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Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 05:47 PM
Went to Gatorland again with a member of the local camera club and the snowy egrets were out on force choosing mates and nesting shots. It was also love season for the gators. The bull gators also were strutting their stuff with low roaring, heads and tails out of the water and vibrating the water along their backs. It was an amazing morning.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1598/25410859923_97340f03f4_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EHtimx)DSC_8639 (https://flic.kr/p/EHtimx) [/url]


Seemed to be many gators courting in the water.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1578/25410865073_259efc54fd_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8445 (https://flic.kr/p/EHtjTk) [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/]

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 05:48 PM
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1505/25920193432_b1368f76cd_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FutLsL)DSC_8580-2 (https://flic.kr/p/FutLsL)

discuspaul
03-24-2016, 05:57 PM
Very Nice, Pat.

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 06:12 PM
Very Nice, Pat.

Thank you Paul :D

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 06:17 PM
The small wading birds were also pairing off and building nests. This little guy are busy fetching sticks for his mate while she build the nest.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1662/25740507760_9379675582_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FdAQaW)DSC_8669-2 (https://flic.kr/p/FdAQaW) [/url]

Stick hand-off.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1694/25947109131_6fb06174a7_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8699 (https://flic.kr/p/FwRHyx)

and go fetch some more.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1479/25947100321_1934b040ee_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8716 (https://flic.kr/p/FwREWD)

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1713/25411311493_713f88f5b4_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8714 (https://flic.kr/p/EHvBAe) [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/]

Rudustin
03-24-2016, 06:18 PM
Pat, You may need to go into another profession. Wildlife photographer! Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing. Rufus

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 06:20 PM
Pat, You may need to go into another profession. Wildlife photographer! Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.
Rufus

Thanks Rufus, still getting my feet wet with this stuff but it's coming. :D
Pat

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 06:44 PM
So the gators appear to be forming couples.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1494/25409371154_eb2ba5ec84_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EHkEN7)DSC_8436 (https://flic.kr/p/EHkEN7) [/url]

and they would come together.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1640/25741274360_d196c30a37_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8435 (https://flic.kr/p/FdEL4b)

and then really come together.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1534/25921508772_16cf524e4e_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8450 (https://flic.kr/p/FuAvt3) [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/]

Akili
03-24-2016, 06:54 PM
Once again nice shots Pat!

Woodyg
03-24-2016, 06:58 PM
Beautiful pictures!

pastry
03-24-2016, 07:01 PM
Why are the gators on top smiling???

brewmaster15
03-24-2016, 07:16 PM
The small wading birds were also pairing off and building nests. This little guy are busy fetching sticks for his mate while she build the nest.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1662/25740507760_9379675582_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FdAQaW)DSC_8669-2 (https://flic.kr/p/FdAQaW) [/url]

Stick hand-off.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1694/25947109131_6fb06174a7_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8699 (https://flic.kr/p/FwRHyx)

and go fetch some more.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1479/25947100321_1934b040ee_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8716 (https://flic.kr/p/FwREWD)

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1713/25411311493_713f88f5b4_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8714 (https://flic.kr/p/EHvBAe) [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/]

Very nice tri-colored herons(aka Louisiana Herons) Pat.. they are one of my Favorite Herons. Their breeding plummage and Bill color in breeding season is just spectacular.... nicely captured.

Al

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 07:20 PM
Once again nice shots Pat!

Thanks Akili :D


Beautiful pictures!

Thank you too Woody :)


Why are the gators on top smiling???

Hmmm...I wonder why Elliot :p

rickztahone
03-24-2016, 07:33 PM
Great captures all around. 8669-2 is one of my favorites here, but the gator shots are really nice too.

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 07:44 PM
Very nice tri-colored herons(aka Louisiana Herons) Pat.. they are one of my Favorite Herons. Their breeding plummage and Bill color in breeding season is just spectacular.... nicely captured.

Al

Thanks Al, these guys are absolutely spectacular, thank you for identifying them. :D
Pat

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 07:48 PM
Great captures all around. 8669-2 is one of my favorites here, but the gator shots are really nice too.

