It's still cool enough in southern Florida, that the windows are open. I think we've had one day where the air conditioning was turned on. Summer is fast approaching, however, as the rain has been threatening lately and we've had some small storms. On top of the snowbirds packing up their apartments and talking about leaving in another week or two. Certainly by the end of the month, there will (hopefully) be less traffic and the plates on the cars go back to being from The Sunshine State instead of all over the States.
While I was doing some computer work this afternoon, I kept hearing the "coo" "coo" of a mourning dove, somewhere outside my window. It was either taking a walk on the door path or it was hanging in the gutter of my upstairs neighbor's front door. Either way, it was super close and wanted to hang out.
When I looked outside my window, sure enough, it was in the gutter above me, just hanging out. I was surprised the dove didn't have a friend with it, as they usually chill in pairs. The only thing I can think of, is maybe the friend went to get a snack or a new movie, because it was only this one for about half an hour.
The second I went to get my camera (because I wanted to take a video), the bird moved to the opposite gutter, which is my immediate downstairs neighbor. More opportunity for me, as then I wouldn't be at a weird angle to take some photos. The mourning dove is in a better light, so to speak, as where he was above my head, he was in a shadow.
Photos and video were taken with a Canon EOS Rebel T7i digital camera, 75-300m zoom lens and no major editing involved, except my name. Photos edited in Photoshop and video edited in Pinnacle.
I didn't want to do any type of manipulation because I felt that it wasn't really warranted. I could have sharpened up the pictures or had a little more time to focus when taking them, but I also had a few things going on in the house, as evident by the background noise in the video. Don't mind the plane that roars over head; can't help when that happens. Although, my mother thought it was my neighbor's crappy pickup truck. 😲 Haha.
I feel like you can always tell when a telephoto zoom and it being a complete zoom when a small halo is around the subject. I am by no means a professional, but there are some things I've noticed with photos, based solely on how I've mismanaged my own stills. You see bad in one and it kind of leaps to others.
However, it amazes me when I see full blown posters for sale (we're talking 18x24 and larger) of celebrities and the picture was taken with a telephoto because there's a sharpening around the edges that seems abnormal. Why enlarge the photo to a size where it could be extremely noticeable? For example, I was in a store one day (last summer) and they were selling a 24x36 (movie poster size) of some musician. It looked awful up close and in a frame. I forget who the artist was, but I think the store was selling the artwork for over $100. If I were a fan, I would not want to spend that much on that poster because the white halo thing was too obvious. I don't know how else to explain it, but I know it happens when you use an extreme zoom on anything and then you end up printing it. It's some sort of sharpening focus effect.
Which is why on my photos, I know it exists and I know I need to learn to take better pictures. Even manipulate them more so you can't tell it was a zoom. Soften the edges and not make them so harsh, but at the same time, don't make them seem fake. This dove I was trying to take photos of, was one of those instances where I was shooting through my window and since I was at a height disadvantage, I had to do what was needed to get some form of clear shots.
Things happen. I'm happy with some of them, including the video, because you can see how the bird just hung out and wanted to have a conversation with anyone who would listen. Maybe next time his friend will come back and within reason.
Until then, keep your head out of the clouds so you don't get hit by any flying aluminum.
Cheers;
See also:
- Canon Zoom Lens EF 75-300mm via Amazon
- Canon EOS Rebel T7i via Amazon
- Photoshop via Amazon
- Pinnacle Studio via Amazon
