Aditya Panda
02-02-2009, 11:58 PM
I had a blast with a couple of Little Grebes, or Dabchicks, at the Kaushalyaganga wetlands yesterday. Using a car as a hide, I managed to let two of them, both males, swim very close to me- hardly 20 feet away. They were close enough for me to get near full-frame images (this one is a 20% crop) with only my 300/4 without a TC. Something I had never even dreamt of doing with Dabchicks- they're shy and will hardly fit into a man's palm!
It was interesting to observe these guys from so close. I got to observe their behaviour a bit, and even saw (and photographed) one of them calling- lovely, funny call! After this guy came up with the fish, it played around a bit with it, perhaps trying to get a better grip, and then swallowed it whole. I'll post more of the sequence soon. Somehow I forgot to carry my beanbag, as it was an impulse trip. I hope Pentax's 'Shake Reduction' has taken care of that sufficiently.
Cheers,
Aditya
EXIF:
PENTAX K 10D,
SMC PENTAX DA* 300mmF4 ED(IF) SDM
Aperture Priority
Shutter Speed: 1/640 sec
Aperture: f/4
Sensitivity: ISO 100
Exposure Compensation: -0.3 EV
Metering Mode: Spot
It was interesting to observe these guys from so close. I got to observe their behaviour a bit, and even saw (and photographed) one of them calling- lovely, funny call! After this guy came up with the fish, it played around a bit with it, perhaps trying to get a better grip, and then swallowed it whole. I'll post more of the sequence soon. Somehow I forgot to carry my beanbag, as it was an impulse trip. I hope Pentax's 'Shake Reduction' has taken care of that sufficiently.
Cheers,
Aditya
EXIF:
PENTAX K 10D,
SMC PENTAX DA* 300mmF4 ED(IF) SDM
Aperture Priority
Shutter Speed: 1/640 sec
Aperture: f/4
Sensitivity: ISO 100
Exposure Compensation: -0.3 EV
Metering Mode: Spot