attractive close by for them to pose on for me.<br />
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Placement of tripod with Branch - Canon Powershot</div>
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It may take a bit of getting used to, but you start to get a feel for what birds will land on and where best to place them. I often strap a log or branch to an old tripod so that I have more flexibility with the final positioning. Play around a bit until you get the light the way you want it.</div>
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Close-up of tripod - Canon Powershot</div>
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I also like perches with character. A little moss, some lichen, any sort of disease will do. Today, I set up a moss-covered branch on a tripod near my Eastern Bluebird’s nest box. It wasn’t even in place for a minute before the male came down to check it out. Lucky the camera settings were close enough.</div>
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Close-up of Branch - Canon Powershot</div>
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In the case of bird houses, nesting birds like to sit on perches to patrol their territories. For feeders, I try to place the perch between where the birds gather (in trees and brush piles) to make it a logical place to stop on their way too and from the feeder. The longer a perch stays in a single position, the more comfortable the birds will become with it and the more likely they are to use it.</div>
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Bluebird Pair</div>
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Canon 7d - 300mm with 2.0TC f/7.1 1/1600th Second ISO 640</div>
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These shots were taken from a blind about 20 feet away. If you want to get automatic emails of my new posts, look for the input area in the upper right corner. <br />
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You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/">http://www.stevebyland.com/</a>. They are all available for sale as prints or license. I have a section where you can find birds by species or hard-to-find vertical shots for your next magazine cover<br />
</div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-24294716648654223562011-04-23T11:07:00.003-04:002011-11-06T16:49:59.560-05:00Rental Cars And Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRPnVPZwuFgurAFH6GPKYbfr9FSLEgPgO1Hf74v_yBxo5_-W30-vXLi09-vZ2Lb5e9fMmOA0oC2arkHSfWeYdLujHC91qKEhf6AMJAHAjpTcxlij7f0ZqiLYLLU7Wlxh7K9AgiJaSsQ/s1600/Steve+-+IMG_8867p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRPnVPZwuFgurAFH6GPKYbfr9FSLEgPgO1Hf74v_yBxo5_-W30-vXLi09-vZ2Lb5e9fMmOA0oC2arkHSfWeYdLujHC91qKEhf6AMJAHAjpTcxlij7f0ZqiLYLLU7Wlxh7K9AgiJaSsQ/s320/Steve+-+IMG_8867p.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Me at Crater Lake in Oregon with my rental car</div> <br />
I travel a lot to beautiful places to take photos and, of course I rent a lot of cars. Since I generally use mine as a blind, I am only going to put one photo of a car in this story and that is only because I feel obligated to do so. The rest of the shots will be those taken FROM the car so that you won’t be bored to tears by anything other than the text.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_dvJiaJkDU9VIkhN_mHPptUvkUD9FbA_eLQUWNGrreDJtkpA0roEAtrzkDYKYpn4hgp7clTmxDFiYbz254WMWft9bJkJ83HfRnpkMv7_Ege8UgoDhUhdBU1sS9PhQmgWV88l5Ir_hg/s1600/02+AMBI+-+IMG_6512pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_dvJiaJkDU9VIkhN_mHPptUvkUD9FbA_eLQUWNGrreDJtkpA0roEAtrzkDYKYpn4hgp7clTmxDFiYbz254WMWft9bJkJ83HfRnpkMv7_Ege8UgoDhUhdBU1sS9PhQmgWV88l5Ir_hg/s320/02+AMBI+-+IMG_6512pcrn.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">American Bittern - Sacramento NWR - California</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’ve had a few bad experiences with rentals. Most notably was a brand new <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Toyota</place></city> a number of years ago. We were stopped in traffic on the highway when a guy in an 18 wheeler fell asleep and plowed through our lane bouncing cars like ping pong balls. The only thing unbroken on our car was the rear view mirror. Even the “new car smell” was knocked off and left by the side of the road.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6m3u700Q0Dw1MOqUv8eywjhf1Z81C-9WldYUWLFyPlFJsnAdodMOzYKGLyRv5y35NSP8_M8jaOWNNU3w5pwa_Np2N-fJAtK7VsHy32VJybNhkecrdFu_-fBvJn0UVmenI9shU8-cOhg/s1600/04+ROSP+-+IMG_9317prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6m3u700Q0Dw1MOqUv8eywjhf1Z81C-9WldYUWLFyPlFJsnAdodMOzYKGLyRv5y35NSP8_M8jaOWNNU3w5pwa_Np2N-fJAtK7VsHy32VJybNhkecrdFu_-fBvJn0UVmenI9shU8-cOhg/s320/04+ROSP+-+IMG_9317prn.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Roseate Spoonbill - Merritt Island NWR in Florida</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a name='more'></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The motorcycle cop asked if we would try to drive it about a mile to a hotel where there was a rental place. We limped along the shoulder at about 5 miles an hour with the cop following behind, kicking everything that fell off the car into the ditch (including what was left of the rear hatch). As I turned onto the exit ramp, the car sort of twisted and the driver’s door flew open. We asked for a bigger car.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2DkI1GKxH5q283YOu5a-b_HVUi3Op-dGdhwzLshmnjVSIA4PImFWcgmEBJSQ4qXYuGioa4wSQEzrlsoerUOKagkh6u-N_WrS6yzUwgox_srU8tHnO5yyB0_aMiNFee4I7Bk9xHDxlw/s1600/46+WHPE+-+IMG_1805pcr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL2DkI1GKxH5q283YOu5a-b_HVUi3Op-dGdhwzLshmnjVSIA4PImFWcgmEBJSQ4qXYuGioa4wSQEzrlsoerUOKagkh6u-N_WrS6yzUwgox_srU8tHnO5yyB0_aMiNFee4I7Bk9xHDxlw/s320/46+WHPE+-+IMG_1805pcr.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">White Pelican at Vierra Wetlands in Florida</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Anyway, I miss the old days when you could rent a car with a stick shift. I went for years without driving a car with an automatic transmission and wasn’t going to tell the man at the rental counter that I wasn’t sure that I actually knew how to drive an automatic when they told me that’s all they had. Not a problem. I got out of the lot OK, unless you count the wall I hit right off the bat. In MY world, cars don’t move just because you put them in gear – they wait for you to step on the gas. Nobody saw, so it didn’t count.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNiICad6IKt9zFG2R29xMTwvEYPKfbp6Dwo1BGozERBBZJvSjfIcu7G6QZgoKZj5tj5fEoqUFMZznaaVYuJO9wM5cKANVy2BHpngje78sBEdcsPKKgEllH9uHkhxN_8oyMUcw74kJ5Q/s1600/67+BISON+-+IMG_2460prM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNiICad6IKt9zFG2R29xMTwvEYPKfbp6Dwo1BGozERBBZJvSjfIcu7G6QZgoKZj5tj5fEoqUFMZznaaVYuJO9wM5cKANVy2BHpngje78sBEdcsPKKgEllH9uHkhxN_8oyMUcw74kJ5Q/s320/67+BISON+-+IMG_2460prM.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bison in Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Off I went and did pretty well for the first couple of hundred yards when the traffic light turned red. Instinctively, I mashed the clutch all the way to the floor to begin to slow up. Unfortunately, some idiot installed a really wide break pedal in this car and left the clutch pedal back in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Japan</place></country-region>. Instead of slowing up, it felt more like hitting the Berlin Wall. I promised myself that I wouldn’t make that mistake again. Apparently, promises are made to be broken early and often.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmPnZ2kNGqmSNLZ72lCXRc87C1g7c-NJyvu0HY9pq2-gUzM0TcGBqbAElP_lJPbRSY9I4eHZR8Vn7UFFpaVpK3iBDd6LQJszX3-tgvlo75_ygsr8TwAIZe__BQGmBi9ycJaQUAc9jeA/s1600/LUHU+-+IMG_0189pcrm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmPnZ2kNGqmSNLZ72lCXRc87C1g7c-NJyvu0HY9pq2-gUzM0TcGBqbAElP_lJPbRSY9I4eHZR8Vn7UFFpaVpK3iBDd6LQJszX3-tgvlo75_ygsr8TwAIZe__BQGmBi9ycJaQUAc9jeA/s320/LUHU+-+IMG_0189pcrm.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lucifer Hummingbird - Ash Canyon B & B in Arizona</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Anyway, on a trip to Arizona a couple of years ago, they told me that if I took the car out of the state, there would be a huge surcharge and that the car had GPS so that they would know. I needed to get to a town that required me to take a road called “Stateline,” where the side of the road I would be on was in <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">New Mexico</place></state>. I could either; drive on the wrong side of the road, pay the surcharge, or take a 10 mile detour on the crappiest dirt road on earth. Hello Dirt!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhWXrMI4U64rD86jkXoBR4pWXB8cQQc3Uc09X5qjUTUALz1Hw8hqsl1GckI2SlRLQnJ9Sx9zkbW0n3csBdwocYD0PhlSqS37TQ3qrSlsE9RYzG1TDwnzl5IpYSdO4nFda-Z9QOWTjpA/s1600/78ss+Western+Meadowlark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhWXrMI4U64rD86jkXoBR4pWXB8cQQc3Uc09X5qjUTUALz1Hw8hqsl1GckI2SlRLQnJ9Sx9zkbW0n3csBdwocYD0PhlSqS37TQ3qrSlsE9RYzG1TDwnzl5IpYSdO4nFda-Z9QOWTjpA/s320/78ss+Western+Meadowlark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Western Meadowlark - Klamath Basin NWR, California</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I returned the car, the agent, Tony, told me that it was absolutely the dirtiest car that he had ever seen – ever! I know I should have felt proud or something, but I had actually tried to clean it up a bit with some old towels that I borrowed from the hotel where I stayed. I apologized, but Tony told me that he didn’t care because he wasn’t the one that had to clean it.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISjl_LUpep4A2EjctyXNmVwy17E6iCtd9rQIYsP6qkNjWdmey859Jfl11AXJfffS6U7uk3BfOsIzp3VmF5yx5r8sHUHk-XWxKclKdopt410PAOQ9WGQeogeLNLa1YbM-kzZVxCzIWbw/s1600/Hawks+10+-+Bald+Eagle+-+IMG_8582pc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISjl_LUpep4A2EjctyXNmVwy17E6iCtd9rQIYsP6qkNjWdmey859Jfl11AXJfffS6U7uk3BfOsIzp3VmF5yx5r8sHUHk-XWxKclKdopt410PAOQ9WGQeogeLNLa1YbM-kzZVxCzIWbw/s320/Hawks+10+-+Bald+Eagle+-+IMG_8582pc.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Bald Eagle - Klamath Basin NWR, California</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Fast forward one year and another trip to <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Arizona</place></state>. I met a guy that told me he would take me to see a Common Poorwill, so off we drove into the night. At one point, I couldn’t see to back up the car (too dark and too much dirt on the windows). My new friend jumped out to guide me. “Come on back. More. More. Mo..” BAM!!!