Wednesday 6 January 2010

Poor start to the new year

This image of a drake Wigeon was taken at the watersports centre at Stithians Dam on Boxing Day.  The Wigeon flock feed on the grass fairly close to the road and I managed to take this shot from the car window with the 300mm F/2.8 lens.


The aperture was set to F/5.6 which gave a shutter speed of 1/1000s.  ISO was 400 and the exposure reduced to -0.7 EV in the bright morning sunlight.  Spot metering was selected to correctly expose the subject rather than the complete picture.

Why the poor start? Sadly, I won't be posting so many images for the next three months or so as an arm wrestling game at Christmas ripped my wrist ligaments.  With the arm in plaster and my inability to even lift the camera, one minutes' stupidity has cost me three months enjoyment.  I will just have to do my best as and when opportunities arise.

11 comments:

  1. Disaster! Really sorry to hear of your injury. However, your confessing it on this blog is a big 'listen up!' to all us middle-aged blokes who might get persuaded into physical silliness by our fit young sons and their friends!! Hope you mend fast!

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  2. That is real unlucky Steve, three months aint to bad. I damaged my wrist ligamnets (three months) and then when that was fixed I broke my elbow so 11 months in total. Get better soon, and I am sure you will still get some oportunites.

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  3. Sorry to hear that Steve. Hope the recovery is quicker than expected.

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  4. Get well soon Steve,the Birding world is one man down.
    John.

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  5. Great Image, it won't be long before you are back in the saddle. You will have to get your wife to hold the camera for you mate.

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  6. Hi,

    Love the blog and sorry to hear about your arm, you just need more practice ;)

    I was trying to find contact details but couldn't so I posted.

    We have just finished a new site for use by the birding community:
    www.birdingnews.co.uk
    We are contacting a limited number of people that we hope will let us know what they think about it before we take it out of beta. If you could let me know what you think that would be great.

    We also have an iPhone app out that can be used in conjunction with the site, you can find out more about the iPhone app here:
    http://www.birdingnews.co.uk/iphone/

    and this links through to the app in iTunes:
    http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=348791972&mt=8

    Paul

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  7. really sorry to hear that Steve, if you need someone to look after your lenses while you recover !!
    Catch up soon
    Pete

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  8. Get well soon Steve and Great shot!!
    If the camera is redundant I don't mind keeping it in use ;-)

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  9. Many thanks for all the wise comments: Gavin, thanks for yours, my consultant also said I was too old now for such stupidity but idiots like me kept him in work. Bobbster: three months is a lifetime to me and I def won't be breaking an elbow as well. Sam - less please of your own marrital habits! Ash, Peter and all others who think my gear is redundant - hands off!

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  10. Well done Steve - did you win the wrestle? I just hope you were wrestling a "big un" and not one of the kids!!! Sorry :-) Hope you get better soon. I know just how you feel. My own situation has no time limit at the moment and so I live in hope! Where there's a will there's a way! Happy New Year.

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