A couple of bird pics...

[G3]

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-4/166972/THQMW-Cardinal_4x6.gif

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-4/166972/EPDLK-_4x6.gif



Both photos:
Canon 10D
Sigma 170-500 (dig equiv 300-800), manually focused
Camera RAW no adjustments in RAW, minor Levels adjustments in Photoshop CS
Manual mode f5.6/1/90th sec
Fill flash with Canon 500EX Speedlight mounted off-camera
Slik U-212 tripod (about a zillion years old)
Canon remote release cable
Mirror lockup (Custom Funtion 12) used


One flaw in the Cardinal picture is the shadow from the flash on the lower wing. I'm going to try to fix that in Photoshop.

Any comments, critiques, suggestions?

[Leighow]

Beautiful shots. A tad grainy. I did not notice the shadow till you said look! Lovely camera. I cannot get this neat to our Cardinals with my G2!

[G3]

Thanks....I think this one looks better like this though, now that I think about it:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-4/166972/SBIKY-CRW_0257.gif

[Leighow]

Yes .. this is a grainless beauty. Great camera.

[Flyguybones]

Maybe You could try to take a shot without the flash...mayb set your aperture accodingly so you dont have to use it. good cropping and position on the bird. I would like to see the colors more saturated and i think you could accomplish that using manusal settings.
(for the cardinal)

[mr_clean001]

Amazing close ups of the birds - the cardinal is great. Didn't notice the wing shadow until you pointed it out, had to scroll back up and look. But I did notice the flash reflection in the cardinal's eye. May want to see about taking that out in PS.

[manncer]

:?: :?: :?:
:roll: :roll: :roll:

Lovely pictures: Can you share your technique for having birds pose?


Thanks
manncer

[G3]

:?: :?: :?:
:roll: :roll: :roll:

Lovely pictures: Can you share your technique for having birds pose?


Thanks
manncer

I wish there was one. :)

I cheat just a little, though. I have a couple of bird feeders out. I fashion a blind near the bird feeders and set up so that I'm pointing the camera into an area of limbs in a nearby tree that is a popular area for them to perch while going back and forth to the feeders. When they land, I just compose as quickly as I can and start shooting. It takes a little practice, because I'm using a tripod and remote release cable. Sometimes they hang around long enough to get a shot or two, most times they don't.

What compounds the frustration for me is that my Sigma 170-500 doesn't work properly with my 10D. Usually, I can get a shot or two in, then it will present an error and I have to turn the camera off, remove the lens, replace the lens, and turn the camera back on to reset the error. What makes this even more clumsy is that the lens is mounted to the tripod and the camera is just attached to the lens because the lens is so long and heavy. It has caused me to miss more than a few shots. I'm fighting with Sigma now to get this fixed. If I could throw this lens that far, they'd have it back right now.