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODcWFujQUZzeiQwDHLOg69xepoUAeEaZ5P5SY4EXYJDbcusziz2Wh7kKf6xzAd7AtD1QXoXLgFHuUSXw_zwaAj2Kfqwk4dugPKjJG7z0MJa3UIZMQ160MG7MVfpuRw5F-5HopTGz-BA/s1600/46+COPO+-+IMG_1191pcrh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODcWFujQUZzeiQwDHLOg69xepoUAeEaZ5P5SY4EXYJDbcusziz2Wh7kKf6xzAd7AtD1QXoXLgFHuUSXw_zwaAj2Kfqwk4dugPKjJG7z0MJa3UIZMQ160MG7MVfpuRw5F-5HopTGz-BA/s320/46+COPO+-+IMG_1191pcrh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Common Poorwil - not from the car, but part of the story</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I just crashed into <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Arizona</place></state>. The damage wasn’t nearly as bad as three or five other cars I had previously rented, but it was still going to cost me. I took the car to a car wash before returning it, but I managed to dirty it up pretty good on the last day anyway.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I pulled into the rental lot and who is standing there with a clipboard but Tony. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Hey Tony! Sorry about the car.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tony: “Don’t worry, I’ve seen dirtier, although I’m not sure when.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Oh, maybe last October?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tony: “Was that YOU? Man, the guys in the shop said it looked like you used the car to haul dirt in the back seat.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Sorry.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tony: “Everything looks good. Sign here.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Really?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tony: “It doesn’t look too bad. Besides, you’re a good customer.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Define ‘good.’”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7PJ8rVBVsyUXH12dO6oQSPG44F65aiyQaK413sROLOC5g-Mt5Hh6Aqwa9wR0JVmdqrBVdCe1CeYhoG_ppHa1rHbH8Qe33oCd_Pu4dSZznIAbwBK1w17t5a3WpxFqozcV0UrSQ0TVQw/s1600/12+McLoughlin+-+IMG_5771pc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7PJ8rVBVsyUXH12dO6oQSPG44F65aiyQaK413sROLOC5g-Mt5Hh6Aqwa9wR0JVmdqrBVdCe1CeYhoG_ppHa1rHbH8Qe33oCd_Pu4dSZznIAbwBK1w17t5a3WpxFqozcV0UrSQ0TVQw/s320/12+McLoughlin+-+IMG_5771pc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mt. McLaughlin in Oregon</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For some reason, they keep renting cars to me, even though I had a stretch of four cars in a row that required that tow trucks be sent, often to remote locations. I will say that none of those were for reasons that were in any way my fault, but I still think that they might be just a little more understanding about it. Besides, apparently I am a good customer.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJr-FukCLGAly14GmERwEYsXASZsrLq9iaPBGo3QyslA3nuLjURgEQHWKWEpYlGVUoM32IXV-B-or_grBPgubzw719u4USa_l4CSiTUZT-LA-rKRsdcz8faH0jzFsLm5hzHdnHaELLg/s1600/16+Yosemite+-+IMG_0671p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJr-FukCLGAly14GmERwEYsXASZsrLq9iaPBGo3QyslA3nuLjURgEQHWKWEpYlGVUoM32IXV-B-or_grBPgubzw719u4USa_l4CSiTUZT-LA-rKRsdcz8faH0jzFsLm5hzHdnHaELLg/s320/16+Yosemite+-+IMG_0671p.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Yosemite Valley in California</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If you would like to visit my advertisers, please click on their ads. You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/">http://www.stevebyland.com/</a>. They are all available for sale as prints or license. I have a section where you can find birds by species or hard-to-find vertical shots for your next magazine cover<br />
</div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-91612060906604824032011-04-21T08:11:00.005-04:002011-11-06T15:45:56.154-05:00Lucky To Be Alive - Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hFfVV9K-PB_4_SB7mSwJjfEusvjvWL2e0jsjXK7OQBnKNI5g8Zu7adCTWWKImkEnYFT6HUToCbyaOqow4_WhgX9aVDeehw8aG1qfYH4A91cjduXa8yS6EfT8W6-d1RFov4Nh-Z0cjw/s1600/Rough-skinned+Newt+-+IMG_8962p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hFfVV9K-PB_4_SB7mSwJjfEusvjvWL2e0jsjXK7OQBnKNI5g8Zu7adCTWWKImkEnYFT6HUToCbyaOqow4_WhgX9aVDeehw8aG1qfYH4A91cjduXa8yS6EfT8W6-d1RFov4Nh-Z0cjw/s320/Rough-skinned+Newt+-+IMG_8962p.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <br />
Being a good son, I visited my parents on the <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Oregon</place></state> coast a couple of years ago. Overall, the trip had been going fairly well with lots of good photos. On the drive up from the airport in <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">California</state></place>, I found an American Dipper under a bridge and saw that it had a nest with babies up in a drain pipe. <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinoWOMQ8iOih0Apn6EZuLG_6AXZw-UOWs3LrEjXNdIiO1IZR6crqWfSyUVO8pLsQxAfEz31lWYrWR2NmN9OSvdvDezwbPJgBOegoCrEuc3VELHgnZJ1bRAenW6ECrPW5ZCFTTpVVp4BQ/s1600/American+Dipper+-+IMG_9155pc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinoWOMQ8iOih0Apn6EZuLG_6AXZw-UOWs3LrEjXNdIiO1IZR6crqWfSyUVO8pLsQxAfEz31lWYrWR2NmN9OSvdvDezwbPJgBOegoCrEuc3VELHgnZJ1bRAenW6ECrPW5ZCFTTpVVp4BQ/s320/American+Dipper+-+IMG_9155pc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhVzvhGpVzWsns8D01lhGdpIbb8x8_xp33F_OCJ8SpONtgOiAkF5_NvVutPasBI5I8HBJtqNgaHI0UrJi1l1h21ovc_EoI1ZbkDwn1Cew2_Sp11lPCkB36YH5jmmkM3-nLqkQaJVKTA/s1600/American+Dipper+-+IMG_9293pc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhVzvhGpVzWsns8D01lhGdpIbb8x8_xp33F_OCJ8SpONtgOiAkF5_NvVutPasBI5I8HBJtqNgaHI0UrJi1l1h21ovc_EoI1ZbkDwn1Cew2_Sp11lPCkB36YH5jmmkM3-nLqkQaJVKTA/s320/American+Dipper+-+IMG_9293pc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Better still, I spotted a T-Rex at a roadside parking area.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafzD3_tq8vI3So7ELsMjCz6nf44LI9V7nkwI4Ng2mu2q9MOtwoXxU7RYl_H8CTjQ2nYQ0CtKSPIr6RTNgImqN4uIZOLHGCW86sTGwAVaE6_eVzxdKdHL6K2vG8lXYRQI1GjZ_iQaTCw/s1600/Car+-+IMG_9135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafzD3_tq8vI3So7ELsMjCz6nf44LI9V7nkwI4Ng2mu2q9MOtwoXxU7RYl_H8CTjQ2nYQ0CtKSPIr6RTNgImqN4uIZOLHGCW86sTGwAVaE6_eVzxdKdHL6K2vG8lXYRQI1GjZ_iQaTCw/s320/Car+-+IMG_9135.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I took an early walk to the beach one cold morning. I had some luck with birds feeding near the water and found a few seals that were lounging on the rocks.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JmO2BXGK-uEGQlSKg4YrP30-I6WoYreYznwxis6WbLGZIoXotUgfqVwoxlu28re-pnqV-oGgk8TPVrfjF2sPp3LN6ujMZ5v0A2hIY29Shs7jCzeuO5zvqnEzldjuFkluh_9nOdER5A/s1600/Black+Oyster+Catcher+-+IMG_9855pc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JmO2BXGK-uEGQlSKg4YrP30-I6WoYreYznwxis6WbLGZIoXotUgfqVwoxlu28re-pnqV-oGgk8TPVrfjF2sPp3LN6ujMZ5v0A2hIY29Shs7jCzeuO5zvqnEzldjuFkluh_9nOdER5A/s320/Black+Oyster+Catcher+-+IMG_9855pc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KWrcSvyxm74fbcbJeMnGlLSPqcxToiIGqyl8aQntlC7mPyA-ZREER-Qcd-HaOo040U4008UZ9Jyebtty_EtxdUn_uV2G-c2a75VAXHDm0KALo2lgMj1aquBKWMaa5Aj1DSY1Acm25Q/s1600/Seals+-+IMG_0058p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KWrcSvyxm74fbcbJeMnGlLSPqcxToiIGqyl8aQntlC7mPyA-ZREER-Qcd-HaOo040U4008UZ9Jyebtty_EtxdUn_uV2G-c2a75VAXHDm0KALo2lgMj1aquBKWMaa5Aj1DSY1Acm25Q/s320/Seals+-+IMG_0058p.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On the way back, I came across some sort of salamander in the middle of the road. Fearing that it would be squashed by a car, I picked it up to move it to the side of the road. It was ice-cold, so I cupped it in my hands and blew on it to warm it up a bit. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTNfEU58cyL_VkDLXvn0juPDfn5PpoMrOIC-aOZdpi3h-FB1K9-aBOmCBUJ9r2DKM62NUKT-pcABRRbspAj9q1ZvagptNPPj-XW8RdmCMnetN7ozp8lj11OVovVNvZbPbvN-2RKn1XA/s1600/Rough-skinned+Newt+-+IMG_8915pc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTNfEU58cyL_VkDLXvn0juPDfn5PpoMrOIC-aOZdpi3h-FB1K9-aBOmCBUJ9r2DKM62NUKT-pcABRRbspAj9q1ZvagptNPPj-XW8RdmCMnetN7ozp8lj11OVovVNvZbPbvN-2RKn1XA/s320/Rough-skinned+Newt+-+IMG_8915pc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I got a couple of shots and sent them to a few of my friends to see if they could identify it for me. I had no sooner hit “send” than my cell phone rang.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Hello?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Robert: “You didn’t touch that thing, did you? It’s a Rough-skinned Newt and it is the most toxic animal in <place w:st="on">North America</place>. There is enough poison in its skin to kill a dozen people.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Touch it? Kinda. . .”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Robert: “Well, I hope you at least washed your hands really good before you ate.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Of course I did. I’m not stupid. But, just for the sake of argument, say, instead of actually washing my hands, what if I just sort of wiped them on my pants and then ate a sandwich?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Robert: “Oh my God! How do you feel?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Not very good, all of the sudden. Crap – I got another call coming in. Let me call you back.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Hello?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Voice: “Oh my God! You didn’t touch that thing did you?”<br />
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OK - I may not seem like the sharpest knife in the drawer, but the law of averages says that there is a 50-50 chance that I am smarter than you are, so I don't think you are in any position to judge me. Since I get paid every time someone clicks on one of my sponsor's links, please take the time to visit one or two so that I don't have to get a real job.<br />
<br />
