help with bat photos

[Mary Wenzel]

I am having a difficult time trying to take photographs of some orphaned/injured bats that I have in my care. The D20 is new, my photography experience to date has generally been limited to auto mode, and I have only the kit 18-55mm lens so far. I'd normally work at my glacially slow pace to improve my skills and knowledge on my own before being so bold as to post a question, but last week one of my bats had a bub who will be full grown before I get a decent picture if I don't get help.

My two biggest problems seem to be focus and depth-of-field. I think autofocus is hard for the camera as the bats are a pretty solid dull gray. Tonight I'm going to try setting the AF point manually. I don't think I'm fast enough to focus the camera manually, while the bat might be moving and I'm using one hand to hold up the cloth. I am also trying to change out the cloth where the bats hang with something lighter, but am loathe to disturb much.

As for depth-of-field, I've been testing the A-DEP setting and think that might help. I'm not keen to go to fully manual as I'm uncertain as to figure out the correct settings with flash. Unfortunately I've not got the Canon software installed yet & iPhoto doesn't appear to provide the setting info so I sometimes forget how I took the pictures. I'm working to get the Canon software installed.

Composition, etc., isn't of interest at the moment until I can get some pictures that are in decent focus & exposure.

The attached picture was taken the morning of the birth. Hopefully both bats will be released back into the wild when ready.

Thanks!

Mary

[cfcRebel]

Hi Mary,
I think u did great. I am no expert but the image attached above seems fine to me. I can imagine how hard to shoot a bat picture. It's always dim or dark. Sorry i cannot offer much help but i do know the kit lens allows you to get fairly close to your subject(0.9ft).
The following is just my personal idea. If there is any ambient light, I would open up the aperture, use a tripod(if situation allows) and remote cable, no flash. If i can get 1/60s or even 1/30s, i think i should be able to get a few keepers. As for bat in flight, I'm eager to know what the experts suggest too. :)

[tupe]

That's a neat pic! We don't get many bats here.

If you can get close enough (6 feet / 2m or less), you might try a combination of more DOF (F 6 - 8 ) with flash. Adjust settings before you try to take the shot.

I can't tell you how to adjust the aperture and set the flash to always fire with your camera. On mine there is an aperture control setting where the camera does the rest.

Using flash will insure a quicker shutter speed, so you shouldn't have any motion
blur. Take several shots from different angles - your flash may "burn" the subject in
lighter/shiny areas.

[Mary Wenzel]

cfcRebel & tupe--

Thanks much for the suggestions! I will try all of them! I would prefer to use more ambient light & have been aiming to take more shots in the early evenings. The tricky bit with the current arrangement is that I always seem to be blocking the nice light of the low sun with my back. I'll have to find some other geometry. It's a little challenging trying to balance the bat care with getting a good pic now and then. I'll also try some aperture priority shots & will post any improvements soon. Alas, I rarely find the pup on mum these days--his belly is always full, but mum seems to park him between meals.

Thanks again for the suggestions! :D

[Bald Eagle]

I have had some minor success with Bat shots, we had a visitor for a few days, i agree with using a tripod when possible and a cable release. 1/30th worked for me, i even managed to get a close-up. he posed very nicely. here he is, hope you like. always try to use manual focus, works better on the shape of a bat.