Bird Photography

Thank you for the inspiration... Gorgeous shots. Give me a week or two, to match your pelican shots :) :) (before I post) maybe a month

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...C01664copy.jpg

Hi Christina,

OK, I think I may have spotted the problem, when you are switching to Aperture Priority, according to the EXIF data, the flash is firing, I think this is what is forcing the shutter speed to a slow 1/160s, which in turn is probbly limiting the available apertures you can use, giving the motion blur in #2 and #3.

You need to turn the flash off.
Then, since you're in Aperture priority ("A" on top dial), you should have a full range of apertures available and be able to select say, f/8 which should allow faster, action freezing, shutter speeds.

The other thing that the 1/160s flash speed tells me is that you have the "Super Steady Shot" or image stabilisation device turned OFF (or it would be 1/125s).
I would suggest you have it on - it is what we also know as IS/VR/VC on Canon/Nikon/other lenses.

Cheers,

Thank you... I will study diligently and post again later (When I have a perfect pelican action shot using aperture mode)

Great thread. Really helpful for birds in flight. At the moment I am practicing on the wood pigeons and doves in the garden flying around. As my reaction is as fast as a slug stampeding through peanut butter I miss more than I hit.
Birds sitting is much easier for me :D

Sometimes you get lucky and things like herons don't fly away as you approach them.

I called this one Steptoe. Scruffy looking thing it was :)

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...0a65b5a9_z.jpg

Ok I know this isn't the best shot when it comes to focus but I thought it was pretty cool composition wise and because it was a bit of a lucky catch, I was taking pictures of the Sparrow just sitting on the branch when I held down the shutter release button a bit to long and ended up taking about three pictures instead of one, only when I looked at them on PC did I see what a cool little pic I actually got :)

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...d03c14e1_b.jpg
_MG_7946 by Tobias Weber, on Flickr

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Originally Posted by Skyline

I called this one Steptoe. Scruffy looking thing it was :)

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Glad to meet you, Mr. Scruffy Steptoe! Now that makes me smile! Great name, Dave. :D

I was doing a little long exposure this morning and this guy landed behind me. I am surprised I got the lense changed before he left. :D Sometimes the right time and place comes to you with a little luck. Shot in AP 1/10 sec iso 400 @ 150mm

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/a...02533d1-fp.jpg

I posted few pics of my trip to the local gannet colony a few days ago. I thought I'd put a few of my favs here too in case you hadnt seen them on the other thread.

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...3f6afdd3_o.jpg

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...f1aeb454_b.jpg

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Originally Posted by Markvetnz

I posted few pics of my trip to the local gannet colony a few days ago. I thought I'd put a few of my favs here too in case you hadnt seen them on the other thread.

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...f1aeb454_b.jpg

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Really like this

http://i51.tinypic.com/28ithk0.jpg

Those Gannets are sure pretty birds, wish we had some in Hawaii. Shot this pelican this morning while visiting family in California. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Markvetnz

I posted few pics of my trip to the local gannet colony a few days ago. I thought I'd put a few of my favs here too in case you hadnt seen them on the other thread.

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...3f6afdd3_o.jpg

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...f1aeb454_b.jpg

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Awesome!!!

I set the camera up on a tripod. Put it 3 feet away from the feeder and waited. I then used a wireless remote to take the shot.

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...2602338d_z.jpg

Lovely photos, Christina! Really liked the video, too.

To all,

I love birds as well. I'm not going to say I'm the best at capturing them. Especially when in flight.

But, when my husband and I took vacation last year, we rented a cabin in the woods and had a deck out back that faced the woods. I set my Nikon on a tripod with my long lens shooting out the glass patio doors (cleaned the glass). I was able to get some great close-ups of local birds and a squirrel with a little birdseed and toast.

We also went to the Knoxville, TN, USA zoo and they had an amazing South American bird habitat and I was able to get several neat shots there as well.

I'll post a few and would love feedback. Just some other ideas.

http://i56.tinypic.com/111pai1.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/2lc5nis.jpg

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Originally Posted by ddp4me

I'll post a few and would love feedback. Just some other ideas.

http://i56.tinypic.com/111pai1.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/2lc5nis.jpg

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Hi Darlene,

The first is excellent and the only improvement I can suggest is a subtle increase in sharpening to make it perfect.

The second is unfortunately, for me anyway, a non-starter, just too much foliage obstructing the view, sorry.

Hope that's helpful,

Thank you. Love the first shot... Very pretty and you can see the details of his markings. The bird looks like he is looking right at you!

Can't see him in the 2nd shot..

Black-bellied Whistler Ducks taken at Circle B Bar Reserve, Polk County, Florida

http://i53.tinypic.com/fa5t06.jpg

Hi Peter,
Just to let you know that I experimented with a higher iso and exposure today... Some shots were still too blurry (when in A mode) but I learned that it is okay to use a higher iso, and that S mode or M mode is better for more control... Overall the lighting was better in the photos and some photos were sharper... I need to practice more, but I just want you to know that your advice was very helpful... here are a couple of shots from today.

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...2367copy-1.jpg

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...56copy-1-1.jpg

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...2354copy-1.jpg

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...C02234copy.jpg

Thank you... Will post again when I have a perfect shot... Give me a couple of months.. :)

http://hwhaan.homeip.net/images/DSC_4044.JPG
(~3000*2000)
Found this falcon sitting in the middle of a field. After taking a few shots she suddenly flew up and landed right behind me in a tree. *wonders if she was posing for him on purpose.

Beautiful!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hero

http://hwhaan.homeip.net/images/DSC_4044.JPG
(~3000*2000)
Found this falcon sitting in the middle of a field. After taking a few shots she suddenly flew up and landed right behind me in a tree. *wonders if she was posing for him on purpose.

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Hi Hero,

That's nice and sharp when viewed full size, but by then it is overflowing my screen, I would definitely crop that down so we can see the falcon larger.

Lovely shot,