You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: #004c99;">http://www.stevebyland.com/</span></a> They are all available for sale as prints or licence. I have a section where you can find birds by species or hard-to-find vertical shots for your next magazine cover</div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-45489348474057587042011-04-17T12:05:00.004-04:002011-11-06T15:36:52.763-05:00Bloody Dingo Stole My Boonie!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS03BaaEGf9BuHFv29t-5sRaI1wTrRiY1sDCJ_il5Gr8lrbNiFvE8hOuag4r8dEqo7C6opC1ZieEBz6KuCYhg9wLe0s-Wrf-occ3zjljFytrYxfe-Y3nf25eNmHOzUt3L6DkZ-QQiFJg/s1600/1Coyote+by+S+Byland+-+IMG_4196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS03BaaEGf9BuHFv29t-5sRaI1wTrRiY1sDCJ_il5Gr8lrbNiFvE8hOuag4r8dEqo7C6opC1ZieEBz6KuCYhg9wLe0s-Wrf-occ3zjljFytrYxfe-Y3nf25eNmHOzUt3L6DkZ-QQiFJg/s320/1Coyote+by+S+Byland+-+IMG_4196.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em>(Although this happened in Wyoming, it is best read with an Australian Accent)</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When you visit <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Yellowstone</placename> <placetype w:st="on">National Park</placetype></place>, you see signs everywhere warning you to keep a safe distance from the wildlife. Good advice, especially considering that I was visiting the Park during the rut, when hormones run high and tempers are short.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nRTU1rewbmRhoIqjcZIhZb4hARNC8Ehou3FqRI847agOe8_71kK9uYetXS-tXw62q4IeIFVT5yLkemkJZQBdnkTysgrZIyRUwTPXVsW6fnxWq1Cs3Hf_91_IRv1qCn0uAPGIHWl2dA/s1600/2Coyote+-+IMG_4173prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nRTU1rewbmRhoIqjcZIhZb4hARNC8Ehou3FqRI847agOe8_71kK9uYetXS-tXw62q4IeIFVT5yLkemkJZQBdnkTysgrZIyRUwTPXVsW6fnxWq1Cs3Hf_91_IRv1qCn0uAPGIHWl2dA/s320/2Coyote+-+IMG_4173prn.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Western Coyotes are rather common throughout Yellowstone</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">and tend to be rather wary</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I was driving down a fairly well-traveled dirt road when I saw a Coyote in a field just a short distance away. The light was perfect so I pulled over, put on my favorite hat and got out to get a few shots. The animal was hunting for mice and seemed completely unaware of me. At one point, it trotted over to the road and began coming my way. As it approached, I moved towards the open door of my car and started to get in, figuring that the animal would pass by. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiWJnESW3cVeDhE2Ml0tJAti-pdxNujw2pIrZg3n9oH-602XA-c0dKj9YSCv3M_2vUACrRoi35Pu7GLkz716rQ7squUhrD9nc6sIaUYbHmibs9w3Kv06o9OFkiHwdRkZkS9NuGhFJfg/s1600/5Coyote+-+IMG_4229pcrn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiWJnESW3cVeDhE2Ml0tJAti-pdxNujw2pIrZg3n9oH-602XA-c0dKj9YSCv3M_2vUACrRoi35Pu7GLkz716rQ7squUhrD9nc6sIaUYbHmibs9w3Kv06o9OFkiHwdRkZkS9NuGhFJfg/s320/5Coyote+-+IMG_4229pcrn.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Note the shifty-look in his eyes!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a name='more'></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Much to my surprise, as I was almost in my car, the Coyote turned and ran right at me! Surprised and a bit frightened, I turned to try to put my large telephoto lens between myself and the animal. As it jumped towards me, I pushed it down with the lens, but somehow lost my footing and fell very hard right into it. In the process, my hat fell off and my camera hit the ground. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">What happened next surprised me even more than the initial charge. As I was trying to get to my feet, I saw the Coyote grab my hat in its mouth and run from the car. I had the sense to pick up my camera and catch a few quick shots as the miserable creature ran off with my hat. I cautiously followed for a bit, hoping to get the hat back, but the coyote darted down a hole and that was the last I saw of the hat.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcxwq0lqotH9DXzXA5C2kO0vlNBAJbzSToS_uYNKiAZIBhkUVtZmR6QQ4UbyAlqG-z8S8DD_Ak9soqoMi1VsHQY2nzM2xbirYPDOHozr1wkni_hc4Z9tIelfyxqwxPpkzq-qxW9TPRg/s1600/3Coyote+by+S+Byland+-+IMG_4187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcxwq0lqotH9DXzXA5C2kO0vlNBAJbzSToS_uYNKiAZIBhkUVtZmR6QQ4UbyAlqG-z8S8DD_Ak9soqoMi1VsHQY2nzM2xbirYPDOHozr1wkni_hc4Z9tIelfyxqwxPpkzq-qxW9TPRg/s320/3Coyote+by+S+Byland+-+IMG_4187.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRutfVwiImkL8LbuEmSHtQdYBFaqa085njVfWfFh1UfkPi3nFNLG8erOuaRE_R1uP4I3qCtXkrKX72uHEURvu2BKFaJAgo4QkA7gBxKsIMDv67M1DF-i92z66EDFbxjGZZn7qHJfs4gg/s1600/4Coyote+-+IMG_4218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRutfVwiImkL8LbuEmSHtQdYBFaqa085njVfWfFh1UfkPi3nFNLG8erOuaRE_R1uP4I3qCtXkrKX72uHEURvu2BKFaJAgo4QkA7gBxKsIMDv67M1DF-i92z66EDFbxjGZZn7qHJfs4gg/s320/4Coyote+-+IMG_4218.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">He stopped for a minute to eat a piece of the hat</div><div style="text-align: center;">and then pee on it, just for good measure</div> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I know that I was lucky not to get bitten and have to get rabies shots. On the other hand, I landed on some very large rocks held in place by the entire state of <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Wyoming</place></state> and ended up covered in huge bruises. Shortly after the mutt buried my hat, it came back to the road where a small crowd had gathered and charged right into the group of people. Bad Coyote! BAD! You know, they are only the size of a large cat - I should have kicked it into the middle of next month!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVbeTDCHW1eBjbD_1Q9BsULwsLK18lSS0KQJNa9n6V98OuL53CBKp5iUPYdqPCJDtqjW2RfZYlHC7grC9ademOlg7ecLYduOvckEMXKQyamDDb_tKXMswzja28CuWnz-Sr7LFf1sYUQ/s1600/6Coyote+-+IMG_4292prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVbeTDCHW1eBjbD_1Q9BsULwsLK18lSS0KQJNa9n6V98OuL53CBKp5iUPYdqPCJDtqjW2RfZYlHC7grC9ademOlg7ecLYduOvckEMXKQyamDDb_tKXMswzja28CuWnz-Sr7LFf1sYUQ/s320/6Coyote+-+IMG_4292prn.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Just a little "victory howl" to let everyone know who's boss!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On a side note, I contacted the seller of the hat, BDU.com and they immediately sent me a replacement.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQ9aEVk8s19YN1yS1QrjMclnGjFLAX-Xh_bVEg_YlxmJo-JQxq2XC1QDGcpKkhg_qSmUVKHFcEGGCQyJedi3YfX08mXdj3R2K5D-12NHFcaQf6K-yhZqzV83s4yZdtbUt6CYAF-t8tg/s1600/IMG_8275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQ9aEVk8s19YN1yS1QrjMclnGjFLAX-Xh_bVEg_YlxmJo-JQxq2XC1QDGcpKkhg_qSmUVKHFcEGGCQyJedi3YfX08mXdj3R2K5D-12NHFcaQf6K-yhZqzV83s4yZdtbUt6CYAF-t8tg/s320/IMG_8275.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Me with my new replacement hat</div><br />
There are more lots stories available on this site. I apologize if they suck, but I write them myself. Maybe it's just my way of getting back at the world. Since I get paid every time someone clicks on one of my sponsor's links, please take the time to visit one or two so that I don't have to get a real job.<br />
<br />
You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: #004c99;">http://www.stevebyland.com/</span></a> They are all available for sale as prints or licence. I have a section where you can find birds by species or hard-to-find vertical shots for your next magazine coverSteve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-73716725070992849482011-04-16T12:52:00.008-04:002011-11-06T16:57:32.387-05:00No Good Deed Goes Unpunished<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrQtaJL2lUD5wp-LKKdqiE1qOMLZ4W2xi91eAPEINPLgujTucNQUsfYWGLvAnP_mnbv4OefqRK8ljV94OVT2bOfoulhodXwpRpjNJsumQ47Or_Y09w9SrVb0VKruO8zDcsKq3169YRA/s1600/63+RTHU+-+IMG_2113prcn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrQtaJL2lUD5wp-LKKdqiE1qOMLZ4W2xi91eAPEINPLgujTucNQUsfYWGLvAnP_mnbv4OefqRK8ljV94OVT2bOfoulhodXwpRpjNJsumQ47Or_Y09w9SrVb0VKruO8zDcsKq3169YRA/s320/63+RTHU+-+IMG_2113prcn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A while back I was photographing Hummingbirds in my backyard and I was finding myself getting a bit bored. I figured that it was due to my off-the-charts high IQ, while my friends just figured that I was an unfocused clod. Perhaps the real answer lies somewhere between.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUUBTeArwOFmc65SzG26uuAhncCjDOFaT5giBBas06wxLQgikBrRQ2FDvreT-nzo9nXjvggzg-0iJRVgr2iw-NWfG69jXn9PJWGzXsNHzDVnSwmowAzEYs_TYmPCRYgQiyPJrf1nIag/s1600/90+RTHU+-+IMG_2130prn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUUBTeArwOFmc65SzG26uuAhncCjDOFaT5giBBas06wxLQgikBrRQ2FDvreT-nzo9nXjvggzg-0iJRVgr2iw-NWfG69jXn9PJWGzXsNHzDVnSwmowAzEYs_TYmPCRYgQiyPJrf1nIag/s320/90+RTHU+-+IMG_2130prn.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Anyway, I set about trying to get a photo of a Hummingbird drinking out of a straw in a glass. Sure, I could have just photoshopped it, but that would have been more work than I was interested in. As I started building my prop drink with a straw, I encountered a couple of problems. I wanted to put ice in the drink, and I didn’t want the sugar water in the straw to be cold. Also, I needed the sugar water to be at the top of the straw, which basic physics sort of prevented</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvRyewrU3HKbpd_P_8-QbU1MMHS8tGMA3zEpegUhmX8ZTVjwDrsr3KB3C-tlspFkiGabTluU4rQBZen4dT9WQxbQ-GEe6fFzPd_GbaIGNMqW6SEYV4RZGDsIR5cZuT8MYRM3Zi9kg4w/s1600/IMG_5799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvRyewrU3HKbpd_P_8-QbU1MMHS8tGMA3zEpegUhmX8ZTVjwDrsr3KB3C-tlspFkiGabTluU4rQBZen4dT9WQxbQ-GEe6fFzPd_GbaIGNMqW6SEYV4RZGDsIR5cZuT8MYRM3Zi9kg4w/s320/IMG_5799.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hey! This was the straw to MY drink!</div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Having glanced through a copy of Scientific American once in the waiting room of the dentist, I knew that I was going to have to apply some fancy engineering. I plugged a straw with wax to allow it to be filled to the top with sugar water, and weighed it down with a big nail so that it wouldn’t float. Now, all I had to do was wait for a Hummingbird to find it. It also gave me a chance to grow that beard I always wanted.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5kbIVGdhP7NwpcvprTHTMqDcZJx1oDOAapH_6ewXy9FHOB5Krqb2IJIndMv6XstlE72l4UDKu2vvhOr03rc3rBa_XkZm2gSKJXKP_yXhG9n101mjamcCAwdM6DjLUcNbOUnDPUqaww/s1600/64+RTHU+-+IMG_2877prcn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5kbIVGdhP7NwpcvprTHTMqDcZJx1oDOAapH_6ewXy9FHOB5Krqb2IJIndMv6XstlE72l4UDKu2vvhOr03rc3rBa_XkZm2gSKJXKP_yXhG9n101mjamcCAwdM6DjLUcNbOUnDPUqaww/s320/64+RTHU+-+IMG_2877prcn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Going for the hard stuff now - sugar shots</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I finally got some shots, I proudly posted one on my Flickr page with the title, “I Hope This Makes You Smile.” It was wildly popular – too popular in fact. I got aver 100,000 hits on my photo in just one day. Then people started illegally downloading the file and selling it themselves. They accused me of faking the photo.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuG8fyDlii3gexsHwI0w0w2IYR3li7GL-6xzdgD70nJHn0lN2EbGM9CHkf56fazCoecMj1lH7hz6pcOMIQX9xNLq0l7NjW8Lj3WQTBYGerScR1U7unMBfEnXhZycdFU08pFn5t0QD0rg/s1600/RTHU+-+IMG_4526pcrnF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuG8fyDlii3gexsHwI0w0w2IYR3li7GL-6xzdgD70nJHn0lN2EbGM9CHkf56fazCoecMj1lH7hz6pcOMIQX9xNLq0l7NjW8Lj3WQTBYGerScR1U7unMBfEnXhZycdFU08pFn5t0QD0rg/s320/RTHU+-+IMG_4526pcrnF.