Weekend Visitors

[MajorPanic]

I saw some movement in one of the gums down the back yard. I wasn't sure what it was so I armed self with the 300mm lens & went to investigate.

A family of 4 Tawny Frog Mouth Owls were roosting in a tree for the day, complete with a very young owl.

Cute buggers :; The most I've ever seen together in one place!

http://www.majorpanic.com/images/woodwork/BB/Owls-1.jpg 530kbs 1200px x 776px

[RufflyRustic]

Awwwwwwwww :-:B Gorgeous!!

We had a family of four in a tree outside work a few years ago. I will always regret not getting a photo of them, especially when my intuition ran too hot saying "get a photo today, they won't be there tomorrow" They weren't there that tomorrow, one was squashed on the road about 10 metres away :C:C

So I'm going to treasure your photo Major :)

Thank You:2tsup:

Wendy

[ajw]

Great photo.

Can you tell me what shutter speed / f-stop settings you used? I've recently begun experimenting with my digital SLR by using the manual settings and shooting in RAW, and would love to know how you got your fantastic image.

Thanks,

ajw

[jow104]

A good opportunity there and a super photograph.
You Australians certainly have a wonderful country for birds.

[MajorPanic]

Great photo.

Can you tell me what shutter speed / f-stop settings you used? I've recently begun experimenting with my digital SLR by using the manual settings and shooting in RAW, and would love to know how you got your fantastic image.

Thanks,

ajw
The pic was shot at 160th/sec @ f/5 & 400 ISO in 14bit RAW. I use aperture priority, so I can judge depth-of-field. I then adjust ISO to get the required minimum shutter needed when using long lenses.

I've done too many years of manual settings with view & medium format cameras to go back to that when it's not needed.

If you want to find out what the photographers shoot & develop settings are you can have a peek at the info embedded in the photo itself. All you need is a exif data plugin for your browser. Have a look HERE (http://www.opanda.com/en/iexif/index.html), all you have to then do is right click on the picture > view exif data.
Not all photo editing programs support exif data but Photoshop, Lightroom & Aperture do, & the output files will hold all the exif data (settings used)

[fenderbelly]

Nice capture there MP, sharp as a tack. :2tsup:

[jow104]

Thanks for the link re exif.

[ajw]

Thanks for the info MP. I've also been using aperture priority with a 75-300 mm lens, but haven't quite got the depth of field mastered yet. Still, with digital I can take many hundreds of photos and see the results at no cost.

I had an SLR many years ago, but became discouraged when most of my shots would be less-than-adequate! I ran out of money for film processing well before I could become competent, so abandoned any kind of serious photography for years.

I bought a digital SLR last Christmas, and have had a great time with it this year.

Thanks again for your feedback.

ajw

[dai sensei]

Nice shot Major :2tsup:

I used to have a couple that roosted on my basketball hoop of all things, but like Wendy, waited too long to take a photo :-.

[MajorPanic]

Fenderbelly,

The photo of the Azure Kingfisher on your 'Work in Progress" site is stunning. :2tsup: :2tsup: :2tsup:

[Cliff Rogers]

The Major is loosing it... taking photos of dead sticks. :unsure:

[MajorPanic]

The Major is loosing it... taking photos of dead sticks. :unsure:Cliff,

I haven't taken a picture of you since you forgot the muffins @ the WWW show :q :U

[Cliff Rogers]

I'm glad I ddin't pay for them... the muffins that is, not the pictures. :D

[Allan at Wallan]

Lovely work Major.:2tsup:

Would have been improved if you could have
gotten them to smile for the camera.:D

Allan

[Old farmer]

"You Australians certainly have a wonderful country for birds. ""

Have you seen the ones on the beaches, jow?

[texx]

great shot mate , but they aint owl's
they are frogmouths but not owls they are a member of the nightjar family .
dont know why everyone calls them owl's but most people do .
anyway very nice pic .
if they think you cant see them you can get very close , i almost grabbed one by mistake once it was making like a statue on a gate post when i went to open the gate so i moved very slowly opened the gate drove in and he stayed put continuing his statue impersonation .
of course no camera at hand as per usual .

[Bluegum]

Awesome shot mate, havent seen anything like that round here. We're getting plenty of tree frogs and less toads which is great to see.

[artme]

:o Best shot of a Nightjar family I've ever seen! absolutely wonderful!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup: