Screwing up a potentially outstanding photo happens to every bird photographer, it comes with the territory. But that doesn’t make it less painful when I do it.
Yesterday Black-billed Magpies were busy building and refurbishing their domed nests. They were hauling twigs, grass, mud and even the occasional beak-full of bison fur to construct the sides and dome of the nest and line its interior chamber. They kept at it for an hour and 40 minutes without a significant break but the shooting conditions were difficult for a variety of reasons.
My primary goal was flight shots, either incoming to the nest with nesting material in their bills or leaving the nest after delivery. I got quite a few photos I like fairly well but I botched the best one of the bunch.
1/4000, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
And this is it. A whole host of difficult objectives were accomplished with this photo, including:
- the magpie, all of it, is sharp
- there’s nesting material in its bill
- the background is clean instead of cluttered (although I’m not fond of its color, can hardly wait to get some spring greens back there)
- I got an excellent slight head turn to put light and detail in most of the blacks of the face and give me a catch light in the eye
- I love the flight posture as the bird begins to flare in order to land on the nest directly in front of it
- the tail is tipped toward me allowing a great view of its spectacular length and shape when flared
- the right wing is in the down position which in my view nicely complements our look at the tail
- and perhaps most significantly, during the split second this photo was taken the light angle on the magpie was perfect to produce expansive iridescence on both the wing and the tail, even producing a few prismatic colors toward the bottom of the tail
That’s a lot of things to go right when each one of them is difficult to achieve.
But dammit, I clipped a few pixels off of the end of the longest tail feather! For me that largely ruins the shot. Yes, I could “repair” that feather during processing but I simply will not clone body parts of birds (although I did add a narrow strip of canvas at the top of the frame).
Magpies are one of the most difficult species I photograph, in part because of their extremely long tail. I have to constantly be aware of its length when framing the shot or I clip it or cut it off and it goes without saying that proper framing becomes infinitely more difficult when the bird’s in flight.
A photo like this one inspires me because it shows me what’s possible but that doesn’t take the pain away when I screw it up.
Ron
Ron..if you had not mentioned in your notes about clipping off the millimeters of the last tail feather,
I never would have noticed. Having perfectionist tendencies myself, I certainly appreciate that,
but, really, the photo is just exquisite! 😉
Your fired. My heart sank when I read your title. I thought you were going to say a Hawk came along and snatched it. I will take 1/16th of a inch off of its tail, then to hear it became a snack.
🙂
I thought it was perfect…then you broke my happy dappy bubble, telling me it wasn’t because of the tail…I get your disappointment, but still love it…(I would love to see what it would look like with missing end of tail photoshopped on)….
I’d like to accommodate you, Patty but in this case it would take a lot of work to make it look natural (for kind of complicated reasons).
I was just wondering—not asking you to do it…it’s perfect to me…like a bird flying past a window or skylight…ALMOST as great as the other nest-building one you have framed…the tiny bit of missing tail is NOT what makes it “ALMOST”….
Why did you have to tell me that? I saw perfection in that photo in its totality.Certainly did not miss about 1/8 inch of feather vanes!
Ha, I guess ignorance IS bliss, Ken! 🙂
HEY it is a beauty of a shot. Maybe not prefect, but sure pretty any way.
I agree, Trudy – not perfect but a very attractive bird. Thanks.
Oh Ron.
I feel your pain. And your joy.
That is a truly increidible photo. And that small amputation doesn’t take away from the positives.
Thanks very much, EC.
All I see is beauty 😜‼️
🙂
A brilliant masterpiece! Besides doing everything else wonderful that you mentioned above, by letting a wee bit of its longest tail feather on the other side of the frame, you made the photo more dynamic, generously allowing we viewers to fill in our own images of where the magpie was coming from. When I try to create a mental image of the magpie with all of the tail in it, the picture is much more static. I don’t think any other clip would have worked so well to make the magpie not only beautiful to us, but also alive. Thanks!
You make an interesting point about the tail, Kent. Thank you.
Oh Ron – I can image how much you hated to see that clip to the tail!! I’m afraid I didn’t see it like Arwen did but knowing what happened I can just see you “kicking yourself” over it. For me with my lack of skill in photography, I’d be thrilled to even close a “Little” close to your ability. Remember that “tomorrow is another day”!! You’ll get it tomorrow!!
I had another chance with them this morning, Jo Ann. Didn’t get anything like this shot but I think I did get some keepers as consolation. Thanks.
I have always thought Magpies were beautiful but didn’t know how much of that beauty I was missing until I found your blog. I’m sorry you feel bad about your photo. I think it is spectacular and so thankful for all I learn from your art.
I feel bad about it but I love it too, Betty. Mixed feelings….
Gorgeous shot!!!!! I know how you feel about post processing .. but in spite of that tiny tiny flaw love the picture .. let me tell you about broken heart .. seeing 4 golden eagles fighting over a rabbit just 30 feet from me and no camera ( Damn Canon I might have to drive to California .. it’s gotton beyond rediculous!!!!)
I know how you feel about the eagles, Marina. I once saw two Goldens fighting with ravens over a carcass at a perfect distance for photography. But I was pulling my camping trailer and there was just enough traffic that I couldn’t stop and photograph the action. Never forget it!
So sorry about your gear troubles!
I saw that clipped tail and thought to myself, “Oh man, Ron’s gotta be pissed!” I can imagine the air around you being akin to that in the teachers’ lounge when all y’all were still able to smoke in there.
On the other hand, this is a pretty amazing shot for all the reasons you’ve described — and more!
Yup, pissed I was, Marty. The tip of the tail was so close to the frame edge that in the field (on my small camera screen) I couldn’t tell if it was clipped or not. Brutal reality was only obvious after I got home and looked at it on the big screen.
Like April I thought “oh shit – what happened!?” That being said I DO understand the pain of coming “so close”………. 🙁 That being said it’s still a WONDERFUL photo in my opinion – I’d take it any day! 🙂
I like it very much too, Judy. Just wish I hadn’t clipped the tail…
Ron, I guess it’s time to sell all that gear and stay indoors???
I’d be just as heartbroken at these results. You try so hard to share this wonder with all of us, I personally don’t care that you clipped the tail!
Keep it UP!!
Alan
Back to woodworking. 😉
Don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon, Alan. Thanks.
“Broke my heart” statement has a different meaning for me. I almost did not open the post. I was afraid of seeing some impaled or maimed bird.
Your image is beautiful despite the missing bit of tail. The iridescence is lovely.
Sorry for the scare, April. In those few instances where I post something graphic or heartbreaking I typically give readers fair warning in the title or the introductory sentence.
I didn’t even notice it until I read it. I was just amazed at all the things you mentioned in what you got right. I probably would have realized if I studied it for a while, but dang Ron…that’s still a sweet photo!! I’d be proud to call that my own. Thanks for sharing the victories and frustrations of what you do.
Actually I’m quite happy with it too, Zaph. It’s just that all the good things going for it make the clipped tail so very hard to take. Thanks.
We are our own worst critics 🙂 Bird photography is difficult at best, so for you to capture this, it’s simply amazing.
Thanks very much, Heidi.
Awesome shot Ron! Only God is perfect ;>))
Charlotte
I have doubts about him/her too, Charlotte. Thanks.
Because of your lessons, I immediately knew what was wrong and what was right with this photo. I do feel your pain. That would have been one of “those” shots! But, it was fun for me to realize how much I’ve learned reading your blog.
“it was fun for me to realize how much I’ve learned reading your blog”
You’ve gotta know how much that pleases me. Thank you, Arwen.
It’s a true statement. So thank you for all the work you put in beyond the cold mornings!