Thanks Ricardo, I really like that one too. :D
Pat

brewmaster15
03-24-2016, 07:53 PM
;)

brewmaster15
03-24-2016, 07:55 PM
Pat you really are very lucky...to have access to such wildlife to photograph! I would be lying if I didnt say I was jealous! You are in the perfect place to really have fun taking wildlife pictures...especially birds and reptiles.
Al

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 08:05 PM
Pat you really are very lucky...to have access to such wildlife to photograph! I would be lying if I didnt say I was jealous! You are in the perfect place to really have fun taking wildlife pictures...especially birds and reptiles.
Al

I can not disagree with that Al and I am really enjoying this photo journey I am on. This morning leaving to meet George at Gatorland, I looked over the lake and the moon was right at the tops of the trees about to set over the lake. I am hoping to capture that this weekend but looks like we are going to be rained in :(. Perhaps time to play with focus stacking.
Pat

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 08:10 PM
King of the pond

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1455/25413426753_9ca99d3038_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EHGsoe)DSC_8665 (https://flic.kr/p/EHGsoe)

rickztahone
03-24-2016, 09:21 PM
Very nice shot. I would probably bump up the shadows just a bit. Water dancing is so amazing. I have always found it fascinating.

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 10:14 PM
Very nice shot. I would probably bump up the shadows just a bit. Water dancing is so amazing. I have always found it fascinating.

Better

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1659/26017882475_7597b1fd1c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FD7s1B)DSC_8665-3 (https://flic.kr/p/FD7s1B)

rickztahone
03-24-2016, 10:58 PM
Actually I meant the opposite, but for some reason this kind of works, lol. If you do local shadow recovery on the subject itself, it may look even better. I like the vignette style PP on this. In fact, you seem to be able to push clarity on this file a bit and still have a very usable shot.

Second Hand Pat
03-24-2016, 11:44 PM
Actually I meant the opposite, but for some reason this kind of works, lol. If you do local shadow recovery on the subject itself, it may look even better. I like the vignette style PP on this. In fact, you seem to be able to push clarity on this file a bit and still have a very usable shot.

How about a bit of both. :)

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1480/25993063026_6ef79bd51a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FAVf45)DSC_8665-6 (https://flic.kr/p/FAVf45)

rickztahone
03-24-2016, 11:49 PM
That's a good medium. The right side of the snout I still believe to be too dark, but now I am just nit-picking.

Second Hand Pat
03-25-2016, 12:09 AM
That's a good medium. The right side of the snout I still believe to be too dark, but now I am just nit-picking.

The more I play with this pic the more I like it.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1633/25952896271_82aff64336_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FxnnSP)DSC_8665-8 (https://flic.kr/p/FxnnSP)

Second Hand Pat
03-25-2016, 08:51 AM
Dueling gators.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1689/26025440945_66b97ccc36_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FDMbT4)DSC_8676 (https://flic.kr/p/FDMbT4)

SomeFin's Fishy
03-25-2016, 10:18 AM
Absolutely beautiful photos! Keep them coming if you have more!

SMB2
03-25-2016, 04:23 PM
Great stuff Pat. Love the Tricolored Herons. They have blue eggs which really make for a nice shot if you can catch one standing over the nest.
The gator vibrators are just amazing to see.

On the Snowy, try playing with the white slider to bring out the white a bit more. If you hold down the option/alt key and click the white slider in Basic, the screen will go blank. Slide to the right until you just see some color dots, then correct back to the left until the screen is just blank. Should give you white without blowing any highlights.
(If it still looks to much you can always go to the left more.)

