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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 2:32:27 GMT
Just came back from a 3-day sortie at Olango Island. I'm still backing up my almost 50 GB of captures, but I quickly processed a couple so I can open the thread and other birdnuts who were at the sortie can post their photos.  The last time I visited the place was in 2004, and I then used a 20D + 400 5.6L to capture (all in jpeg) the wonderful birds of this nature preserve. There are fewer birds seen in this visit six years later. But I got more keepers because of better equipment (7D, 5D2, 500 f4 IS and 100-400 IS), the fact that I've been shooting RAW for a while, and more importantly I've learned many new birding, capture and processing techniques since 2004. I'm heavily indebted to fellow Birdnuts based in Cebu - Bobby K., Nilo A. and Tateo O. - who organized the logistics and joined me in the adventure. The Birdnut couple of Dr. Boy and Marester M. joined us in the second day of the sortie. I'm not sure which part of the trip I enjoyed most - the bird photography, the pristine locale, the irresistible food or the company, birding tales and hospitality of the Cebu Birdnuts. Gull-billed Tern ( Gelochelidon nilotica, migrant) Shooting info - Olango Island, Cebu, March 20, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS, 3421/A-328 support, 500 mm, f/5.6, ISO 320, 1/1600 sec, manual exposure in available light, major crop, 45.7 m distance.  BIRDNUT TATEO. Using a 7D + 300 2.8 (non-IS) + 2x TC, WBNPPI member Tateo O. shoots Olango birds from a hide. Tateo, who is from Japan but now a resident of Cebu City, is a jolly birdnut to be with - his and Bobby K's birding tales kept us constantly in stitches. ;D Shooting info - Olango Island, Cebu, March 20, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS, 3421/A-328 support, 500 mm, f/4, ISO 400, 1/800 sec, manual exposure in available light, near full frame, 79.9 m distance.  |
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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 5:35:33 GMT
Grey Plover ( Pluvialis squatarola, migrant) Shooting info - Olango Island, Cebu, March 19, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS, 3421/A-328 support, 500 mm, f/5.6, ISO 320, 1/2000 sec, manual exposure in available light, major crop, 45.7 m distance. 
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Post by Clemn A. Macasiano Jr. on Mar 22, 2010 5:44:42 GMT
The culprits of Olango Island Bird Sanctuary sortie [Adding IDs of birdnuts - from left: Arnold (ex-Sigmonster Tamer's birding buddy), ex-Sigmonster Tamer, the birdnut couple Boy and Marester M., Bobby K, Tateo O. and Nilo A.] |
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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 6:28:09 GMT
The culprits of Olango Island Bird Sanctuary sortie Looks like a gang in a picnic, Boy! ;D |
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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 6:39:16 GMT
Sometimes, the environment rather than extreme close up detail makes the shot. When Nilo and I saw this at the 7D's LCD, we called it " Stint in Heaven," because the melted foreground and background make the bird appear like foraging among the clouds. I almost went to heaven getting this shot, with my beloved tummy nearly crushed. ;D ;D ;D Rufous-necked Stint ( Calidris ruficollis, migrant) Shooting info - Olango Island, Cebu, March 20, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS + Canon 1.4x TC, Osawa ground support, 700 mm, f/6.3, ISO 250, 1/1000 sec, manual exposure in available light, near full frame, 32.4 m distance.  |
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Post by Neon Rosell II on Mar 22, 2010 7:16:23 GMT
Wooohooo...amazing captures Ka Mastah!! It's always great to see a group photo of birdnuts, Thanks, Clemn! Ka Mastah when you said "Osawa ground support" was it Osawa who supported the rig or the support belongs to Osawa? ;D nice to finally put a face to the name, nice to meet you Osawa even in a photo.  |
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Post by Ralf Nabong on Mar 22, 2010 7:42:41 GMT
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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 8:12:37 GMT
Thanks, partner! Wooohooo...amazing captures Ka Mastah!! It's always great to see a group photo of birdnuts, Thanks, Clemn! Ka Mastah when you said "Osawa ground support" was it Osawa who supported the rig or the support belongs to Osawa? ;D nice to finally put a face to the name, nice to meet you Osawa even in a photo. Hehe.... Osawa Ground Support is a revolutionary new product for low level shooting, developed and lent to me by our friend T. Osawa-san. It's made of space-age materials, lightweight and very simple to use. Very cheap too only for WBNPPI members. I think Nilo will post a shot later of Boy and I using the OGS on the ground. ;D |
