Help with light for bird photography

I have been trying my hand at a little bit of birds in flight (since I got my 100-400L

I like shooting early in the morning or late in the day before sunset when the sun is low in the sky and behind me. When the sun is behind me and rays comming over my shoulder the lighting provides some outstanding results. If your own shadow is between you and your subject, the lighting should work quite well. Mid day shooting tends to be less than optimal for the birds. All sorts of shadows are present, especiall around the eyes (most important). The "Sweet Light" and "Magic Hour" are right after sunrise when the sun is low and a nice golden glow too it. I think with time, you will look and be able to see the shadows in your shot before you take them. You will start to view the scene with a more critical eye. I hope this helps.

VicS wrote in post #2419344
Firstly - When is the best time for shooting? I have heard alot about "sweet light" and "magic hour" ... what's it all about?

Secondly - Is there any practical ways that you can train your eye to "see" a bit more like the camera would "see". I swear the naked eye and the brain paint a much nicer picture than one you can take through a camera.

[GIFS ARE NOT RENDERED IN QUOTES]

All the help would be greatly appreciated ...

1- This "magic" hour is roughly the hour following sunrise and the hour preceding sunset - both of these when there are no clouds, of course! You get the sweetest, warmest light during these times. This is not to say you can't shoot during other times...my shots have been taken during all sorts of different times of the day. One time I do try to avoid is the midday hours when it is sunny outside - harsh lighting and nasty shadows creating way too contrasty images. On the other hand, overcast days provide good enough lighting throughout the whole day...I kinda like those.

2- The most pratical way I can think of is practice, practice, practice. Also look at photographs from others that you really like and try to figure out why you like them so much. Then try to find situations where you can apply these same sort of subjects, settings, compositions within your own photographs. In time you will develop your own personal style and it will come naturally.

BTW you got yourself a great lens that I am sure will bring you plenty of great results...

I prefer an overcast day, bright but no shadows. Shoot in RAW, and don't be afraid to use flash, even if it seems to be too far away. The new flash units can reach out further than you think.

Time of day, (evening or morning) can help to get light under the wings.

Where you are in relation to the sun helps a lot too.

Though i've not used one for birds in flight yet, I do highly recommend the "Better Beamer" flash extender for birding in general. Used with one of the Canon ETTL flash units a fill (AV or TV mode) with FEC dialed down to -2 or so, can help tremendously.

Also , simply trying to meter fro the underside of the wing, as opposed to the sky is important, though sometimes tricky. For this usually manual settings are required.

better beamer!!!

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #2420080
Time of day, (evening or morning) can help to get light under the wings.

Where you are in relation to the sun helps a lot too.

Though i've not used one for birds in flight yet, I do highly recommend the "Better Beamer" flash extender for birding in general. Used with one of the Canon ETTL flash units a fill (AV or TV mode) with FEC dialed down to -2 or so, can help tremendously.

Also , simply trying to meter fro the underside of the wing, as opposed to the sky is important, though sometimes tricky. For this usually manual settings are required.

What kind of range can you get with the better beamer? Could I get some benefit (even a tiny bit) at, say, 75-100 yards? I know that's a bit of a throw. I've got the Speedlight 550.

For anyone who wants to see the Better Beamer mounted and in action (the B&H picture doesn't illustrate it well), check out member Liquidstone's webpage (http://www.pbase.com/l​iquidstone) under "About the Photographer." There are several pics of the Better Beamer in action.

Dancad and others have provided comments on the use of natural light. There are times when nature can use some help. "Fill flash" can help highlight your subject in shadows or even bright sunlight conditions. The trick is to not rely on the flash as the main source of light, just an additional source.

Many wildlife and bird photographers use fill flash to great advantage. If it clearly looks like you've used a flash you've used too much

Here is one site that might give you a better insight into how to use Flash "including Fill flash" with Canon EOS cameras:

http://photonotes.org/​articles/eos-flash/index.html

I hope that this helps. Good luck

Photo Gib wrote in post #2420345
What kind of range can you get with the better beamer? Could I get some benefit (even a tiny bit) at, say, 75-100 yards? I know that's a bit of a throw. I've got the Speedlight 550.

For anyone who wants to see the Better Beamer mounted and in action (the B&H picture doesn't illustrate it well), check out member Liquidstone's webpage (http://www.pbase.com/l​iquidstone) under "About the Photographer." There are several pics of the Better Beamer in action.

The better beamer, or flash extender, should only be used with lenses LONGER than 300mm. In my experience, depending on the intensity that you have set your flash, it will provide highlights for at least 100 feet or more.

The only warning I would give is to not leave the beamer in the direct sunlight as it's fresnel lens will act as like a magnifying glass and could possibly melt portions of your flash or other plastic equipment if the sun's rays are concentrated for too long.

Stephen Stephen wrote in post #2420392
The better beamer, or flash extender, should only be used with lenses LONGER than 300mm. In my experience, depending on the intensity that you have set your flash, it will provide highlights for at least 100 feet or more.

The only warning I would give is to not leave the beamer in the direct sunlight as it's fresnel lens will act as like a magnifying glass and could possibly melt portions of your flash or other plastic equipment if the sun's rays are concentrated for too long.

Thanks for the tips and link, nice resource and I'd be pretty bummed if I melted anything! LOL

Yep, I was interested in using it with my 300 and 500.

thanks for all the awesome comments guys ... much appreciated ! I am off to learn about fill flash