Views of a Mourning Dove

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Views of a Mourning Dove

February 26, 2013 by Mike Powell

Using a borrowed Nikon D300 camera with an 80-400mm lens, I was able to get a lot closer to birds than I am used to, permitting me to to get shots like these ones of a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura).

Yesterday was a mostly sunny, spring-like day and Cindy Dyer, my photography mentor, and I made a brief visit to a local nature center to shoot some photos. She was excited to photograph the purple crocuses (or is that croci) that were in bloom. (Be sure to check out her blog regularly as we move into spring for lots of gorgeous flower images.)

I, on the other hand, was eager to play around with the camera that she had lent me. Most often I shoot with a Canon Rebel XT and a 55-250mm zoom lens. It is a lightweight combination that has served me well, but it has some limitations. Cindy shoots with Nikon gear and is a self-professed “gadget girl,” so she had more than enough gear to share.

It took a while to get used to the settings on the Nikon, but the real challenge was learning to shoot with the large lens. My hands and arms were not used to the weight of such a lens and I definitely would need a lot more practice to take fuller advantage of its capabilities (and I probably should have put aside my male ego and followed Cindy’s recommendation to put the camera on a tripod).

Here are two images of a Mourning Dove that I photographed. Cindy tweaked the first one in Photoshop and it is striking to see how she was able to bring out the details in the dove. I produced the second image, working in Photoshop Elements. The starting images may have been of equal quality, but it is clear to me that Cindy’s greater experience in Photoshop helped her produce a superior final image in a shorter period of time.

What did I learn? Well, I think that the most important lesson to me is the value of constant practice, whether it be in using camera equipment or in using photo software. There are always new things to learn—and that helps to keep me energized about my photography.

Posted in Birds, commentary, Nature, Photography | Tagged dove, Hidden Pond Nature Center, mourning dove, Nikon 80-400mm lens, Nikon D300, Springfield, VA, Zenaida macroura | 8 Comments

8 Responses

on February 26, 2013 at 7:38 am | Reply Sue

I think the two images are equally good, actually. I clicked on them to enlarge the image and they are both sharp. I use Elements as well and am amazed at how well I can “recover” the image from what looks like a mediocre shot in the camera. Lots of tricks to learn, for sure.
on February 26, 2013 at 9:19 am | Reply Vicki

I also think the images are equally good.. 🙂
on February 26, 2013 at 9:52 am | Reply uthamz

Nice shots – Sharp and elegant !
Congrats !

utham
on February 26, 2013 at 10:28 am | Reply Photographer Ravi

Wonderful shots Mike!
on February 26, 2013 at 11:28 am | Reply lylekrahn

That extra 150 mm makes a huge difference, until you get used to it and want another 150! Then the question of whether to tripod or not becomes even more acute (the last word is the feeling in my shoulder after not using a tripod this last weekend). And the opportunities to learn continue in all areas.
on February 26, 2013 at 12:35 pm | Reply anisjarossi

Nice shot !
on March 4, 2013 at 11:22 am | Reply Joy @ Joyfully Green

Beautiful photos of my favorite bird! I came across them when your post popped up in my Zemanta suggestions for “related articles”, so I did indeed choose this post as a link to include at my blog–here’s the link: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/2013/03/mourning-doves-true-love-birds.html.
Keep up the nice work!
- on March 4, 2013 at 4:52 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  I am not sure how Zemanta works, but I am always happy when folks choose to link with my postings. Thanks.