ok -- this is one of my Whining entries. Luckily the don't happen often, but they do happen occasionally. Also, luckily it's not going to make it into the top 10, so not to many people will know it's a whining entry.
I was so excited about this. I knew I wanted the resolution to be that I was going to learn about lighting: because I am going to learn about lighting!!
I also knew I wanted the flash in the shot. There's a book on flash with Joe McNally holding his camera, doing a self portrait with the flash going off. Heaven forfend that I should do a self portrait! We know how those score! (well, when they're recognizable, at least... :)
Getting down to the wire, and I decided to try it with birds. 8 hours over 2 days trying to get the right shot. I was incredibly excited -- it really was a blast. I dialed up and down the flash, and changed the shutter speed to adjust how much ambient light I wanted in the shot. I really felt like I knew what I was doing for once!! I even thought of throwing in another flash, but that definitely seemed like to much.
I had these results:
the entry, and a few more. The squirrel snuck in -- it wasn't his turn so he got shooed away after the first shot or two. I figured he might do the best in the challenge, but I sat there for 8 hours trying to get birds!! I was going to submit a bird!
I probably should have submitted the one with the nut in his beak, but I liked the entry the best. It was the tones that called to me. Everything looked so beautiful, I liked the way the bird was turned, the flash seemed like such a unique and great idea.
And the votes started coming in -- I was so excited....
And then it became a whining shot.
It was for the longest time hovering right at 6. Normally, a 6.0 is perfectly fine, but this was my brilliant idea! This was my fantastic lighting, and my patient waiting for birds!! 4s? 5s? Surely people should see the brilliance of this!
I think I got a little too involved in this shot. :)
Well, I'm off to enter another shot -- hopefully it's not a whining shot this time. :)
Thanks for all the wonderful comments and the fav -- they were greatly appreciated!!
Statistics
Place: 13 out of 81 Avg (all users): 6.3083 Avg (commenters): 7.8750 Avg (participants): 6.0000 Avg (non-participants): 6.4556 Views since voting: 815 Views during voting: 270 Votes: 133 Comments: 10 Favorites: 1 (view)
I'm guessing the voters didn't relate to having the strobe in the picture. It is a beautiful shot, and the bird is lit perfectly. So much to like about this photo.