November 27th, 2015: The Perfect Shot

xoxoxoBruce · 11-26-2015, 11:26 PM

Prize winning photographs, you know, the kind you and I never take, are commonly written off by we chewers of the sour grape, as being in the right place at the right time, in other words, luck. Some is true, but in the other 99.999% the photographer knew at least approximately what they wanted, figured out what had to be done to get it, then put the time and effort to be in the right place at the right time. Even then it's just a chance to try, not a guaranty.

Here's a perfect shot of a Kingfisher hitting his reflection on the water. Lucky wasn't he?

Not luck, dedication and stubbornness befitting a Scot.

Quote:

Nailing the perfect shot sometimes requires a lot of patience. Scottish photographer Alan McFadyen would know: he spent an estimated 6 years, 4,200 hours, and 720,000 exposures trying to nail the perfect symmetrical shot of a kingfisher diving into its reflection.

More than just finding a Kingfisher and waiting for it to dive. How often will it dive into water so smooth you can see it's refection? Then the light has to be right for a reflection. Being a wild bird you can't get too close so you need a longer lens, which has to be focused on where the bird hits the water. Because Kingfishers dive at up to 25 mph it moves across the field of view in a split second, and you can't pan because you only want the hitting the reflection shot.
Lucky bastard... hand me some of those grapes.

Link

Griff · 11-27-2015, 07:44 AM

6 years. I guess someone should comment.

glatt · 11-27-2015, 09:00 AM

Reminds me of the guy who got similar pictures of bats eating bugs just above the water surface. He very carefully set up a studio shot where the bats flight paths were obstructed by branches and stuff, and they had to fly right to the spot where the camera was aimed in order to catch the bug. Took a lot of work to set up the shot but orders of magnitude less time.

Gravdigr · 11-27-2015, 03:19 PM

Dayum.

monster · 11-27-2015, 05:13 PM

pop a pearl onion in its path at the moment of impact and your kebab's all ready for the grill....

Gravdigr · 11-28-2015, 05:41 PM

monster · 11-28-2015, 05:47 PM

....of course if you secretly replace the pond water with marinade, then you'd really have a feast. No IOTD, though

Gravdigr · 11-29-2015, 03:58 PM

Quote:

...we've secretly replaced Monster's marinade with pond water, let's see if she notices...

Made me think about the "Tom never has a second cup at home..." commercials, too.

11-27-2015, 07:44 AM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	6 years. I guess someone should comment. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-27-2015, 03:19 PM	#4
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	Dayum. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

11-27-2015, 05:13 PM	#5
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	pop a pearl onion in its path at the moment of impact and your kebab's all ready for the grill.... __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

11-28-2015, 05:41 PM	#6
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	__________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

11-28-2015, 05:47 PM	#7
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	....of course if you secretly replace the pond water with marinade, then you'd really have a feast. No IOTD, though __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

11-27-2015, 09:00 AM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Reminds me of the guy who got similar pictures of bats eating bugs just above the water surface. He very carefully set up a studio shot where the bats flight paths were obstructed by branches and stuff, and they had to fly right to the spot where the camera was aimed in order to catch the bug. Took a lot of work to set up the shot but orders of magnitude less time.

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