Show your Bird Portraits
- Thread starter 1982chris911
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I have been trying out my new Tamron 150-600 and I am impressed with the results so far, I still need a lot of practice to come up to the standard of this thread. The Kingfisher was about 20 yards away and I have cropped the pictures a bit but its still an impressive result from the tamron
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One reason I'm here on CR is gear. However, this thread is a favorite for other reasons mainly but still it can give a person some idea relative to lenses etc. For me personally, it took a while to realize (slow learner) that the very best detailed photos were quite simply "filled frame". In other words there is no substitute for putting in the effort to get close. Sure we crop, but the less, the better.
Since there are a few newcomers I thought I'd mention that what I've found for birds is that they generally don't appreciate upright human forms, especially when they are moving, so one solution is to just take a comfortable lawn chair, locate it in a desirable location and sit still and wait - they'll come - well many will, anyway. Like Don has suggested, a portable blind is great or like me a permanent one (shed) works too if located near something desirable like berry trees or feeders, etc.. Bird calls can help too. And as jrista pointed out to me a couple years ago many of the super impressive shots actually involve props and the coaxing of birds.
At any rate, I thought it worth pointing out that, with some exceptions, the top photos generally come with considerable effort and patience, although skill with the equipment is still important. FWIW.
Jack
Since there are a few newcomers I thought I'd mention that what I've found for birds is that they generally don't appreciate upright human forms, especially when they are moving, so one solution is to just take a comfortable lawn chair, locate it in a desirable location and sit still and wait - they'll come - well many will, anyway. Like Don has suggested, a portable blind is great or like me a permanent one (shed) works too if located near something desirable like berry trees or feeders, etc.. Bird calls can help too. And as jrista pointed out to me a couple years ago many of the super impressive shots actually involve props and the coaxing of birds.
At any rate, I thought it worth pointing out that, with some exceptions, the top photos generally come with considerable effort and patience, although skill with the equipment is still important. FWIW.
Jack
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and food......Jack Douglas said:One reason I'm here on CR is gear. However, this thread is a favorite for other reasons mainly but still it can give a person some idea relative to lenses etc. For me personally, it took a while to realize (slow learner) that the very best detailed photos were quite simply "filled frame". In other words there is no substitute for putting in the effort to get close. Sure we crop, but the less, the better.
Since there are a few newcomers I thought I'd mention that what I've found for birds is that they generally don't appreciate upright human forms, especially when they are moving, so one solution is to just take a comfortable lawn chair, locate it in a desirable location and sit still and wait - they'll come - well many will, anyway. Like Don has suggested, a portable blind is great or like me a permanent one (shed) works too if located near something desirable like berry trees or feeders, etc.. Bird calls can help too. And as jrista pointed out to me a couple years ago many of the super impressive shots actually involve props and the coaxing of birds.
At any rate, I thought it worth pointing out that, with some exceptions, the top photos generally come with considerable effort and patience, although skill with the equipment is still important. FWIW.
Jack
never underestimate food.....
it can bring them in REALLY close.....
(apologies for picture quality, it is heavily compressed, will replace it with a better version when I get home)
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and sex ........
When birds are romantically involved or fending off contending males it is often possible to get extremely close.
Jack
When birds are romantically involved or fending off contending males it is often possible to get extremely close.
Jack
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Hi Jack.
As you know, I've been here a while now, but it never hurts to be reminded of these things.
Thanks for the refresher lesson.
My little bit of input, if you can use a flash the birds seem to get acclimatised to it very quickly (at least they did where I shoot) so did the squirrel, and it seems to make a lot of difference to the quality of my shots.
Whilst I'm here, I'd like to congratulate everyone on the quality of the postings recently, they have all ranged from very good to stunning so this is my pat on the back for the effort that you all have made. Thanks.
Cheers, Graham.
As you know, I've been here a while now, but it never hurts to be reminded of these things.
Thanks for the refresher lesson.
My little bit of input, if you can use a flash the birds seem to get acclimatised to it very quickly (at least they did where I shoot) so did the squirrel, and it seems to make a lot of difference to the quality of my shots.
Whilst I'm here, I'd like to congratulate everyone on the quality of the postings recently, they have all ranged from very good to stunning so this is my pat on the back for the effort that you all have made. Thanks.
Cheers, Graham.
Jack Douglas said:One reason I'm here on CR is gear. However, this thread is a favorite for other reasons mainly but still it can give a person some idea relative to lenses etc. For me personally, it took a while to realize (slow learner) that the very best detailed photos were quite simply "filled frame". In other words there is no substitute for putting in the effort to get close. Sure we crop, but the less, the better.
