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| Birds in flight - Page 1 | |
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25th, 2017 10:28 |
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1st Post |
Eric
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Ok...anyone live to share their technique? What sort of focusing mode, and any other camera and or lens settings? I was putting the Fuji through its paces yesterday and while I got some good images of ground moving waders, my attempts to get good bird in flight images stalled. I sort of got this duck ( Teal?) but every time I pointed the camera towards the heavens I seemed to lose the critters as they changed direction in the wind. I tend to use a small focus area and wondered if that's why I cannot keep them locked on as they move about a lot in the frame. The other question is ....should I be backing off the focal length to keep better sighting of the birds movements in the viewfinder and then crop final image...as opposed to filling the frame and hoping it's flight stays predictable? Attachment: _DSF2280.JPG (Downloaded 28 times)
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25th, 2017 10:33 |
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2nd Post |
Eric
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And another...
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25th, 2017 10:33 |
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3rd Post |
Eric
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And another... Attachment: _DSF2286.JPG (Downloaded 27 times)
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25th, 2017 10:35 |
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4th Post |
Eric
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In contrast the Ruffs and Lapwings were easier.... Attachment: _DSF2263.JPG (Downloaded 28 times)
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25th, 2017 16:48 |
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5th Post |
jk
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I tend to use my D500 with 200-500 for BIF images. I am hoping that the new D850 will be just as good so it will give me even better opportunities as sometimes crops from D500 look a bit grainy!
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25th, 2017 18:26 |
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6th Post |
Eric
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jk wrote:I tend to use my D500 with 200-500 for BIF images. Ah, now, you have raised an interesting issue. Cropping. One of my problems is keeping the birds under the focus points. I found that at full magnification I was unable to predict or follow erratic movement....as a result they slipped away from the focus points and even out of frame! So one thought was to back off magnification to give more field of view to recover from erratic movement...and crop. The 45mp of the D850 might help? The other problem is I've been using single point focusing and I suspect I need more focusing points covering the image as well!! Have to say I don't find it easy and would welcome suggestions from all the wildlife shooters as to how they cope with erratic movement. 
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Sat Aug 26th, 2017 06:09 |
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7th Post |
Robert
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Despite having been home for a couple of days my mind hasn't caught up with me! Have been following these conversations but was too tired to join in. Eric, When was the last time you photographed erratic birds in flight? May I suggest it's one of the most difficult modes of photography and requires tons of practice. When I go motor racing, the first day is rubbish, keeping tight frame on the cars I'm lucky to get 25% of my shots with all the car in frame and cars (even on a race track) are reasonably predictable. Me thinks you need to go out every day for a week at least to get half good, practice makes perfect they say and I think this is one activity to which that applies in spades. Perhaps to make things easier start with a loose frame and tighten up as your aim, anticipation and reflexes improve. Bit like driving on ice, easy with practice. Back in the 70's a good friend of mine called on me at my workshop, it had just snowed and the tracks around the disused army camp where my workshop was were very slippery. We decided to try his rally prepared car out. Down a long straight with a 90º right at the end I pulled his hand brake on hard and we spun off! LOL OK I took my friend by surprise, but I kept doing it and after about an hour my friend could keep the car on the track despite whatever I did with the handbrake. He went on to win the next rally a few days later. His first outright win. Practice...
____________________ Robert. |
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| Posted: Sat Aug 26th, 2017 09:38 |
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8th Post |
jk
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I agree with Robert's strategy.
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
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| Posted: Sat Aug 26th, 2017 15:51 |
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9th Post |
Eric
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Robert wrote:Despite having been home for a couple of days my mind hasn't caught up with me! Have been following these conversations but was too tired to join in. Last time I (still) photographed birds in flight was last year...it was also the FIRST time I ever froze birds in the air. I did make 16mm films of birds in flight back in the 70s....when I was 40 years younger and the footage was invariable supportive to close up bird footage e.g. Birds on nests. So in real terms this is only the second time I've pointed my lens skyward or at least at a moving bird with a still camera. I KNOW you are right that it takes time to 'warm up' on a new subject. In fact I always encourage Jan to take shots of anything before starting her flower photographing. A bit like priming the lawnmower ....not a classic analogy.  I remember David Bailey being asked how to perfectly photograph a mushroom. He answered "photograph the mushroom every day for a year...that will probably do it". Ask me to photograph kitchens, bedrooms, restaurants and machinery ....I could do it in my sleep (especially bedrooms ) But take on a new subject and I find it soooo hard. Not sure I will get a return to the reserve this week ...and I do think repeating the experience quickly would be better, to imprint the method. But I am taking the 'gear' with me to Scotland next month...so who knows what I might see that will speed up my technique.
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Sat Aug 26th, 2017 17:50 |
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10th Post |
Robert
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I remember Lord Snowden? being interviewed and doing a 'phone in' on the BBC Radio 2 Jimmy Young program, pre digital of course! He was asked about fixing 'red eye' by one caller, Lord Snowden suggesting you could get a felt tip pen to fix it, the caller was most alarmed saying it would hurt the subjects eyes and how could he do such a thing...
____________________ Robert. |
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