Brendan, I've said it before (and I'm not the only one) - you need to sharpen your resized pictures.
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Brendan, I've said it before (and I'm not the only one) - you need to sharpen your resized pictures.
Sorry 'bout that Oren, it's just that I suck at post-processing and would probably ruin half my images by sharpening them. But I'll give it a shot anyways [;)]
Well, today I actually got my first shot at a male Cardinal. We have them all over the place 24/7 but I don't have a blind and it's incredibly hard to approach them, especially with a 300mm lens. But today, I got lucky. I know it's not my best shot, but it's my only Cardinal so far so I like it.
300L IS F/4 @ 300mm, f/8.0, 1/500, ISO 640. Manual Exposure, Handheld. Resized and sharpened (!!!) in DPP. (Oren, problem fixed [:D])
[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/840x1120/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.36.40/IMG_5F00_3873.jpg[/img]
Ok, one more. This is of a nuthatch. I was probably at MFD for my lens and couldn't manage to get the bird's whole body in the frame. But it made for a nice headshot. I don't love the framing but, hey, I'm working on it.
f/8, 1/400, ISO 640 Manual Exposure, handheld. Sharpened in DPP.
[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/800x600/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.36.40/IMG_5F00_3948.jpg[/img]
thanks for viewing and commenting,
brendan
Brendan, the sharpening you have done has made a BIG difference in my opinion. The feather detail alone is much more prominent than your past offerings. Great job :-)
Hehe! I finally did something correctly! Thanks Mark. Still learning all the technical aspects of photography [8-|]
Hey Brendan,
You would have been better off using your 300 wide open and blur out the background on your cardinal.It would be less distracting.
Here is an example,
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John.
Absolutely true John. Unfortunately I was shooting at f8 because for my setups I need good DoF so the entire setup and bird is in focus. When the cardinal landed so close...I was too excited to use my brain [N]
Ohhh Fast Glass... I want your lens!
Seriously now, can you post pictures of this lens? I'd like to see it.
Hi Oren,
Here is a link to some thing that looks something like my lens
[:P]
http://www.oldstarlight.com/images/All%20Other%20Pages/LX-200%20on%20Milburn.JPG
I'll try tofind a "better picture".
That is not a 600mm though.[:(]
Ok, here is a real picture of it.
http://www.four-thirds.cn/forum/atta...0RfD6OtS4z.jpg
[Y]
It's right under the thumb.
Hope you like it,
John.
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.36.66/IMG_5F00_3227-_2D00_-Version-2.jpg[/img]
Canon 50D w/ EF 70-200mm f/2.8L @ 200mm f/2.8 1/1000s ISO 200 +1.67ev
Alex that's an excellent shot! Those are my favorite of the backyard birds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim
Agreed. The white-breasted nuthatch is my fave but the titmouse is a solid #2 [H]
A found thisRed ShoulderHawk setting in a tree rite by the road during a snow storm we were having today. Looks like he was having a bad hair day.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/...eb718905_o.jpg
Nice shot Wes, I have never seen one of those before. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Bob. Today was the first time I had seen on. Had to look it up when I got home.
Quiet child . . .
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.66/IMG_5F00_6625c1r.jpg[/img]
Upset parent . . .
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.66/IMG_5F00_6663cr.jpg[/img]
Hope no one minds if i post another :)
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Canon 50D w/ EF 70-200mm f/4-5.6 IS @ 160mm f/5 1/160s ISO 200
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wes
Nice shot. I have been scheming to get a shot of a red-tailed hawk for months, but can't seem to get within 100 feet of one. How close were you to this bird? How much did you have to crop? What are your camera/lens/shot specs?
Alex,Quote:
Originally Posted by alex.krebiehl
Beautiful shot! Looks just like a postcard. Very nice.
http://www.pscvn.org/members/308/2-2...8-01-38_PM.jpg
GBH nesting @ Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
40D and 500 f/4L IS, f/4, 1/1600, ISO 320, manual exposure handheld
Thanks for viewing folks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HiFiGuy1
I was about 40 ft from it parked in the middle of the road. He was in a tree right next to the road. This is a crop of about 70% of the original. I was using 50D, 300 F\4+1.4TC, 1/400, F\6.3 ISO 400.
That is a beautiful shot Nate.
Awesome shots to everyone. I am very impressed with yourabilities. I recently tried to catch a red tailed hawk in flight and that is tougher that I had imagined. I have noticed that I need a bit more reach than a 70-200 + 1.4x tc gives me. I was wondering if you guys do a whole lot of cropping for the images you are posting here. I have to heavily crop everything that I am shooting as I am not allowed where I want to go. Thanks. I would love to contribute a shot if I can get my other computer to start up. Having a little problem.
