Searching My Bird Archives

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been searching my bird archives diligently trying to choose some older images that can be incorporated in an upcoming bird photography eBook. This has been one of those projects that has been difficult to keep moving with the need to juggle priorities.

NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.

E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 560 mm, efov 1120 mm, f/9, 1/3200, ISO-3200, subject distance 8.8 metres

Given my proclivity to photograph birds-in-flight this has meant going back through my bird archives to identify potential images for the eBook that illustrate more birds in non-flight situations.

Nikon 1 V3 + 1 Nikkor 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300 mm, efov 810 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO-1100

Putting a project like this eBook together certainly forces one to think in much broader terms when selecting photographs to include.

E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 545 mm, efov 1090 mm, f/9, 1/2500, ISO-2000, subject distance 60.8 metres

Factors like environment, lighting conditions and species of bird all come into play.

Nikon 1 V3 + 1 Nikkor 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300 mm, efov 810 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO-450

And if possible, choosing images that specifically illustrate information points contained in the text of the eBook are important to find.

Nikon 1 V3 + 1 Nikkor 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 234 mm, efov 632 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO-1000

Over the past couple of years I’ve rewritten the text for this eBook 3 times.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS @ 400 mm, efov 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/800, ISO-2000, subject distance 22.2 metres

Some topic areas have been tightened up, while others have been expanded to a reasonable degree.

Nikon 1 V3 + 1 Nikkor 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300 mm, efov 810 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO-3200

And, there have been a number of times where I’ve decided to add some brand new content.

Nikon 1 V3 + 1 Nikkor 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300 mm, efov 810 mm, f/5.6, 1/320, ISO-800

These additions have caused the greatest delays with the eBook, as I needed to then determine where the new content would be best placed.

Nikon 1 V3 + 1 Nikkor 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 229 mm, efov 618 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000, ISO-640

While all of these changes and additions will hopefully will make the eBook more relevant and useful… it has also slowed the project down considerably.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS @ 169 mm, efov 338 mm, f/6.3, 1/100, ISO-6400, subject distance 1.7 metres

At this point I have almost 300 potential photographs selected for my birding eBook. So, I’m not quite at the half way point in my initial image selection process. Another couple of weeks will be needed to finalize my initial image selection.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm @ 110 mm, efov 229 mm, f/2.8, 1/250, ISO-6400, subject distance 980 mm

Realistically I’ll need to start with a pool of 800 photographs, then whittle those down to 250-300 for inclusion in the eBook, as the final edit and assembly are done.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm @ 150 mm, efov 3000 mm, f/4, 1/400, ISO-500, subject distance 1.8 metres

I’d like to thank all of my readers who have been patiently waiting for me to complete this bird photography eBook… and sending me the occasional request for project updates. We are getting much closer!

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter @ 210 mm, efov 420 mm, f/5, 1/2000, ISO-3200, subject distance 3.5 metres

Technical Note

Photographs were captured handheld with the camera equipment  noted in the EXIF data. All images were created from RAW files using my standard process in post. This is the 1,414 article published on this website since its original inception in 2015.

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4 thoughts on “Searching My Bird Archives”

  1. Hello Tom,

    I’m glad to read that you’re producing an eBook on my favourite subject. Knowing your blog style, I’m sure it will be very informative and readable. I look forward to it being ready.

    all the best,
    David

  2. I have been toying with a coffee table book, but it keeps on the back burner. I look forward to the ebook. Cheers!

    1. Hi Randy,

      I can identify with your back burner comment. Sometimes it can be very difficult to keep working on a project when other tasks are more immediate in terms of being a priority. I haven’t been out very much with my camera creating new images for the past couple of months as I’m putting in “office time” keeping my bird photography eBook slowly moving forward. I’ve been doubling down with my time commitment the past few weeks. We’ll keep you posted…

      Tom

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