I jumped the gun and posted a critique image and forgot to introduce myself so I’m back stepping a little now.
I’m retired and spend a lot of time walking the trails and parks around Ithaca, N.Y. with my camera gear. I like photographing intimate landscapes, waterfalls, macro, birds and small scenes. There aren’t many opportunities in this area to shoot grand landscapes because of all the hills. I’ve been learning the skills of photography and Photoshop for about 3 years. I used my iPhone as a camera for the first year and then purchased a professional full frame camera. I’m looking forward to being a part of this community. I’m loving my first critique session and have already met some of the community.
Being retired and a nature photographer is the bomb. I’ve been doing it for a few years and love it. This is a great look at these two ospreys. Nesting I imagine. Energy to burn until the kids come. Glad you found your way here and I hope to see more of your work. Oh and grand landscapes are nice in their way, but you’ll find a lot of appreciation for other things here. Cheers!
Thanks Kristen. It is a nesting place that was built in one of our local parks. The Osprey return every year. You may know this, but the female is sitting. It has a necklace around it’s neck.
I had no idea there was any plumage difference between the genders. Very cool - thanks for sharing that. I really need to plant my kayak and shoot these guys. There are two rivers 20 minutes away that have active populations. Such explosive action with these guys.
Hi, Donna and welcome to NPN. I think you’ll enjoy the interaction and the friendly, helpful critiques. I’m an amateur wildlife photographer, so almost never comment on landscapes, unless they really strike me for some reason. This is a fine first image; good detail in the birds and the wingspread of the one is awesome. Good work.
@Kris_Smith I love taking photos of birds in flight and Osprey are great for that. I try very hard to capture small birds in flight, but I get very few that are sharp where need be and worth processing. Yet I keep trying. It’s a fun challenge. I also kayak and have a great river that runs parallel to the Erie Canal. There’s lots of Eagles, Osprey, Green Herons and Gray Herons. I haven’t had the chance to try out my professional camera there. Looking forward to that this fall. Glad you like the photo, it’s one of my favorites.
@Terry _Brunholtz Thanks for the welcome. I’ve only been taking photos of birds since last summer and just get lucky a lot of the time. I really enjoy it, in fact, enough to carry a 5lb 200mm-600mm telephoto lens around. I’ve already found this community to be helpful and friendly. I know I’m going to learn a lot and that makes me happy. Looking forward to viewing some of your wildlife images.
Welcome to the NPN, Donna. Being retired is great! I read your post and can’t hide the fact that I feel a bit envious of the many opportunities you have even in the summer. Trust me, in Texas, it’s a scorched landscape, small and large. I’m enjoying seeing your images and living vicariously.
Hi Donna, welcome to NPN. I retired last November and love it. I live in Portland, Oregon and have been focusing on intimate landscapes, flora, and some experiments with ICM. Looking forward to seeing more of your work.
Thank you Egidio. I love retirement and it has given me an opportunity to get out and hit the trails any time I want. Time moves quickly now and retirement will come for you in no time.
Thanks David. I’ve been to Portland, Oregon a few times and love the Oregon coast. I want to try ICM too. It looks like fun. Post some of your photos. I’d love to see them.
Great first post Donna. Like the others have said, I think you’ll this community welcoming and helpful. Looking forward to many more images from all categories. Oh, and thanks for the lesson on the differences between the males and the females. I didn’t know that.
Donna, I’m sorry for confusing you with my poorly written note. I have been retired since December 2017. The reason for the envious allusion was just relating to the weather.