Second Hand Pat
03-25-2016, 04:29 PM
Thanks Stan, I think my monitor needs to be calibrated. If I go too black I get blues breeding in the blacks and if I go too white I get reds breeding into the whites. Very annoying and open to suggestions.
Pat

Second Hand Pat
03-25-2016, 04:37 PM
Ok, got a bit more white before going into the reds.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1457/26032819705_146c73bf6e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FEr1k4)DSC_8580-3 (https://flic.kr/p/FEr1k4)

Phillydubs
03-25-2016, 04:39 PM
Man Pat your pics just get better and better! You seem to be great at getting the "action" shots as well and really capturing them. I feel like your pictures are moving when they are just a still image which to me is quite impressive to say the least!!

rickztahone
03-25-2016, 06:27 PM
Very nice Pat. I see what you are talking about with the gator. Looks very good. I like this last bird too!

Second Hand Pat
03-25-2016, 07:41 PM
Man Pat your pics just get better and better! You seem to be great at getting the "action" shots as well and really capturing them. I feel like your pictures are moving when they are just a still image which to me is quite impressive to say the least!!

Thanks Phil, that makes me feel special. Thanks for the nice compliment :D
Pat

Second Hand Pat
03-25-2016, 07:42 PM
Very nice Pat. I see what you are talking about with the gator. Looks very good. I like this last bird too!

Thanks Ricardo, appreciate it. I actually addressed the bird again to remove the gray middling Stan has mentioned in the past.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1588/25430595584_bc1cbf8956_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EKds5y)DSC_8580-4 (https://flic.kr/p/EKds5y)

rickztahone
03-25-2016, 07:43 PM
I personally preferred the first one. The white resounds more, but that's just me. The photo itself is excellent.

Second Hand Pat
03-25-2016, 07:44 PM
Absolutely beautiful photos! Keep them coming if you have more!

Thanks Mark :D
Pat

Discus-n00b
03-25-2016, 09:07 PM
Looking good once again! Really cool to see the Gators boil the water like that. Makes me want to go back to Gatorland!!

Second Hand Pat
03-25-2016, 09:48 PM
I personally preferred the first one. The white resounds more, but that's just me. The photo itself is excellent.

It's amazing how subtle whites can be.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1509/25944506882_91943a7cc8_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FwCo1b)DSC_8580-7 (https://flic.kr/p/FwCo1b)

Second Hand Pat
03-25-2016, 09:50 PM
Looking good once again! Really cool to see the Gators boil the water like that. Makes me want to go back to Gatorland!!

Thanks Matt, between the boil and the low roar it really is amazing especially when you have a dozen bull gators going for it.
Pat

Second Hand Pat
03-26-2016, 10:10 AM
Continuing to play with the feather definition of these white birds.

Bad Hair Day

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1490/25443586303_5735c45795_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ELn2Lt)DSC_8574 (https://flic.kr/p/ELn2Lt) [/url]

This little mom was standing in her nest. Only a few of the snowy egrets had nests.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1497/25773299050_d80a7e9477_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8412 (https://flic.kr/p/FguTT1)

While the larger egrets had a good range of chicks in difference sizes. This chick's skin is green.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1548/26020206766_2a274b9673_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/)DSC_8633 (https://flic.kr/p/FDjmWA) [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129594174@N08/]

rickztahone
03-26-2016, 01:17 PM
Bad hair day is really a great capture. One of my fave so far

Len
03-26-2016, 08:15 PM
I particularly like that one as well. The nice blur in the background while keeping such clarity on each individual feather sticking up makes it really stunning.

discuspaul
03-26-2016, 08:22 PM
Just absolutely fabulous, Pat ! Stunning photos of the Egrets !

Second Hand Pat
03-26-2016, 09:28 PM
Bad hair day is really a great capture. One of my fave so far

Thanks Ricardo, I do believe I am getting the hang out of getting some nice feather definition on these white birds. :)


I particularly like that one as well. The nice blur in the background while keeping such clarity on each individual feather sticking up makes it really stunning.

Thanks Len, hard to get nice backgrounds on some of these birds. I have several pictures of this guy on that limb. :)
Pat

Second Hand Pat
03-26-2016, 09:28 PM
Just absolutely fabulous, Pat ! Stunning photos of the Egrets !

Thanks so much Paul :D
Pat