Skagit Valley: Birds & Mountains

[Jim Dockery]

I almost put this in the wildlife forum, but decided that the landscape was as important in these shots. This was my first photo foray out into the real world since breaking my leg. I'm still on crutches so I had to pick a roadside area and this fit the bill. I headed up after lunch and stayed till sunset. I wasn't in the mood to drive too much so after 30 min. I gave up on finding a large flock of snow geese and instead worked on three locations with trumpeter swans (which I find more beautiful anyway) and mountains in the background. Mt. Baker is the volcano.

Skagit-Birds-3.10.18-(18)

• Jim Dockery
• Mar 11, 2018

Skagit-Birds-3.10.18-(137)

• Jim Dockery
• Mar 11, 2018

Skagit-Birds-3.10.18-(181)

• Jim Dockery
• Mar 11, 2018

Skagit-Birds-3.10.18-(192)

• Jim Dockery
• Mar 11, 2018

Skagit-Birds-3.10.18-(211)

• Jim Dockery
• Mar 11, 2018

Skagit-Birds-3.10.18-(243)-Pano1

• Jim Dockery
• Mar 11, 2018

Skagit-Birds-3.10.18-(248)

• Jim Dockery
• Mar 11, 2018

 

[AlanLichty]

I love the view of Mt. Baker in the last 3 images in the set. The swans are neat but I like the incredible snow cover on the mountain with the late day light.

 

[Ben Egbert]

It really feels good to get back out after being laid up. This is a nice collection, I sort of wish you had maintained the dof of 3rd image in the first two. As it is, I will go with the last three as favorites. I also like trumpeters.

 

[Jim Dockery]

Ben, it was impossible to get that kind of DOF in those shots because they were taken with my 150-600mm lens zoomed almost all the way out. Since the background was out of focus anyway I used the adjustment brush in ACR at: -100 sharpness, + 35 noise reduction, -9 clarity to blur it even further.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Gotcha, you must have been closer for the 3rd image.

 

[JimFox]

Hey Jim, it's great you are getting back out even if it's with crutches. #2 is my favorite, I really like that one. I do also like the pink glow on the mountains in the last few.