Since there are a few newcomers I thought I'd mention that what I've found for birds is that they generally don't appreciate upright human forms, especially when they are moving, so one solution is to just take a comfortable lawn chair, locate it in a desirable location and sit still and wait - they'll come - well many will, anyway. Like Don has suggested, a portable blind is great or like me a permanent one (shed) works too if located near something desirable like berry trees or feeders, etc.. Bird calls can help too. And as jrista pointed out to me a couple years ago many of the super impressive shots actually involve props and the coaxing of birds.
At any rate, I thought it worth pointing out that, with some exceptions, the top photos generally come with considerable effort and patience, although skill with the equipment is still important. FWIW.
Jack
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Valvebounce, without a doubt, fill flash enhances photos. However, it requires a whole new level of expertise that a beginner will likely be challenged by. I'm with you, I bought 2 used 600EX-rt's and had a third lined up for a very reasonable price, that fell through for use with my shed blind (observatory). Often the lighting towards the early/late part or the day would be so poor that the flashes had to take over full lighting and I wanted the background lit to some extent. Since you're moving up the curve with flash use, maybe you'd like to offer some suggestions for all/any of us who frequent this thread.
I've been wishing I had a "better beamer" but they are not available locally as far as I know, and I was challenged by the internet sales pitches I've read.
Jack
I've been wishing I had a "better beamer" but they are not available locally as far as I know, and I was challenged by the internet sales pitches I've read.
Jack
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Hi Jack, Cog.
First off I'm no flash expert (or maybe I am, ex as in has been and spurt as in a drip under pressure! ;D) any thing I could pass on is either self taught and therefore likely wrong or read from a book. Almost all of my shots from Sunday have red or steel eye so I have a way to go yet. A better Beamer is on my list too, I might even build one myself, I can't find the link I was looking for but this is similar.
http://www.digitalbirdphotography.com/4.3.html Look about half wat down the page.
I have read Strobist 101 cover to cover at least twice and also individual sections to refresh them as well.
I also bought the Glenn Bartley ebook trilogy including flash simplified as his photos posted here are great and as he uses a 7DII to create them I also bought his set up your 7DII guide! I found his flash guide very good.
Other than that trial and error has been my friend whilst trying to learn flash, I do seem to be getting better at estimating what flash power to set in manual or how much FEC to set in ETTL mode, high speed sync came in to its own on Sunday.
Cheers, Graham.
First off I'm no flash expert (or maybe I am, ex as in has been and spurt as in a drip under pressure! ;D) any thing I could pass on is either self taught and therefore likely wrong or read from a book. Almost all of my shots from Sunday have red or steel eye so I have a way to go yet. A better Beamer is on my list too, I might even build one myself, I can't find the link I was looking for but this is similar.
http://www.digitalbirdphotography.com/4.3.html Look about half wat down the page.
I have read Strobist 101 cover to cover at least twice and also individual sections to refresh them as well.
I also bought the Glenn Bartley ebook trilogy including flash simplified as his photos posted here are great and as he uses a 7DII to create them I also bought his set up your 7DII guide! I found his flash guide very good.
Other than that trial and error has been my friend whilst trying to learn flash, I do seem to be getting better at estimating what flash power to set in manual or how much FEC to set in ETTL mode, high speed sync came in to its own on Sunday.
Cheers, Graham.
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This is pretty simplistic but when I was shooting the Pileated a month or two back I tried single fill flash with HSS. Got my desired exposure, then reduced that slightly and put the flash on manual as was the camera. A burst of two shots gave me one with flash and a second before the flash recovered. That provided pretty good feedback on what the flash was accomplishing. It was subtle but definitely very worthwhile. In that case I was fighting some back lighting from the sun so it was even more effective in avoiding blown sky. Problem is - one needs to practice regularly and all I can do is wish this crazy floor straightening/leveling was history! 
Shouldn't complain cause I think a wife with a nice new tile floor and granite counter-top is more likely to concede that I actually need/deserve a 1DX II. Anyway that's my hope.
Jack
Shouldn't complain cause I think a wife with a nice new tile floor and granite counter-top is more likely to concede that I actually need/deserve a 1DX II.
Anyway that's my hope.Jack
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Here is a sample of my single fill flash. I'm completely OK with any comments especially given that I don't really know what I'm doing. Criticism from those who know better is most helpful.
1D4 300 X1.4 1250th F4 ISO 640 HSS manual flash Camera was AE in this case, not sure why I didn't use manual.
Jack
1D4 300 X1.4 1250th F4 ISO 640 HSS manual flash Camera was AE in this case, not sure why I didn't use manual.
Jack
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