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I had to drink a LOT of beer to find just the right can</div><div style="text-align: center;"> (it's filled with sugar water)</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After a day of fame (and no fortune), I pulled the photo from my site. Then the real fun began. Someone posted my home phone number, address and e-mail account. I got death threats, calls at night and someone hacked my account and stole all of my photos. I realized that most of these idiots were probably just teenagers in their underwear living in their mother’s basements, but isn’t that the way most members of the Manson Family started out?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDsuv9B97eBGYFN8RPZY3vk_hP0CwUOQIk2LxMTi4BXKydB7zdGSOIoUdIq69GZRe3-uoc3iEqP4do5QHBiFy8NjgRdPzC3F-yu0SLQoZC2aE6cKTJOg8prrqVFOT3RtI33H-CbNSPw/s1600/RTHU+-+IMG_4718p.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDsuv9B97eBGYFN8RPZY3vk_hP0CwUOQIk2LxMTi4BXKydB7zdGSOIoUdIq69GZRe3-uoc3iEqP4do5QHBiFy8NjgRdPzC3F-yu0SLQoZC2aE6cKTJOg8prrqVFOT3RtI33H-CbNSPw/s320/RTHU+-+IMG_4718p.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">People tell me that I drink too much of this stuff</div><div style="text-align: center;">(also sugar water)</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So now, the Hummers drink out of EVERYTHING. They have no sense of MY stuff vs. THEIR stuff. Live and learn would probably be the lesson, but I tend not to learn from my mistakes.<br />
<br />
There are more lots stories available on this site. I apologize if they suck, but I write them myself. Maybe it's just my way of getting back at the world. Since I get paid every time someone clicks on one of my sponsor's links, please take the time to visit one or two so that I don't have to get a real job.<br />
<br />
You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: #004c99;">http://www.stevebyland.com/</span></a> They are all available for sale as prints or licence. I have a section where you can find birds by species or hard-to-find vertical shots for your next magazine cover</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-9743097415899612382011-04-13T23:16:00.012-04:002011-11-06T17:04:12.580-05:00Lucky To Be Alive<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiyVZRfOQCSCSpb8Uvm3xG4Kzjy0ooMHPdDm9FRXivgLEBOs03HR2Ia3dX-H6oRo7tVvhXvjjP7_03fBpWi0pdONz_4w4JzT92alUVet8bv4wELrzcPIVZuGG7JMVfSqGV8Q7t6YAZbA/s320/08+Rattlesnake+by+S+Byland.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (dangerous)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Photography can be a dangerous profession. You never know what (or who) you are going to run into.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsyW_EbmFcebYDetjDjdIVYwphtYhLb5qdrXrFX1BUT3is1AK3GRKatdzN9IGUwNtcYK9om7Z9zoPdhXVJROcjV23q4X3aZvO1EetXVRXg3TlXIqFVomlEGvhV7eE_igLF_XJxQd7fg/s1600/09+Tarantula+by+S+Byland.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsyW_EbmFcebYDetjDjdIVYwphtYhLb5qdrXrFX1BUT3is1AK3GRKatdzN9IGUwNtcYK9om7Z9zoPdhXVJROcjV23q4X3aZvO1EetXVRXg3TlXIqFVomlEGvhV7eE_igLF_XJxQd7fg/s320/09+Tarantula+by+S+Byland.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> Tarantula (scary, but not dangerous)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last summer, I went to <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Arizona</place></state> in August to witness the Hummingbird migration, but I also had a few special creatures on my “wish list.” In the tiny town of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Portal</city></place>, I was hoping to photograph Nectar Bats - large bats that often visit Hummingbird feeders at night.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4RAgI6A_X8pe1ld3HskYEHPSQXSQSDcOoO9pJVBSv9aAvS10h3D0jXfqzv0CajOozJedQxLuHQW_UUZ9tYiJDkqH8wAsp8pD6FQ3Tu6YiJulpl2v4dhlaqd0Yr6BUtMZuYwaCGZw8A/s1600/Violet-crowned+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+1543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4RAgI6A_X8pe1ld3HskYEHPSQXSQSDcOoO9pJVBSv9aAvS10h3D0jXfqzv0CajOozJedQxLuHQW_UUZ9tYiJDkqH8wAsp8pD6FQ3Tu6YiJulpl2v4dhlaqd0Yr6BUtMZuYwaCGZw8A/s320/Violet-crowned+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+1543.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Violet-crowned Hummingbird</div><div style="text-align: center;">(not very dangerous)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlTFx5N6MW3mUevymSvN95ncJ3j3DITWxBA88eUXk9OYQA9WUZX6GOY9Gr1LeSUbaoMaz76BU0tnCPAulWKHABQJ4QmnmsUNCjfOiWEJUHzvcqtU5M_IRIYdQRSYasy3gC2DcbeD5-Q/s1600/01+Hummingbirds+by+S+Byland.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><a name='more'></a><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Bats are not popular with the locals who generally take their feeders down before it gets dark, but I talked the owner of the ranch where I was staying into leaving up a few feeders for me. I was delighted to see a number of endangered Lesser Long-nosed Bat and the more common Mexican Long-tongued Bat as they made quick work of several quarts of sugar water. Even better, there was still time for me to go out looking for a few Rattlesnakes.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkaLWMUntIXWdwnYbZDYTw69xSHy4ZTCLqcBWnf2wNGnWrzij62qKcwcipCnCl5qFQibz5zZ6DfDqLeEdA3uuj00jLM0v-D7qgFgBXSabm3Kw2W9auBWjcUkZoo3FHxXBfG3S3MC-vw/s1600/15+Bats+by+S+Byland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkaLWMUntIXWdwnYbZDYTw69xSHy4ZTCLqcBWnf2wNGnWrzij62qKcwcipCnCl5qFQibz5zZ6DfDqLeEdA3uuj00jLM0v-D7qgFgBXSabm3Kw2W9auBWjcUkZoo3FHxXBfG3S3MC-vw/s320/15+Bats+by+S+Byland.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Lesser Long-nosed Bat and Mexican Long-tongued Bat</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">(just scary)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I slowly cruised dark desert roads and found a few snakes. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_7yWI1KME_sEYvvMUB0q_lo8reXbwqmL3EzryndP5YjIkovLKIYL56ilvgwy-b2AEAmdh7LZoc6xIdee_m41e6iNgcrdgaHyHyOKWoIl9piKr7QaU4Br7gtWs7CavBfZSh0ybalj5A/s1600/12+Mojave+Rattlesnake+-+IMG_2023a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_7yWI1KME_sEYvvMUB0q_lo8reXbwqmL3EzryndP5YjIkovLKIYL56ilvgwy-b2AEAmdh7LZoc6xIdee_m41e6iNgcrdgaHyHyOKWoIl9piKr7QaU4Br7gtWs7CavBfZSh0ybalj5A/s320/12+Mojave+Rattlesnake+-+IMG_2023a.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Mojave Rattlesnake (nasty AND dangerous)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Then I saw the headlights of a truck behind me. I pulled to the side of the road to let it pass, but it followed me to the shoulder and then blocked me in. Bright lights filled the desert night. Immigration Service. The agent on the passenger side rolled down the window.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Agent: “What are you doing out here?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Looking for Rattlesnakes . . . Sir”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Agent: “Why?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “I want to take pictures”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Agent: “Don’t they just lie there stretched out on the road?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Not if you poke them with a stick.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Agent: “Who would be stupid enough to poke a Rattlesnake with a stick?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: Awkward silence</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Agent: “You DO know that they are poisonous, right?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “Technically, they are venomous, not poisonous.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Agent: “What’s the difference?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Me: “That means they are OK to eat.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The other agent laughed, put the truck in gear and took off.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOhCaSQYlW5-DKwMVuw6h23KrR877_mqPUYospr0tfU9Nabx3AsVZimIoGf9R_ri-gAuVD7fL7Hg6GAqIynMMr01CWjc7vE1OB3pNWvjKVXpPf14hTyjbfUDN5MVAe2zRui_cg4xE2Q/s1600/13+W+Diamondbacked+Rattlesnake+-+IMG_2063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOhCaSQYlW5-DKwMVuw6h23KrR877_mqPUYospr0tfU9Nabx3AsVZimIoGf9R_ri-gAuVD7fL7Hg6GAqIynMMr01CWjc7vE1OB3pNWvjKVXpPf14hTyjbfUDN5MVAe2zRui_cg4xE2Q/s320/13+W+Diamondbacked+Rattlesnake+-+IMG_2063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (dangerous)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I didn’t get bitten by anything (including a bat that landed on my head, causing me to scream like a little girl). I got tons of great photos and my wife is convinced that I’m crazy. I’d call that a complete success!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoP2_SRwQ976Qcset4iTGjvykhKH3JEL54dRdUTHSqi0vQOaxU-5DR7C0I-4DbE2jwQhfklZUIg-oVX21mgKvriWSjZGGd5Db4Fpm87lFdNB90ehb3fBn6imfaoWdc4_tCM57m67wTw/s1600/14+Roadrunner+by+S+Byland.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoP2_SRwQ976Qcset4iTGjvykhKH3JEL54dRdUTHSqi0vQOaxU-5DR7C0I-4DbE2jwQhfklZUIg-oVX21mgKvriWSjZGGd5Db4Fpm87lFdNB90ehb3fBn6imfaoWdc4_tCM57m67wTw/s320/14+Roadrunner+by+S+Byland.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Meep Meep!</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Dangerous? Ask Wile E. Coyote)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Final note - it is illegal to pick up or collect snakes and lizards and such in Arizona. Unfortunately, as the number of dead snakes found on the road every morning, people seem to have no problem intentionally running them over with their cars.<br />
<br />
You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: #004c99;">http://www.stevebyland.com/</span></a> They are all available for sale as prints or licence. I have a section where you can find birds by species or hard-to-find vertical shots for your next magazine cover<br />
<br />