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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 8:20:33 GMT
I don't think I got a lifer in this trip, but many documentray shots I got in 2004 were improved. ;D Terek Sandpiper ( Xenus cinereus, migrant) Shooting info - Olango Island, Cebu, March 20, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 3421/A-328 support, 700 mm, f/6.3, ISO 250, 1/1000 sec, manual exposure in available light, major crop, 32.4 m distance.  For reference, here's the only shot I got of this bird before, taken in 2004 with a hand held 20D + 400 5.6L.  |
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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 8:31:08 GMT
Incredible set Ka Mastah!  It's nice to see the faces of our friends from down under! Looks like they'll have their hands full when the birdnuts from Luzon start descending to this beautiful place! Any plans guys? The last shot Ka Mastah was really made in heaven! Thanks, Bong! You will notice in the group shot that Nilo and I are sporting dirty and bruised knees, this is from taking shots very close to the muddy sand. ;D |
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Post by Bob Kaufman on Mar 22, 2010 9:54:58 GMT
Excellent shots, Mastah Romy! The old and new shots of the Terek Sandpipers shows the great improvement in your photography style.
Also nice to see the fellow birdnuts of Sugbu. ;D
Anybody planning a trip there, please let me know.
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Post by Godfrey "Godo" Jakosalem on Mar 22, 2010 10:35:48 GMT
Wow nice trip and great details! I missed the trip i was out for the Busuanga Island wildlife expedition.
Congratulations!
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Post by Clemn A. Macasiano Jr. on Mar 22, 2010 16:26:50 GMT
Shooting the Mastah in action. This is how the Mastah acquired it's bruise in executing Osawa's low level shooting technique Osawa's Ground Support |
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Post by Clemn A. Macasiano Jr. on Mar 22, 2010 17:20:30 GMT
My share: Rufous Neck Stint 5DmkII on 300 mm 2.8L IS + 2xTC +1.4xTC ( Canon )
1/640 sec at f8, ISO 400 T. Osawa's low level shooting |
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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 21:06:29 GMT
Thanks, Bob and Godo! Hehe.... seems you used the Osawa Technique too while shooting me. Excellent low angle on the Stint, Boy! |
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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 23:01:14 GMT
BOBBY K STALKS A WATER BIRD. Cebu-based birdnut Bobby K toured us in the Jugan Fishponds (Consolacion, Cebu) on our way back to the airport from Olango Island. Here, he does the "Bobby K. Maneuver" - a patented stalking technique which has allowed him to bag extreme close up shots of Jugan birds. ;D (GIF file, please wait for the frames to load) 
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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 23:25:42 GMT
NILO SHOOTS IN GOLDEN LIGHT. Birding buddy Nilo A. shoots at water birds in golden late afternoon light. Shooting info - Olango Island, Cebu, March 19, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS, 3421/A-328 support, 500 mm, f/5, ISO 400, 1/1600 sec, manual exposure in available light, near full frame. 
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Post by Romy Ocon on Mar 22, 2010 23:44:16 GMT
BOY M CRADLES HIS BABY. Before wading in the shallow water to get to the shooting platform, Boy M. embraces his 300 2.8 IS + 2x TC + 5D2 as if the combo is a baby. Marester M. (partially hidden behind Boy) has a 5D2 + 100-400 IS, while Bobby K and Tateo O take a breather in a shed. Shooting info - Olango Island, Cebu, March 20, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS, 3421/A-328 support, 500 mm, f/4, ISO 400, 1/800 sec, manual exposure in available light, uncropped full frame. 
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Post by Bobby Kintanar on Mar 23, 2010 2:05:08 GMT
And here's the Ka Mastah himself, showing us that if you want great pictures, sometimes, you gotta get down and dirty:  |
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Post by Tonji Ramos on Mar 23, 2010 2:26:00 GMT
Haha. Very nice pictures here. The pics of the photographers are as interesting as the bird pics. Romy in great form here Bobby. |
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