Shots from the backyard. C&C requested

[cdc]

I was playing around in the back yard today trying to get the hang of bird photography. I was dealing with some terrible lighting conditions but I didn't let that deter me. All of these shots takend with digital rebel and canon 75-300 f4-5.6 lens at 300 mm. Because the lighting was so bad and I was hand holding the camera I bumped the ISO up to 200 and put on the speedlite 430ex (which I am still learning to use as well). All shots taken at 1/320 f5.6. I also ran them through photoshop with adjustments to levels, curves (something that I am really having a hard time getting a handle on), and noise ninja to remove some grain. Any suggestions on how to improve the shots or the processing would be appreciated. A few of these look a little overprocessed to me but need other opinions. Thanks

[cdc]

A few more....those humming birds are a pain. I can't seem to catch one in flight and when the land they always seem to land in the shadows.

[cdc]

Bump.

Just trying to see if I missed any feedback do to posting it so late at night.

[themtkid]

Very good pictures, love #2 in the first post. Also I have trouble sometimes too to get people to post in my threads. I dont know what it is. Hope some more people post here

[cdc]

Thanks. I just assumed that no one responded because I posted it rather late at night and it got moved down the list before many could view it. I normally wouldn't bother bumping it but I am really trying to learn some photoshop techniques and needed some advice on how they looked (things like contrast, white balance...etc.).

[EatSleepPhotography]

Number 2 is definately best. Remember that flash will desaturate your subject, throw off the white balance, and reduce the texture/depth of the subject when used at full blast. Also, it creates an ugly silhouette around the subject. For example, the last one.

I would like to see some of your shots when the lighting conditions were better. Keep practicing!

[themtkid]

Yes I never use flash and I always try to fix everything in photoshop, And if you are shooting raw it should be rather easy, try not using a flash and shooting raw with the white balance on auto and change it later in photoshop ( if shooting raw ). Try doing this.

[pttenn]

LOL-I'd say you got the hang of it..very nice shots! My choice of best would be the second one.
Karen

[cdc]

wow. Lots of feedback now. Thanks.

I pretty much always shoot raw and noticed the problem with the flash as well but even with the flash and 200 ISO i was underexposing a little. I think the problem is that I just don't quite have photoshop down real good yet and I end up making most of my pics look way to overprocessed (especially when dealing with shots of people). I will keep practicing and hopefully get better.

Thanks again.

[sugarzebra]

Well done with the flash...nice catch lights in all shots too! It seems like the learning curve for PS is as great as the learning curve for photography. Both are a never ending process. Keep up the good work and keep posting your work, my experience is that POTN is the best way to get the information required to hone your skills.

[canonloader]

I totally missed your thread or I would have posted. I would never let a wren thread pass by without something said.

I'm not familiar with the 430ex, but have the next model up, the 550ex. And not familiar with the XT either. But... During the day time, try and use fill flash. That is where you set the camera to Av Mode, push the ISO just high enough so you can get a decent shutter speed, say 1/80 or higher. Even lower will work fine, but you will get some bin shots if the bird happens to move.

Now, set the flash to High Speed Sync[HSS] and your ready to shoot. This setting will minimize the shadow a lot. In short, Fill Flash settings still make the camera meter for the ambient light and HSS makes the flash put out just enough light to lighten up the shadows or the shaded side of the bird if your shooting into the sun.

And always shoot in RAW.

[cdc]

Thanks Scott. I have already learned that posting on POTN is the best way to learn...thats why I stick around.

Mitch,

I did have the flash in HSS mode but had the camera at manual. I have never really used the AV mode but at 1/80 i would definitely have gotten some camera shake in there (I know I should have gotten the tripod out but I was being lazy. ). I will have to give it a try and see how it works. One question though. How does AV mode differ from manual in making the camera meter for the ambient light? As long as I am using HSS on the flash shouldn't it work the same? Thanks for the suggestions everyone here is a big help in overcoming that learning curve.

By the way, I thought I was shooting a finch but after looking at it again I think you are right and it is a wren. Sure looks different then the wrens I see back home in Missouri.

[canonloader]

1/80sec from a tripod will work great about 70% of the time. But, you could up the ISO to allow for faster shutter speeds. I use Av mode because it takes care of most of the settings the same as if I were in manual and setting them myself. It just does it faster than I could and who has time when your shooting little birds.

Av mode is half manual, when you think about it. You have "manual" control over the f/stop, which is connected to the shutter speed through the ISO setting you "manually" dial in. On a 30D, you also have "manual" control over the exposure compensation. Personally, I have never felt the need to have total manual control over every aspect of the shot. Any shot still needs to be within a certain mixture of parameters or it's just going to turn out bad and Av mode does a good job of keeping them there. To me, manual mode has always been for when I want to over ride the settings for a special effect, not for taking good pictures the Auto modes are perfectly capable of delivering without my interference.

Yes, it's a Wren, looks like a House Wren. The cross bars in the feather pattern is a giveaway.

[Cooper911]

#2 is the clear winner here. Nice focus,detail and composition. Good work.

[cdc]

Originally Posted by canonloader

I use Av mode because it takes care of most of the settings the same as if I were in manual and setting them myself. It just does it faster than I could and who has time when your shooting little birds.

That makes sense. I understand what you are saying now just wanted to clarify that the camera doesn't behave any differently in this mode. In other words if the settings were exactly the same in the full manual mode you would get the same results. Good point with it being faster...I will definately give it a try.

I think you are correct on the house wren identification. When you mentioned wren I did a quick search and came up with the same ID.

Thanks again to all for the feedback.