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The Birdcage
1st PlaceThe Birdcage
vawendy


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Empty (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: 2012 Challenge shots
Camera: Canon EOS-7D
Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
Date: May 6, 2012
Date Uploaded: May 6, 2012

[May. 13th, 2012 09:42:56 PM]

Thanks for the wonderful votes and comments. For awhile this was over 7.5, and I was really hopeful that it would make it into my top 5. Somehow I ended up with a ridiculously silly top shot, and and expert editing second shot. It would be fun to get back to my basics. :)

But it's down to 7.44, so I don't think it's happening.

This is not a tame bird.

I put the birdcage out on my deck and started out by putting a dish of meal worms on the top. Once birds found that and got used to it, I moved meal worms out of the dish and onto the top of the bird cage. Then they were moved onto the table, in front of the door, and then inside the cage.

It was over 4 hours of time from start to when I gave up shooting.

The problem was, I have many, many shots of the bird flying INTO the cage, because I could see them coming and shoot. However, it was extremely difficult to catch them coming out of the cage. They gave no warning, and they move VERY fast!



I tried a brown backdrop and a blue backdrop, but those didn't work well. The white backdrop helps add light and worked better.



I took over 1200 shots.

This was the only one I like for the challenge. There were some fun shots, but not ones that really fit.


Statistics
Place: 1 out of 124
Avg (all users): 7.4775
Avg (commenters): 8.1111
Avg (participants): 7.2449
Avg (non-participants): 7.6613
Views since voting: 4641
Views during voting: 257
Votes: 111
Comments: 54
Favorites: 8 (view)

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AuthorThread
 05/19/2012 10:23:51 PM
Beautiful
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/18/2012 04:04:20 PM
I gave this a 9.
It's a beautiful photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/16/2012 06:49:05 PM
wonderful idea, perfect capture, congrats on the ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/16/2012 05:06:19 AM
So well done, congrats. You spend a lot of time out there on your deck ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/16/2012 05:02:43 AM
beautiful shot wendy, very striking!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/16/2012 03:13:05 AM
WELL EARNED! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/15/2012 10:19:31 PM
This is such a strong image Wendy!
Well deserving of a big old blue. Congratulations!
Thanks for also sharing, your specs on the shoot. It really makes one appreciate, the image even more.
Patience is so worth the effort.
Well done...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/15/2012 01:19:07 PM
beautiful stillness. I wish I had 1/10 your attention to detail and vision.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/15/2012 09:55:24 AM
1200 shots, wow! Congrats, B&W was a nice choice too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/15/2012 04:56:59 AM
Great dedication and a fab result. Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 09:23:57 PM
Congratulations, Wendy! Fantastic shot and I so admire your perseverance and dedication. 1200 shots, wow, can you imagine doing that with film?!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 07:53:23 PM
Back to look again.

Mealworms and Wendy ROCK!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 05:31:48 PM
I just love the whole idea of this and fits beautifully with the challenge - congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 03:33:44 PM
Congratulations Wendy on your win was a great idea and turned out amazing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 02:32:37 PM
An amazing shot and I really admire the dedication to get it. 1200 frames...wow.
Congrats on the well deserved blue...this was my favorite in the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 01:55:40 PM
Gave this a 9. Very well deserved ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 11:19:29 AM
Hoorah for this shot,Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 10:56:07 AM
one of my more favored shots. i was curious about the background, thanks for the explaination
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 09:51:00 AM
Patience, persistence, and creativity are a powerful mix. Congrats on the blue Wendy - very well deserved. Love the symbology of freedom/empty that resonates in the image and the action of flight.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 08:57:06 AM
WTG Wendy, another good one.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 08:53:06 AM
Hurray. This is just amazing and the symbolism of it speaks volumes!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 08:44:48 AM
I thought about saying something trite like "this challenge was made for you" but then I read you'd taken 1200 shots! - You're a trooper! Congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 07:18:23 AM
You really are a ribbon machine Wendy!

Nice shot and well done on another Ribbon.

Gonna have to up my game and start on the Ribbon bandwagon ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 06:59:05 AM
It really is an amazing shot - I was starting to think you had some sort of Dr. Doolittle witchcraft thing going that made animals magically do what you wanted - but now I see it really is persistance, dedication and imagination! Awesome work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 05:08:08 AM
Well done! Didn't have time to vote in this one so didn't see it earlier. Very nice composition and exposure!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 03:15:32 AM
Yes my compliments on the shot wendy very very nice. Congrats on first as well!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 02:46:45 AM
1200 shots ! I admire your dedication! Stand out shot in the challenge, congratulations Wendy!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 02:25:07 AM
Fantastic work, Wendy! Many congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 02:16:49 AM
You really do have extraordinary patience, Wendy. Incredible dedication. Congrats on the blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 01:17:40 AM
Congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 01:09:18 AM
Beautiful, Wendy!!

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:38:17 AM
Hehe this was always going to win, we might as well had not of bothered entering..........lol
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:28:43 AM
What also makes this shot is the fact that you used that old-fashioned birdcage, and not a modern all-wire job. Congrats on 'nother ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:28:37 AM
Wonderfully executed shot. Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:20:50 AM
One of my very top shots and if I'd had ANY idea how much work you put in, it would have been out there all alone - as it is now :) Congratulations, Wendy, on a very deserving blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:13:54 AM
Persistence pays. Excellent and difficult shot, very well taken.
congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:12:47 AM
I believe I said this would ribbon. :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:12:35 AM
Outstanding result!

Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:11:12 AM
Amazing shot, Wendy. Your talent and patience is amazing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:07:06 AM
Perfection!!! Congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:05:38 AM
Congrats on the Blue! Amazing patience
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:05:35 AM
Wonderful result. Told ya not to worry :-) Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2012 12:02:41 AM
Told you not to worry too much. Congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
05/13/2012 11:49:21 PM
great music goes with that movie... and this picture would compliment nicely. Love it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/13/2012 11:05:03 PM
Looks like a Wendy shot; great job. (voted earlier)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/13/2012 09:13:25 PM
Nicely executed and processed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2012 10:37:54 PM
I can't vote on this one but if I could I would give it a 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2012 10:18:45 PM
wonderful shot! - 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2012 09:25:47 PM
I love this! Perfect for this challenge, and beautiful to look at
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/09/2012 02:02:11 AM
wonderful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/07/2012 05:32:37 PM
I came back to this and bumped it up because as I look at it more, I like it more.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/07/2012 12:16:41 PM
Needs to real near the top.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/07/2012 12:27:05 AM
This is soooooooo.... Wendy!


Perfect. (as usual)

How DO you DO this!?!?!?



(commenting only)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/07/2012 12:18:20 AM
Really nice. Great contrasts. What a story!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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