<em>Just a quick post script - I want to say that I am very grateful to all the men and women that risk their lives to protect our country. The agents in Arizona have a tough and dangerous job and had no way of knowing if there was a middle-aged man with a camera or a drug-smuggler with a gun when they approached. I turned on the interior lights of my vehicle and put my hands on the wheel so that they could see that I was not a threat. I'm glad that I gave them a bit of a laugh as well.</em></div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-61343883153706503772011-04-13T13:49:00.010-04:002011-11-06T17:27:34.512-05:00How To Build A Natural-Looking Birdhouse<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErRp3e1BNgNA-A4E8y-o4QLXuw24CGOSClVAnOwqLF0SMz_fB5IfzJ62NOsVYm_k1-LKvfe-9ZyvjR2Lyeum74t8wejEgrivtwl1MtBTp6byTOHjY40nacWuX2Llabq2Kf_K6p86NfQ/s1600/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+1321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErRp3e1BNgNA-A4E8y-o4QLXuw24CGOSClVAnOwqLF0SMz_fB5IfzJ62NOsVYm_k1-LKvfe-9ZyvjR2Lyeum74t8wejEgrivtwl1MtBTp6byTOHjY40nacWuX2Llabq2Kf_K6p86NfQ/s320/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+1321.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For thousands of years, many species of birds have relied on tree cavities made by woodpecker in which to build their nests. Bluebirds, Wrens, Titmice, Chickadees and Swallows often competed for the same holes. Sometimes a single cavity could serve as a home to two or three different species in a single year. Different strategies, habitat preferences and timing have allowed for native species to co-exist despite constant skirmishes. Shortly after coming to <place w:st="on">North America</place>, European settlers brought with them two species of birds that forever changed the delicate balance that existed. In the late 1800’s the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) arrived on our shores. These two species are more aggressive than many native birds and gained a decided advantage over other species, causing their numbers to swell.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgRHEK2ntKC1qWkz-FDHgLCOXmwAU_Gnz_22Hs9MVmrlnS1lDPAg2wOvhgqjOFmP6CNaNF2mjIXr_8M-siREiWqeTJtPfAW0RXc-_-ijdWgJQGwfi80GnoQPQ-RBr3P6c4O6fPyXAcw/s1600/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+1106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgRHEK2ntKC1qWkz-FDHgLCOXmwAU_Gnz_22Hs9MVmrlnS1lDPAg2wOvhgqjOFmP6CNaNF2mjIXr_8M-siREiWqeTJtPfAW0RXc-_-ijdWgJQGwfi80GnoQPQ-RBr3P6c4O6fPyXAcw/s320/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+1106.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">All across the country, man-made birdhouses have become common in backyards, farms, golf courses and parks to provide much-needed housing to our native feathered friends. Building bird houses with holes no larger than 1½ inch keeps out Starlings and careful placement and monitoring discourages House Sparrows. I’ve watched over hundreds of these nest boxes in local refuges and never had a Starling or House Sparrow successfully nest in one of them. My single disappointment was that, in thirty years of trying, I not had any success with Bluebirds nesting in my own yard. Every year, I would faithfully provide clean boxes in good locations only to be met with disappointment. Bluebirds would show interest in the houses, but then leave when the Tree Swallows and House Wrens showed up. I tried all sorts of different strategies for placement, pairing and design of the boxes, but I simply seemed destined to fail.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-k3bdZZtA1pjplJPNT3oXDDvJqvI1x9Fi6s0WwnaD76mnQVoYeEmnSeOQ8_ZhvdjeBYgylvJ2QdlTVv5FlnuPr037wr4WdrDFT9EU6k_JjeFSFxovUJBIbmYkHhamOSB6SY0WPst9-g/s1600/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+2304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-k3bdZZtA1pjplJPNT3oXDDvJqvI1x9Fi6s0WwnaD76mnQVoYeEmnSeOQ8_ZhvdjeBYgylvJ2QdlTVv5FlnuPr037wr4WdrDFT9EU6k_JjeFSFxovUJBIbmYkHhamOSB6SY0WPst9-g/s320/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+2304.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My luck finally changed two years ago when I came up with a hair-brained idea that evolved from my needs as a wildlife photographer. Over the years, I have gotten a number of really nice photos of birds using bird houses. Tree Swallows and House Wrens regularly nest in my yard and have gotten used to me wandering around the yard with either a lawn mower or a camera. On the other hand, I had no shots of birds in natural cavities. The reason for this is a combination of the lack of birds actually using natural nest holes and not wanting to disturb birds while they are nesting. Still, I really wanted a few killer shots of birds using natural cavities.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-70tOx-Y4_68XUSv-Uo4itSlK4212oHbWppo8Mz5wDpnedHeV0K0X9q-NSTZB_jXntd46qTBtprxQ-TfzaSPuHuPTWmKZy9rUUQKoL3C7yH0Er9_FQldOugBBCperNbH6vPtsq0gFg/s1600/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+5828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-70tOx-Y4_68XUSv-Uo4itSlK4212oHbWppo8Mz5wDpnedHeV0K0X9q-NSTZB_jXntd46qTBtprxQ-TfzaSPuHuPTWmKZy9rUUQKoL3C7yH0Er9_FQldOugBBCperNbH6vPtsq0gFg/s320/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+5828.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The solution was so simple that even I was able to think of it. I decided to make my own custom bird houses for the photo-friendly birds that come to my yard every year. My first effort was to cut a piece of log to use as the front of a standard bird house. Immediately, an Eastern Bluebird dropped by to check out my invention, but the poor design of my hybrid was probably the reason he didn’t stay – either that or he was afraid of what his friends might say about the appearance of his freaky home. My second attempt involved the use of an old pine log. Hours of drilling, chiseling and swearing resulted in a rather disheveled home that looked to have some promise. Even as I was building the prototype a Titmouse went inside for a look. Unfortunately, I started with a rather old piece of log and it completely fell to pieces when I accidentally dropped it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuuhyphenhyphenEXWXNLRZZPa6DtzsQ5rL3dYy8hQSTbRuZw5x_7TKi0jbfwPN8ZRg5sJEhklRnW3de8WYjXQbW_7d5ZF_5koeq-AA6l3NZWLUQeghIra7mv-AP6aqO9QTelN6lD9sjhuIUIQciQ/s1600/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+0264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuuhyphenhyphenEXWXNLRZZPa6DtzsQ5rL3dYy8hQSTbRuZw5x_7TKi0jbfwPN8ZRg5sJEhklRnW3de8WYjXQbW_7d5ZF_5koeq-AA6l3NZWLUQeghIra7mv-AP6aqO9QTelN6lD9sjhuIUIQciQ/s320/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+0264.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Breaking from character, I managed to learn from my mistakes. My third attempt involved a fresh log and a chainsaw. An hour later, I had what seemed like a usable man-made “natural cavity” mounted on a pole in my back yard. On the very first day, a male Bluebird stopped by to check it out and bicker a bit with the Tree Swallows that were trying to decide between two more traditional bird houses. The following day, the male Bluebird was joined by a female and a week later they began building a nest. I didn’t want to disturb my new tenants and avoided the area near the nest for a few weeks. I used a long lens to get some photos from across the yard. When the eggs hatched a few weeks later, the Bluebirds were comfortable enough with my presence to come within a few feet of where I would sit most afternoons to photograph the Hummingbirds that visit my feeders. By the time they got to work on a second brood, they would watch for me to fill their bird bath with water to help them cool off during the blistering summer heat. My extended family included the Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, two pairs of house Wrens and a couple of Hummingbirds. All of them hated my neighbor’s cat, so an uneasy peace was maintained for most of the summer. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuIcw-GcrxqkjfLfyC10dmw2iCuy1GRL_TRXptAGX_0Td_hX8YYY5XboUQRS-Ol_MehvifL60WqAm_7DxuJFp7g9sipmKLeYOuJ5SGVZGFzBDan1wHWyeLsg9DHAalxFONiY_khhU7w/s1600/Construction+-+S+Byland+-+IMG_2305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuIcw-GcrxqkjfLfyC10dmw2iCuy1GRL_TRXptAGX_0Td_hX8YYY5XboUQRS-Ol_MehvifL60WqAm_7DxuJFp7g9sipmKLeYOuJ5SGVZGFzBDan1wHWyeLsg9DHAalxFONiY_khhU7w/s320/Construction+-+S+Byland+-+IMG_2305.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6QDq33e9KnVRwQ7IAKmC52yTSIGhMsqVBJE9lpVcAlYGU1kRpZpODvFO4vtdxXfRStgoNgJ1fe6Q_1uk2yZQQGksYHRTrRQH7nNPoa3lqBCJC54D1Z1l7gqLDeo9LSwLBww9fmTZzw/s1600/Construction+-+S+Byland+-+IMG_2292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">To build such a house, select a piece of log 18 inches in length and 12 inches in diameter. Cut a slice approximately 2 inches thick off the top and bottom. These will be replaced after the center is hollowed out. Cut the remaining log in half lengthwise. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CAREFULLY</b> hollow out the main body of the log with the chainsaw. <strong><em>PLEASE - IF YOU ARE NOT EXPERIENCED WITH A CHAIN SAW - DON'T TRY THIS YOURSELF!!! </em></strong>Assemble the box by attaching the top and bottom slices to the two carved out sections using 4 inch wood screws. Drill a 1½ inch entrance hole in one side of the box. Attach a 3/4 inch pipe flange on the bottom of the box. Screw a 9 inch length of ¾ inch pipe into the flange. Drive a 5 foot length of rebar one foot into the ground and position the box on top by sliding the pipe over the rebar.</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxd9yNry_rM0EVPZJOXGeM86-UBnH5ssUFTeJUe-BgQIMmJE1fSyrHiz8SqVehkiEVjt_rFYMBPWEQy_dAjmWCThD4jeejOnaudMMj6Y9fPTOw0e1epnSXC2xa3b2Qmnl2GTBnDDs1w/s1600/Construction+-+S+Byland+-+IMG_2303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxd9yNry_rM0EVPZJOXGeM86-UBnH5ssUFTeJUe-BgQIMmJE1fSyrHiz8SqVehkiEVjt_rFYMBPWEQy_dAjmWCThD4jeejOnaudMMj6Y9fPTOw0e1epnSXC2xa3b2Qmnl2GTBnDDs1w/s320/Construction+-+S+Byland+-+IMG_2303.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKs6yhXZmI2blzkJJAWNeoSY_eQri3n1YeFjVKQqWInFVjd4s-0vTslHoUR93CzaMNHDuiYeaXMZbd2WXI3w7LjgCM_LwvaOK5KaiQFPErlNdJ6Noz4LUv3wf_8selc8Hs6vBYHlMq0g/s1600/Construction+-+S+Byland+-+IMG_2292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKs6yhXZmI2blzkJJAWNeoSY_eQri3n1YeFjVKQqWInFVjd4s-0vTslHoUR93CzaMNHDuiYeaXMZbd2WXI3w7LjgCM_LwvaOK5KaiQFPErlNdJ6Noz4LUv3wf_8selc8Hs6vBYHlMq0g/s320/Construction+-+S+Byland+-+IMG_2292.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_L4zHxswdOXpr1EkmQKFcdPHg_WqV0Ul6dsxcf-0GshccGaEqisr0NcJjy-P5hWpvqHqRh2eYStej0aLnyWXtzX_7M1cxRaw26Si_RSopjuUMiszOWgj0tOTePULi6b6UxePFZ6lYkQ/s1600/Construction+-+S+Byland+-+IMG_2300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_L4zHxswdOXpr1EkmQKFcdPHg_WqV0Ul6dsxcf-0GshccGaEqisr0NcJjy-P5hWpvqHqRh2eYStej0aLnyWXtzX_7M1cxRaw26Si_RSopjuUMiszOWgj0tOTePULi6b6UxePFZ6lYkQ/s320/Construction+-+S+Byland+-+IMG_2300.