[Leica] American Robin

[telyt at earthlink.net (Douglas Herr)]

It's time I put warning labels on my photos, like the ones on convex 
rear-view mirrors on cars that remind you that OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER 
THAN THEY APPEAR

I'm open to suggestions.  How about EMULATION MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR 
WEALTH or DO NOT ATTEMPT WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION?

;-)

Doug Herr
Birdman of Sacramento
http://www.wildlightphoto.com

BTW the SL2 is my ISO 200 camera.  It has played a significant role in the 
Black Phoebe and Ring-necked Pheasant photos.


-----Original Message-----
From: John Collier <jbcollier@shaw.ca>
Sent: Jan 7, 2005 11:42 AM
To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
Subject: Re: [Leica] American Robin

Well I guess it is confession time. A number of years ago I got stars 
in my eyes after looking at too many of Doug's images. I began to fancy 
that I too could be the bird world's equivalent of Avedon. Birds would 
flock around me just as they obviously do for Doug.

To make sure, I even bought Doug's old 400/6.8! Yep, the very lens that 
made so many of his early images. I next procured an SL2 (a camera also 
blessed by Doug), a rare SL/2 2x converter, 14182 extension tube and a 
few other odd bits and pieces.

So there I was all set. I mounted the 400/14182/2x on to the SL2 and 
waited by my bird feeder. Soon a likely suspect appeared -- a young 
cheeky twit I soon found out -- and I framed and focused carefully. 
Just before I pressed the shutter release, I thought I saw an odd 
expression appear on the bird's face: sort of the beginnings of a 
smile. The mirror slapped down, the shutter did its stuff and the 
mirror dropped back into position. The bird was still there and hadn't 
moved a bit. Though now the darn thing seemed to be laughing!

Oh well the film went off to the lab and here is what came back:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/album139/getting_the_bird

Sure it is sharp (not bad for a handheld 800 f:gawdknowswhat) but I 
knew right then and there that I was not going to be the Avedon of the 
bird world. A higher feathered power was gently telling me to get back 
on the viewfinder track and leave SLRs and birds alone. I sold the lens 
to another local chap on the list,  warned him about the cheeky twits. 
I sold the SL2 to Doug where I hope it is finally doing a bit of good.

John Collier

On Jan 6, 2005, at 2:42 PM, Douglas Herr wrote:

> John Collier <jbcollier@shaw.ca> wrote:
>
>> I know it's not true bu it looks to me that the birds are lining up to
>> get photographed by Mr. Herr. His photos are, as always, some of the
>> best of their genre.
>
> Thanks John.  With the big 400/2.8 I somethimes thing the opposite is 
> true.  It has two (count 'em, 2) flat protective plates in front of 
> the front element and I'm beginning to think it's reflecting an image 
> back to the birds 'cuz as soon as I point the lens at the bird it gets 
> this freaked-out expression on its face and leaves in a hurry.  Cedar 
> Waxwings especially do this, even if only have to move the lens 
> slightly to aim at the bird.  I haven't noticed this with the 280 f/4 
> APO, which has a single flat protective plate in front of the front 
> element.  Maybe size does matter.

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