rip18
Senior Member
Drake bufflehead in the rain.
Y'all wouldn't believe what I had to do to get this shot...
Nikon D3, Nikkor 600 mm w/27.5 mm of extension tube, f/11, 1/250th second, ISO 360, tripod, cropped to about 60% of frame.
I have spent untotaled HOURS either in freezing cold water or burning up in waders in the heat trying to get decent duck shots. I've had ice forming around me and my gear. I've had water POUR over the top of my waders too often to recount when I forget and lean too far forward. I've put up with stinging spray on boat trips. I've dried out gear again and again. I've spent too much money on waterproof cases and wetland camo. I've come back from many trips with few (or NO) images.
Well for this shot. I used my NC Zoological society card to gain entry into Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park where they have one of the most extensive (if not THE most extensive) collections of waterfowl in the world. I went up the gravel path to the pond. Set my tripod up to where it would just shoot over the border grasses, and scooched right up to the fence where I could shoot through it and it wouldn't show up. Then I waited for the captive bird to swim into the spray from the aerating fountain so I could take a "rainy day" picture while staying perfectly dry...
Y'all wouldn't believe what I had to do to get this shot...
Nikon D3, Nikkor 600 mm w/27.5 mm of extension tube, f/11, 1/250th second, ISO 360, tripod, cropped to about 60% of frame.
I have spent untotaled HOURS either in freezing cold water or burning up in waders in the heat trying to get decent duck shots. I've had ice forming around me and my gear. I've had water POUR over the top of my waders too often to recount when I forget and lean too far forward. I've put up with stinging spray on boat trips. I've dried out gear again and again. I've spent too much money on waterproof cases and wetland camo. I've come back from many trips with few (or NO) images.
Well for this shot. I used my NC Zoological society card to gain entry into Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park where they have one of the most extensive (if not THE most extensive) collections of waterfowl in the world. I went up the gravel path to the pond. Set my tripod up to where it would just shoot over the border grasses, and scooched right up to the fence where I could shoot through it and it wouldn't show up. Then I waited for the captive bird to swim into the spray from the aerating fountain so I could take a "rainy day" picture while staying perfectly dry...