Here's a few from my backyard:
Rainbow lorikeets
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l169/ozimax/Lori7.jpg
Rainbow Lorikeet
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...max/Lori10.jpg
These fellas are from just up the road, north coast NSW:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...x/Pelican1.jpg
This osprey was captured just 3 miles south of here:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ax/Osprey1.jpg
Do you live in Australia? Those look like Australian Pelicans to me... What lens did you use?
This pelican sat up for me and patiently waited until I photographed him, with flash:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...mals/Pelly.jpg
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.32.28/_5F00_MG_5F00_6358.jpg[/img]
This a hairy woodpecker, shot in my backyard using a suet feeder to attract birds. Taken with Canon 40D, 300mm + 1.4X TC.
Ozimax,
Nice pics mate. But more to the point - good to see another Aussie on the forums. I think that now makes... 3.
Good stuff,
Ben.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jayson
Jayson to answer your question yes most of mine are crops to some extent. I have the 300 F\4 and use it with the 1.4TC alot but still wished I could afford a 500 F\4 so just have to practice getting closer to my pray. The last couple weeks have been real lucky at managing to do that.
Ozimax those are some beautiful shots of some wonderful looking birds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bburns223
Yep. I don't know the difference in pelicans, they all look the same to me! Lens was a Canon 50mm F1.4
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wes
Thanks Wes, we have amazing birdlife, right in or near our backyard on the NSW north coast.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joel Eade
Joel that is a beautiful shot. Do you use a blind? I am trying to attract woodpeckers to my feeder and setups, I have seen red-bellied and downy woodpeckers but never within 100 yards. If you could share some of your setup advice it would be greatly appreciated [:D]
anywho, here are a couple shots of cardinals from today. I know they're not the best shots, but the Cardinals in my area are incredibly skittish and I don't have a blind, YET [8o|]
Canon EOS 7D and Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM lens @ f/6.3, 1/640, ISO 640. Manual, Handheld.
[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/840x1120/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.36.40/IMG_5F00_4122.jpg[/img]
Same setup at f/7.1, 1/500, ISO 640. Manual Exposure, Handheld.
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thanks 4 viewing and commenting
brendan
Brendan,
I a collapsible blind made by Ameristep called "the outhouse". http://www.ameristep.com/blinds/outhouse.html
The frame is sort of springy so that it opens up automatically and you stake it down to the ground. Fits one person if you're using a tripod and small chair. I use a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod, I had a Slik aluminum one but it didn't really perform very well....I get MUCH sharper images since upgrading to the Gitzo.
I use suet cages hanging from a pole feeder, I haven't noticed much difference in the type of suet, I buy the cheapest I can find. Make sure you keep 'em full all the time to keep birds coming.
I use old tree limbs scrounged from the woods behind the house as perches, try to find one that has some rot or fungus on it..it looks better....and I useplastic christmas tree holders (you can get 'em cheap right after the holidays) to hold the perches and also to allow me to position them easily. Some people also use small water features with drips or running water to attract birds. Audio can also be used : http://www.birdjam.com/
I try to position the perch in the bird's flight path as they approach the feeder and then place the blind about 15 feet or so away from the perch, taking care to get the best sun angle and the best background for the shot. Obviously the best light is very early and very late in the day usually so you have to change the setup accordingly. Sometimes light overcast will give a good diffused light all day.
I get in the blind and line the camera up on the perch, take some test shots to get the histogram rightwith the camera settings I want and then wait. When a bird lands on the perch you have to try to take the shot with minimal movement....sound often doesn't scare them away but panning the camera usually will. Take a ton of shots and concentrate on exposure technique.Learning to use fill flash is also worthwhile, it helps to get better detail and sharpness in many cases.
If you want to see the ultimate way to do this : http://www.alanmurphyphotography.com/
So, that's the low down on set ups!
I suggest a ghillie suit but its either alot of work or decent money (more than a simple popup blind) but they work wonderfully and you get added mobility.
Wearing them I've been about 8-10 yards from turkeys which are in my opinion one of the hardest birds to be near for any extended period
technical difficulties.....[:)]
resolved........f5.6, 1/3200, ISO 1000....tough light today; wx goes from snowing to a peek of sunight back to snowing.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...ckeringBJs.jpg
Thanks Joel for the advice.
man, i've been on a tear recently with these cardinals. Here's some more from 2day:
7D/300 f/4L IS USM @ f/8, 1/320, ISO 640. Manual Exposure, Handheld.
[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/800x600/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.36.40/IMG_5F00_4148.jpg[/img]
Female Cardinal
f/7.1, 1/400, ISO 640. Manual Exposure, Handheld.
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C&C welcome.
brendan