Show your Bird Portraits

[steven kessel]

Vermilion Flycatcher. 5Diii, 400 DO, aperture preferred setting, ISO 800, f8 @ 1/3200

 

[tomscott]

Robin, Thacka, Thacka nature reserve, Penrith, Cumbria by Tom Scott, on Flickr

Canon EOS 7D Mark II, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM +2x, ƒ/5.6, 400mm, 1/500th, ISO 1250

Robin, Thacka, Thacka nature reserve, Penrith, Cumbria by Tom Scott, on Flickr

Canon EOS 7D Mark II, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM +2x, ƒ/5.6, 400mm, 1/60th, ISO 1000

It must be nearly winter! Although warm on the 1st November at 16deg here in Cumbria!! It seems like its ok to start posting images of the Robin!

The UK's favourite bird - with its bright red breast it is familar throughout the year and especially at Christmas! Males and females look identical, and young birds have no red breast and are spotted with golden brown. Robins sing nearly all year round and despite their cute appearance, they are aggressively territorial and are quick to drive away intruders. They will sing at night next to street lights.

 

[Click]

Beautiful shots, Tom.

 

[Isaac Grant]

Some Royal Terns from Staten Island, New York. There have been unprecedented numbers of them here this fall. Canon 7d2 and Sigma 150-600 C.

Royal Tern by Isaac Grant, on Flickr

Royal Tern by Isaac Grant, on Flickr

Royal Tern by Isaac Grant, on Flickr

Royal Tern by Isaac Grant, on Flickr

 

[tomscott]

Beautiful shots, Tom.

Thanks again Click

 

[Click]

Some Royal Terns from Staten Island, New York. There have been unprecedented numbers of them here this fall. Canon 7d2 and Sigma 150-600 C.

Very nice series, Isaac. I especially like the first picture. Well done.

 

[Isaac Grant]

Some Royal Terns from Staten Island, New York. There have been unprecedented numbers of them here this fall. Canon 7d2 and Sigma 150-600 C.

Very nice series, Isaac. I especially like the first picture. Well done.

Thanks. Hard to beat close birds and beautiful evening light.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Jack.
I think you will find the answer in Strobist, Lighting 101. Well worth a read if you haven't already read it. I think you are asking about the ratio ambient background to flash foreground or subject, I think you set the exposure for the background then adjust the flash power on manual to light the subject as you desire. I'm certain it is in the book, which is available as an ebook, it was on a free download recently, might still be.

Cheers, Graham.

Just occurred to me that someone might like to see this flash/no flash comparison from yesterday. Camera was on manual and with two shots @10fps the second wasn't illuminated. I've simply brightened the raw file to try to get a reasonable comparison of the difference one might expect on a semi-drab day. There was slight back lighting. Others have recommended fill flash in the past but I've only used it with a set-up, this was roaming on camera. 1D4, 300 2.8 cropped maybe 1/3 frame.

Any suggestions as to how to best proportion the natural light and flash with camera/flash settings would be much appreciated. I took a reference shot to get exposure, went manual and then played with the 600 EX setting.

Jack

 

[ERHP]

Thanks graham, I have so many berry trees, mainly mountain ash, and every last one ends up bare by about January - quite amazing.

Jack

LOL, I wish I had that problem Jack!

When the sun finally cleared the trees, one of the younger Pied Billed Grebes did a little song and dance number for me.

 

[Click]

So cute


Very nice shot, ERHP

 

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks Graham. No I haven't and I will look into it. So much for beginners to learn.

Lovely recent photos everyone.

Jack

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Steven, Tom, Isaac, ERHP.
Beautiful shots guys, such a high level of ability here.

Cheers, Graham.

Vermilion Flycatcher. 5Diii, 400 DO, aperture preferred setting, ISO 800, f8 @ 1/3200

 

[Claudelec]

Another "tec tec" in "la Reunion"
EF 100-400 II 278mm f/10 croped for file size reason

 

[steven kessel]

Cactus Wren. 5Diii, 400 DO, aperture preferred setting.

 

[Click]

Cactus Wren. 5Diii, 400 DO, aperture preferred setting.

Very nice picture, Steven.

 

[steven kessel]

Orange-crowned Warbler. 5Diii, 400DO, aperture preferred setting, ISO 500, f6.3 @ 1/2000

 

[Isaac Grant]

Like the Orange-crowned very much Steve.

Here is a shot of a quite common bird, the Song Sparrow, but I like the way the lighting and pose came on this one. Canon 7d2 and Sigma 150-600 C.

Song Sparrow by Isaac Grant, on Flickr

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Isaac, Steven and Claudelec.
Very nice shots, I also like the light on your little Song Sparrow Isaac, was there some flash on that or are you somewhere not affected by a dreary winter light, dull, overcast, foggy, raining and that's this week so far.

Cheers, Graham.

 

[Isaac Grant]

Hi Isaac, Steven and Claudelec.
Very nice shots, I also like the light on your little Song Sparrow Isaac, was there some flash on that or are you somewhere not affected by a dreary winter light, dull, overcast, foggy, raining and that's this week so far.

Cheers, Graham.

Thanks Graham. No flash. Photo was taken shortly after sunrise on a cool, cloudless day. I actually had to tone down the colors a bit as the warm light of the sun was too colorful. I live in New York City and we have been blessed this fall with a lot of high pressure, so clear skies and perfect shooting conditions. I have been a birder my whole life so when the weather does not cooperate I just go birding and don't worry about taking pictures. I think my camera and lens (7d2 and Sigma 150-600 C) can take very nice shots when the conditions are ideal. Once the light is poor the image quality degrades quite a bit. I think the lens in ideal conditions performs well above what it should so do my best to only take pictures when I think the results will follow. Sorry to hear about your weather.

 

[Click]

Like the Orange-crowned very much Steve.

Here is a shot of a quite common bird, the Song Sparrow, but I like the way the lighting and pose came on this one. Canon 7d2 and Sigma 150-600 C.

Lovely light. Very nice shot, Isaac.