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Materials Needed:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Log (preferably pine) 18 inches in length and 12 inches in diameter</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Rebar – ½ inch by 5 feet</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Flange – ¾ inch</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Pipe – ¾ inch by 9 inches</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Screws – 4 inch (total of 6) and 2 inch (total of 4)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tools Needed:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Chainsaw</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Drill</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">1 ½ inch drill bit</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Screwdriver</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Hammer</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This makes a great set-up for photography as the box can be turned to catch the best light. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZJ4TXygfnEaH6zK_5vjlFdZCQRoXmO1RbtKyNaL04cGVHrVDDMRK4ZF0jYnvw2jRUeBvLQdynbumOsBzngPVRVOz5lsLL-c8L3Y3ZTproqlNKB0-fsYkbRHOaBwWk0Jm492O_4TrCA/s1600/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+8543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZJ4TXygfnEaH6zK_5vjlFdZCQRoXmO1RbtKyNaL04cGVHrVDDMRK4ZF0jYnvw2jRUeBvLQdynbumOsBzngPVRVOz5lsLL-c8L3Y3ZTproqlNKB0-fsYkbRHOaBwWk0Jm492O_4TrCA/s320/E+Bluebirds+S+Byland+-+8543.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If attracting Bluebirds is your goal, place nest boxes out in the fall and leave them out all winter. When I tried this, I found that the Bluebirds made almost daily inspections of the boxes and would occasionally spend the night in them when the weather turned bad. As the nesting season drew closer, the activity picked up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: #32aaff;">http://www.stevebyland.com/</span></a> They are all available for sale as prints or licence. I have a section where you can find birds by species or hard-to-find vertical shots for your next magazine cover</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-47572957324946589972011-04-12T16:14:00.014-04:002011-11-06T17:26:11.403-05:00Better To Be Lucky AND Good<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em>This article appeared in the June 2010 edition of <a href="http://www.rangefindermag.com/storage/articles/RF0510_BasicBirding_Byland.pdf">Rangefinder Magazine</a></em> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Bird photography can be rewarding as well as extremely frustrating. There is always a stick in the way, an unwanted shadow or the light is bad. Just when you think you have the perfect shot lined up, the bird flies off. While other photographers worry about the composition of their shots, many wildlife photographers rely on “Press and Pray.” Sometimes you have to be happy that you got the darned bird in the shot at all – at least, most of it.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPXW2nDmJs_zd81sHEfhgtuKwYWCQN25Qoitp3ZqwD-ZbjO8z8LPzF9SdwYyX-OB_0jGdccdCB8P5SxZ48os7t68fleABhLDtp1HE-1wtMfJCYR7ayIZJZBErQtoaPO77pV1ifCdldw/s1600/Coopers+Hawk+by+S+Byland+-+6221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPXW2nDmJs_zd81sHEfhgtuKwYWCQN25Qoitp3ZqwD-ZbjO8z8LPzF9SdwYyX-OB_0jGdccdCB8P5SxZ48os7t68fleABhLDtp1HE-1wtMfJCYR7ayIZJZBErQtoaPO77pV1ifCdldw/s320/Coopers+Hawk+by+S+Byland+-+6221.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Female Cooper's Hawk that disrupted my </div><div style="text-align: center;">photo session with some songbirds</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Always on the lookout for danger, most birds possess superior eyesight and keen hearing. Even if you could sneak up on one, as soon as you hit the shutter button the startled creature would simply fly off. This is not to say that you can’t get close enough for mind-blowing photos, it’s just that you need a different approach. Taking beautiful photos of the <place w:st="on">Grand Canyon</place> does not require much knowledge of geology nor do wedding photographers need to be experts on human relationships. Most really good bird photographers, on the other hand, know an awful lot about birds – often more than most wildlife biologists!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHpUeaBDU-zWUZnScGd4Wpq5n3Dy54hd7cQOluKHkuTQczFaWj766txPiI38zk9PAPT0-Hhyphenhyphenx8OqQzuqE2r7QtpM2AmI1TMf7i0zP2SVwZ_qc2wmzt2qu8Pn7_JUonHsl-C82SZI9Mg/s1600/Great+Blue+Heron+by+S+Byland+-+1939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHpUeaBDU-zWUZnScGd4Wpq5n3Dy54hd7cQOluKHkuTQczFaWj766txPiI38zk9PAPT0-Hhyphenhyphenx8OqQzuqE2r7QtpM2AmI1TMf7i0zP2SVwZ_qc2wmzt2qu8Pn7_JUonHsl-C82SZI9Mg/s320/Great+Blue+Heron+by+S+Byland+-+1939.JPG" width="209" /></a></div><div align="center">Many birds are more active in the early <br />
morning hours when the light is best</div><br />
<a name='more'></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We’ve all seen that kind of hard-core bird photographer. They are usually dragging around a giant lens on a tripod with a second camera slung over their shoulder (I’m the one in the floppy camo hat). They have probably been standing there all day waiting for a shot of a bird that you’ve never even heard of. Fortunately, you don’t have to follow their lead to get outstanding bird photos. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFjDJWQsfv0jwKB_Eg3q8YMLtk-pUH0eoc5DQIdfLV5odp3BSGZAx2KwZaOu3Q344TqIWB5KqZw59Ef-fGKynkhrz-0BrCaDL_3R8KAlrlYpZ7A0P9Buh7RGE0YTTFO3wWxoZ1w4BbQ/s1600/Harlequin+Duck+by+S+Byland+-+0936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFjDJWQsfv0jwKB_Eg3q8YMLtk-pUH0eoc5DQIdfLV5odp3BSGZAx2KwZaOu3Q344TqIWB5KqZw59Ef-fGKynkhrz-0BrCaDL_3R8KAlrlYpZ7A0P9Buh7RGE0YTTFO3wWxoZ1w4BbQ/s320/Harlequin+Duck+by+S+Byland+-+0936.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Harlequin Ducks can be very rare in NJ, but everyone knows that they</div><div style="text-align: center;">can be found at the Barnegate Light in Winter</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The principles that apply to landscape or wedding photography apply to photographing birds and other wildlife. You need to worry about light, foreground, background, depth of field, composition and all that. The problem is that you probably have less control over the environment than you are generally used to. For the beginner it may seem like trying to take beautiful photos of a flower from a moving rollercoaster. The real secret to success is to eliminate as many variables as possible.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbD6H-i4b9mujtkB9ng3b551UAALRXE7IpFLKganO3YxNbal9EBXzHWTGZVMqghPjIf2vdAi_5JthFHLy6gXwUjMtg4se0G3AMMKJ_ctrvDA20o4hdC0hInoOPi6jrS7w0h3s48mAgAg/s1600/Snow+Geese+by+S+Byland+-+0659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbD6H-i4b9mujtkB9ng3b551UAALRXE7IpFLKganO3YxNbal9EBXzHWTGZVMqghPjIf2vdAi_5JthFHLy6gXwUjMtg4se0G3AMMKJ_ctrvDA20o4hdC0hInoOPi6jrS7w0h3s48mAgAg/s320/Snow+Geese+by+S+Byland+-+0659.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">For this shot, I set the focus to “single shot,” focused on the flock of geese as they</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> flew towards the moon to prevent the camera from refocusing on the moon</span><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">First of all, select the longest, high-quality lens that you already own. You can buy the 800mm lens later. How much lens you need depends on the size of the bird and how close you can get to it. Ducks and Geese in the local park are a great place to start (don’t take a loaf of bread – it’s really not good for them). Birds that come to backyard feeders are often used to people and frequently permit you to get very close. Getting close enough for a shot, even with a short lens, can be easier than you think. If you try to approach a bird, even a relatively tame one, it will probably keep moving away. Instead, find a comfortable place to sit where the light and background are good and wait for the birds to come to you. As long as they don’t feel threatened, birds will often come extremely close. I have a number of photos of hummingbirds that were taken with a macro lens.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcT9FjoBYLKAPlTRVTQV66hyphenhyphen-9fp9ET7YAE673J21LW0bUB6OnHDBX3ywVw37d85GldHkXVhCn_fyZ4kIv-tzdYc8VtcWLFFqaiHhNzirx0f8pZ5-77h25npWLHcq4MWeGjfU-a9IPNg/s1600/RT++Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+2659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcT9FjoBYLKAPlTRVTQV66hyphenhyphen-9fp9ET7YAE673J21LW0bUB6OnHDBX3ywVw37d85GldHkXVhCn_fyZ4kIv-tzdYc8VtcWLFFqaiHhNzirx0f8pZ5-77h25npWLHcq4MWeGjfU-a9IPNg/s320/RT++Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+2659.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This camera was set on a tripod near a feeder and was often </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">used as a perch by hummingbirds</span><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Backyard bird feeders can create fabulous photo opportunities. Of course, you probably don’t want a shot of the tail end of a bird sitting on a feeder. To improve your photos, place an attractive stump near the feeder. Birds will often land on it, especially if you hide peanuts in a knot hole. I like to lash a stump to a lawn chair and move it around to get the perfect light or background. You might be surprised how many of my better shots involve duct tape and rope.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YiXvwJp1PFUPIV-xte3-mfvX6SUh9HS433b_r8of2n_oP07t4ZKFDNviksYivV7Xt6IbiLE1YVy-xV6ybtmDH8Zdt0JUJHnFh5nhfCChgWw-gpwLsxwESVaJ5Mz0hjNhV_Z754Y0fg/s1600/N+Cardinal+by+S+Byland+-+8934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YiXvwJp1PFUPIV-xte3-mfvX6SUh9HS433b_r8of2n_oP07t4ZKFDNviksYivV7Xt6IbiLE1YVy-xV6ybtmDH8Zdt0JUJHnFh5nhfCChgWw-gpwLsxwESVaJ5Mz0hjNhV_Z754Y0fg/s320/N+Cardinal+by+S+Byland+-+8934.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">For this shot, I found an old branch with lichen and some moss. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I added a bit more moss and tied the branch to a ladder near a bird feeder.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The background is a dead flower garden about <metricconverter productid="50 feet" w:st="on">50 feet</metricconverter> behind the branch</span><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Even if you have a small yard with a cluttered background, you’re not out of luck. Most bird photography is done using a large aperture (f/5.6 to f/7.1) so you won’t have much depth-of-field. You can hang an old sheet on the fence or the kid’s swing set to create a pleasant background. Out of focus flowers or green lawn make fabulous backdrops for your photos. In colder months, try hanging a feeder near your window, tie a stump in place where the light is good and open the window just enough for your camera lens. In spring, put up a bird house (preferably where you get great morning or afternoon sun), mount your camera on a tripod and use a wireless shutter release to take photos. The parents will often start to use your camera as a perch. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWy5gG67U5vQlqpjPBiuo93P8P_tHQzcy3EC6LyHYjd9kX6aDTh1zcSO-sSSz-70zFabTUIDh8EIr2j3AcjAKok-KOn6HRu2zdEduCe9Ok8er33PJWqIz3_eLVMlVq4jKw7eHAXUnbw/s1600/Tree+Swallow+by+S+Byland+-+7737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWy5gG67U5vQlqpjPBiuo93P8P_tHQzcy3EC6LyHYjd9kX6aDTh1zcSO-sSSz-70zFabTUIDh8EIr2j3AcjAKok-KOn6HRu2zdEduCe9Ok8er33PJWqIz3_eLVMlVq4jKw7eHAXUnbw/s320/Tree+Swallow+by+S+Byland+-+7737.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This was taken of baby birds in a birdhouse in my backyard using a tripod </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">and wireless remote shutter release</span></span><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Getting the perfect bird shot often requires you to deal with extreme conditions. Even so, principles that apply to other types of photography apply to bird photography. Perspective is important. Whenever possible, try to photograph your subject from eye level. You may have to lie down in the mud or stand on the roof of your car (cars make GREAT blinds). Often, you simply have to wait for the bird to move to a better location. Always keep in mind that these are wild animals. Disturbing a hawk that is feeding on a kill may mean the difference between life and death for the bird. Remember the basic birding ethics. Avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger. If a bird you are photographing appears disturbed by your presence, BACK OFF! Be particularly careful when dealing with endangered or breeding birds.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqkaEZ5hLADrz6oZ3AYoXqvNIvqzHAisqdDKOqWkA6vnjy_MGbVSwuY4nlFX-L9iP33-DlzuDX9Bt94CSf0Z6NpmjtJaW6uEHo_dJe2j0VoYAyfW2kH7z-Nr9_B3PVgWWbIkGfdm3Uw/s1600/Burrowing+Owl+by+S+Byland+-+0191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqkaEZ5hLADrz6oZ3AYoXqvNIvqzHAisqdDKOqWkA6vnjy_MGbVSwuY4nlFX-L9iP33-DlzuDX9Bt94CSf0Z6NpmjtJaW6uEHo_dJe2j0VoYAyfW2kH7z-Nr9_B3PVgWWbIkGfdm3Uw/s320/Burrowing+Owl+by+S+Byland+-+0191.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This Burrowing Owl was standing watch over his nest at the end of a suburban</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">driveway where children were playing basketball. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"> </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Of all the challenges, I think that lighting is the biggest. Ideally, you want the sun directly behind you so that your shadow points right at the bird. The problem is that you may just get a second to take the shot, which doesn’t give you a lot of time to play with the settings on the camera. Imagine that you are in the Florida Everglades and found a place where a Bald Eagle is flying back and forth, taking fish to a nest. The sky is blue, the sun is at your back. Everything is perfect. You set your camera on Aperture Priority, overexpose a bit for the sky. You take a few test shots and the histogram looks good. The next thing you know, an Osprey carrying a fish flies by you so close that it fills the frame. Now, instead of metering off the blue sky, the camera meters off the white body of the bird. You end up with a badly underexposed shot. Making it worse, the Osprey is being closely chased by the Eagle. This time, the camera meters off the dark body of the Eagle and blows out the white head of the bird. This has happened to me – more than once. Instead of throwing your camera into the swamp and walking away, tell yourself that you were darn lucky to see such a sight.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3CWsB_TdFMKCTHTlIaTOR6X3yzKM7GE0ZnXVpUdqAqusPHupf7XyMYFP596nanyNNH678YbDI4hzw6M65hy8Iok53Zbviy1q6keM2DleG88a8xKlWs_IBS6KaOtRsfx5sg1BAgI8VSA/s1600/Bald+Eagle+by+S+Byland+-+0573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3CWsB_TdFMKCTHTlIaTOR6X3yzKM7GE0ZnXVpUdqAqusPHupf7XyMYFP596nanyNNH678YbDI4hzw6M65hy8Iok53Zbviy1q6keM2DleG88a8xKlWs_IBS6KaOtRsfx5sg1BAgI8VSA/s320/Bald+Eagle+by+S+Byland+-+0573.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Bald Eagles congregate at the Conowingo Dam in <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">Maryland</state></place> each fall<br />
and often fly with fish towards the photographer’s area<br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So, now you have two mediocre shots. Sure, you may be able to “save” them with photoshop, but you know that they will never make it to a magazine cover. What to do next time? Well, you have to make a choice. If you REALLY want superior shots, you should concentrate on one species at a time. If the situation permits, set the camera to “Manual,” adjust for your target species and accept that you are probably not going to get that killer shot of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker when it flies by. Better to get one great photo than to get two that are poor. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When all else fails, Press and Pray!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/">http://www.stevebyland.com/</a> They are all available for sale as prints or licence. I have a section where you can find birds by species or hard-to-find vertical shots for your next magazine cover. </div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-32077628930130055412011-04-12T15:31:00.008-04:002011-11-06T17:31:06.217-05:00Attract Hummingbirds To Your Yard<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> “I’ve never seen a Hummingbird.” Those words almost bring tears to my eyes. Tell me that you’ve never been in love or that you haven’t visited <place w:st="on">Disneyland</place>, but PLEASE don’t tell me that you haven’t seen a Hummingbird.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3GQpNOC9TjSRwPshzKihkphfbQ_pdm8pKQzBSwkrZaZqb0yzer6nlErnoHMG4GtLuDiEcOJoCUKsaZk7crCtxvZNIK2vsaUI5DRpNwEavE77gliTdOixiyMCFgegtodnFcN4R41V66g/s1600/Broad-billed+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+1537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3GQpNOC9TjSRwPshzKihkphfbQ_pdm8pKQzBSwkrZaZqb0yzer6nlErnoHMG4GtLuDiEcOJoCUKsaZk7crCtxvZNIK2vsaUI5DRpNwEavE77gliTdOixiyMCFgegtodnFcN4R41V66g/s320/Broad-billed+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+1537.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Broad-billed Hummingbird</div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Let not your heart be troubled – I am here to solve your problems. I can’t do anything about love, or <place w:st="on">Disneyland</place>, but I will not rest until you have seen your first Hummingbird. While Hummingbirds can be found all across <place w:st="on">North America</place>, there are only a few areas where they can be found year-round. Unless you live along the Pacific Ocean or in <place w:st="on">Southern Arizona</place> where Hummingbirds are hard to miss, your best chance is to find one of these feathered jewels is during migration. There are lots of great articles about planting flowers and such, but I want to make absolutely sure that you attract the most birds with the least cost and effort.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2ciB-9fQdBcI6Ff7_JJLwL2VGT87CaaIRcZ9E_24cqCND1MugbKJySPwSCiF_RtUg1IM25pB5zu3TU2yGpRM9VWC6_QJHFDuMZh5xb2tQGOm5xoajjak70NbMIFpAAVm5v6G_yDBSQ/s1600/Ruby-throated+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2ciB-9fQdBcI6Ff7_JJLwL2VGT87CaaIRcZ9E_24cqCND1MugbKJySPwSCiF_RtUg1IM25pB5zu3TU2yGpRM9VWC6_QJHFDuMZh5xb2tQGOm5xoajjak70NbMIFpAAVm5v6G_yDBSQ/s320/Ruby-throated+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+212.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Ruby-throated Hummingbird</div> <br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A Hummingbird may migrate over 1,000 miles twice a year, which takes a lot of energy. The don’t fly very high, but they do fly fast, and they are always on the lookout for food. Most Hummingbirds know exactly what a feeder looks like – some sort of red container with bright yellow flowers full of sugar water. Nothing fancy. Fancy can be confusing. Last summer, I went to <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Arizona</place></state> to photograph Hummingbirds and took a small feeder with me that cost $5.00. Other photographers laughed at my “toy” until they saw the birds swarming it.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3ZDkwXTAuyhK9w6r9ae4KHmaJTNLt7vL1uecd3ApbHBDlPS1v72xjd33lCEOzWetdZUu5SMF_D-ndylBv9xOJpi2RXpWL5mt32Jr4tKO_cCSv1i8cpVc6sPOb7A0L5VPoY8ES-AtKQ/s1600/Ruby-throated+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+2447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3ZDkwXTAuyhK9w6r9ae4KHmaJTNLt7vL1uecd3ApbHBDlPS1v72xjd33lCEOzWetdZUu5SMF_D-ndylBv9xOJpi2RXpWL5mt32Jr4tKO_cCSv1i8cpVc6sPOb7A0L5VPoY8ES-AtKQ/s320/Ruby-throated+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+2447.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ruby-throated Hummingbird</div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Chances are, you’re going to get two shots at attracting Hummingbirds to your yard. Fortunately, it doesn’t really matter where you live; the timing is pretty much the same. For the most part, the northbound migration runs from about mid-April through the end of May, while the southbound migration begins in early August and ends in mid-September. Birds in spring tend to be in a hurry to get to their breeding grounds, so unless you are lucky, they might not stay long. The southbound migration, however, is a much more leisurely journey. Birds will often linger for a day or two before moving on.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSzyJN9Sv1x4mbVxRBl3E7qN6UOBc7CJLroJtGsCh-fIbJUhmZ403eV-qzoK-cDP68wXCVU7bEQH89lGdaLa3PC3fSpxjaKdG8jO5ck7HeoQVA72VPOJcpE-ijVLqy1nYbSIYUR7iWw/s1600/Ruby-throated+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+9068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSzyJN9Sv1x4mbVxRBl3E7qN6UOBc7CJLroJtGsCh-fIbJUhmZ403eV-qzoK-cDP68wXCVU7bEQH89lGdaLa3PC3fSpxjaKdG8jO5ck7HeoQVA72VPOJcpE-ijVLqy1nYbSIYUR7iWw/s320/Ruby-throated+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+9068.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Ruby-throated Hummingbird</div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Take a trip to your local garden center and pick up two or three feeders. Remember – red with bright yellow flowers. (note: I prefer Perkey Pet Feeders - they are the most widely-used and recognized by Hummingbirds as a source of food). Forget about fancy mixes or red coloring. All you need is sugar and water (recipe below). When placing your feeders, be bold! Put them in the middle of the yard, on the corner of your deck or on a hook in the garden. Keep in mind that you are trying to get the attention of a bird flying past your yard at full speed. The easier the feeders are to see, the more birds will stop for a drink.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lzj9sXQFoPSnBYSn5Y3WwvYkuTwZNOQB-LxiMvQzXcoPctR3_Fc6m-RFUmQ-RxdFuc4IvhwyERACFnueLo5jLRwFqBPKJByZRKY0v7NUx-yWqc67_c0zfYgVakTRhhaSqUgWHJfVLA/s1600/Rufous+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+5913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lzj9sXQFoPSnBYSn5Y3WwvYkuTwZNOQB-LxiMvQzXcoPctR3_Fc6m-RFUmQ-RxdFuc4IvhwyERACFnueLo5jLRwFqBPKJByZRKY0v7NUx-yWqc67_c0zfYgVakTRhhaSqUgWHJfVLA/s320/Rufous+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+5913.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Rufous Hummingbird</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Mark your calendars – seriously. If you are going to see your first Hummingbird (or maybe the first one in your yard), you have to plan ahead. Don’t let me down. As for falling in love, or visiting <place w:st="on">Disneyland</place>, drop me a line and maybe I can give you some advice there too.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsybZ7t_f0plugeKDL1s0JzB3fq0q1KI2YR1doSIbubWXfQ6lb0ICydX9uD8k6puoxp3iWnjEG9w99Z3ANsTe9xr2bwVinsUzZXJSrXK6BMf1mKc1WzuQM7fgfvbAeYXaK8d6JHfDrA/s1600/Lucifer+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+0188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsybZ7t_f0plugeKDL1s0JzB3fq0q1KI2YR1doSIbubWXfQ6lb0ICydX9uD8k6puoxp3iWnjEG9w99Z3ANsTe9xr2bwVinsUzZXJSrXK6BMf1mKc1WzuQM7fgfvbAeYXaK8d6JHfDrA/s320/Lucifer+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+0188.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lucifer Hummingbird</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Make Your Own Hummingbird Food</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Hummingbird food is inexpensive and easy to make. Place ¼ cup of sugar in a measuring cup and add enough very hot tap water to bring the level to 1 cup. Stir to dissolve and let cool. There is no need to add coloring which some people think might be harmful to Hummingbirds.</span>You can use a bit more sugar if it is cold enough where you are that freezing might be a problem or a bit less if bees become a problem. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Discard about once a week or if you notice the liquid getting cloudy.</span> Simple red feeders with yellow flowers are probably the most easily recognized by the birds as they are used all across north america.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdjXu6xnOFnZgw9VOXujcuvkeISz9MHlqOv00vXp0cXLs6gMEjPg581Z78SrzowJ93wsO6atK5aTgbJqp7JkoEpgQlZXP6MqJzLFClcX_CDRui2GoD5wB7RWHvTkWALjZtfgSYTCR6g/s1600/Violet-crowned+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+1543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdjXu6xnOFnZgw9VOXujcuvkeISz9MHlqOv00vXp0cXLs6gMEjPg581Z78SrzowJ93wsO6atK5aTgbJqp7JkoEpgQlZXP6MqJzLFClcX_CDRui2GoD5wB7RWHvTkWALjZtfgSYTCR6g/s320/Violet-crowned+Hummingbird+by+S+Byland+-+1543.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Violet-crowned Hummingbird</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: #32aaff;">http://www.stevebyland.com/</span></a> They are all available for sale as prints or licence. I have a section where you can find birds by species or hard-to-find vertical shots for your next magazine cover.</div><div align="center"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5765737483320539540.post-68867082090071429252011-04-12T14:27:00.010-04:002011-11-06T17:34:00.566-05:00Take Better Winter Photos<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em>This Article appeared in the December Issue of Birds and Blooms Magazine</em><br />
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As I get older, I find myself spending more time in the bathroom. No, this isn’t an article about men’s health. It’s just that I find my bathroom to be the perfect location for taking pictures of birds in the winter.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9W0vtHAPrsGt6-yrlBwTr5kq4PHg5O7rrYhHw29GzRAnilasMK-VZ8ofKo3GVaTrPpwoQKIbmR0HSp9Ce-ftdqenSnZ2LHwZKob9A-YpM9JEpq7VGUJCw6KXQcuP-nu1KouKB11iGYw/s1600/Northern+Cardinal+and+Sparrows+by+S+Byland+-+8978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9W0vtHAPrsGt6-yrlBwTr5kq4PHg5O7rrYhHw29GzRAnilasMK-VZ8ofKo3GVaTrPpwoQKIbmR0HSp9Ce-ftdqenSnZ2LHwZKob9A-YpM9JEpq7VGUJCw6KXQcuP-nu1KouKB11iGYw/s320/Northern+Cardinal+and+Sparrows+by+S+Byland+-+8978.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cardinals, White-throated Sparrow and Junco near a feeder </div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Many people look at my photos and assume that I must be in an exotic location using a lens the size of a small car. In reality, I find that I take many of my best shots in my own backyard using 300mm and 400mm lenses. The real secret is to get the birds to come to you, and winter is the perfect season to make that happen. All you need is a camera, a birdfeeder, some old logs and a piece of cardboard.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxRe0ICN653q58EuaOsfKG8ths51gk-yzeZVgYcMuO8mT3bZMilDLikUKbZMptdMVhS-Mon_LLd0jXfgJu8mF__heUkxX6iRFvxskTsSdJ4jClyf7ab8K9KijCeJsdqJP1CESD7JOrw/s1600/BLJA+-+IMG_7713prn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxRe0ICN653q58EuaOsfKG8ths51gk-yzeZVgYcMuO8mT3bZMilDLikUKbZMptdMVhS-Mon_LLd0jXfgJu8mF__heUkxX6iRFvxskTsSdJ4jClyf7ab8K9KijCeJsdqJP1CESD7JOrw/s320/BLJA+-+IMG_7713prn.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Blue Jay on a stump in snow in front of a black background (garbage can)</div> <br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The first thing to do is to find a spot in your yard, near the house that gets good light. A wonderful thing about winter photography is that the sun is low and offers nice conditions for much of the day. It is important to position yourself so that the sun comes from behind you. A location on the north side of the house may be ideal for taking advantage of the winter sun which tends to be in the southern part of the sky.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9eND8Rd5PeyBPf8BbgPyVYzNNR81M4yCyjvSeCdg_4NGXlYpysif_XPD6OyW_5jfZkL6htIq-dgmdar-FPP0mmXloVwLWquNazd061_s3jDEmrAUHHRElMm0LaDMe6ov0oQT4B33tCg/s1600/Cardinal+8638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9eND8Rd5PeyBPf8BbgPyVYzNNR81M4yCyjvSeCdg_4NGXlYpysif_XPD6OyW_5jfZkL6htIq-dgmdar-FPP0mmXloVwLWquNazd061_s3jDEmrAUHHRElMm0LaDMe6ov0oQT4B33tCg/s320/Cardinal+8638.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pair of Cardinals in an Apple Tree waiting for their turn at the feeder</div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Next, place a feeder or two in this area, making sure that you can easily view them from a nearby window. The better you are about keeping your feeders supplied with food and the more varieties you offer, the more birds you will attract. To increase the number of birds at your feeder, make sure that there is cover nearby. An evergreen tree or pile of brush will help the birds feel safe from predators. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vAH9RAhyphenhyphen2c-s0uBMmCaifH0igTg3ZhVAacfYoIh69-l46j2Hwa9z3fCj793qtOJ5fm03otmMMRZye2edXe2f9BroyHmasMbI84S6gaoX5dkQFpclL96Q56PM3IHztflWYoOvwpkFHA/s1600/Carolina+Wren+by+S+Byland+-+6497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vAH9RAhyphenhyphen2c-s0uBMmCaifH0igTg3ZhVAacfYoIh69-l46j2Hwa9z3fCj793qtOJ5fm03otmMMRZye2edXe2f9BroyHmasMbI84S6gaoX5dkQFpclL96Q56PM3IHztflWYoOvwpkFHA/s320/Carolina+Wren+by+S+Byland+-+6497.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Carolina Wren in the snow near a feeder</div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Finally, get a piece of cardboard that will cover your window when it is open, cut a hole in it to shoot through and you’re ready to go! Take some practice shots and reposition your feeders as necessary. That’s all you need to do to make some nice pictures.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But wait! Anyone can take pictures of birds sitting on a feeder and you want your shots to look like they were taken by a pro. OK. Here’s the pro’s secret. Get a couple of old logs and branches – the older the better. Place them around the feeder at approximately the same height as the feeder. If one has an old knot hole, stuff it full of peanuts and you won’t be able to keep the birds away.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0chO3e-flCf1N0u7yCjPIQ73fb6SwKvTp-vxFxi7oBIs_-EiOIJP4hBjz5ZwtQO1O15jSKPaYJnrcuGH3TZUmQyoAVcKCi4DEX7YfOtE6IBvf6t4JUV3KgRWwWjc0BQG8NFCIjn9oOQ/s1600/37+RBWO+-+IMG_5561snow%252B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0chO3e-flCf1N0u7yCjPIQ73fb6SwKvTp-vxFxi7oBIs_-EiOIJP4hBjz5ZwtQO1O15jSKPaYJnrcuGH3TZUmQyoAVcKCi4DEX7YfOtE6IBvf6t4JUV3KgRWwWjc0BQG8NFCIjn9oOQ/s320/37+RBWO+-+IMG_5561snow%252B.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">Red-bellied Woodpecker on a snow-covered branch near a feeder</div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Another great addition to your new “outdoor studio” is a garbage can. Turn it upside down and cover it with evergreen branches. Throw on some bird seed and wait for the snow to come. Better yet, build a snowman and put seed on his head. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hPCP1c_USnfvvsbu9HZeVXSCzEz1Tj8nHq3-vRGbm6nAolh7Y_ciP2Zo1PwF3Nw3MHepppMxPP4ISD9qD3ejFEcx7kKBrIk6Fef6_OhrVzt0lJgMRqZzSV1smHoIjUf7yux9Ib9hkA/s1600/Tufted+Titmouse+9870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hPCP1c_USnfvvsbu9HZeVXSCzEz1Tj8nHq3-vRGbm6nAolh7Y_ciP2Zo1PwF3Nw3MHepppMxPP4ISD9qD3ejFEcx7kKBrIk6Fef6_OhrVzt0lJgMRqZzSV1smHoIjUf7yux9Ib9hkA/s320/Tufted+Titmouse+9870.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Titmouse on a Snowman "feeder"</div> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When your friends and family start complimenting your pictures, don’t tell them how you got them – remember, it’s a secret!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">You can see thousands of my photos at <a href="http://www.stevebyland.com/"><span style="color: #32aaff;">http://www.stevebyland.com/</span></a> They are all available for sale as prints or licence. I have a section where you can find birds by species or hard-to-find vertical shots for your next magazine cover<br />
</div>Steve Bylandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16143959160754884682noreply@blogger.com2