Post your best bird shots!

[Joel Eade]

Jayson,


really nice Cooper

[Joel Eade]

A couple more recent HB shots with multiple flash setup....a la Bob Williams





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[Jayson]

Thanks Joel. Those humming bird shots are unreal! Did you use the flashes to black out the background or was there something planned for that? I really like the way it is isolated on that background.

[Joel Eade]

Did you use the flashes to black out the background or was there something planned for that?

Thanks Jayson.....


the idea is that you set your exposure to NOT allow any ambient light into the image. This means that without the flash the image will be black (completely underexposed)


So the image is illuminated by ONLY the flash which has a very short duration of around 1/15,000 sec. Since I had no flash to illuminate the background it remains black.


Bob explains it much better in his Humminbird tutorial.


Joel

[bob williams]

thanks joel, But you shot those wonderful Hummers. Based on recommendations from the readers, I tried something a little different yesterday---But I must explain: Two weeks ago, I promised the wife I would move my "studio" of of the back porch and I did. Packed up everything for the year and started thinking about our migrant bird season which is fast approaching. Unfortunately, I still wasn't satisfied ending the HB season with problems, so I did a partial set-up yesterday evening. No back ground, no flowers, just work on getting the bird right. And I think I was pretty close. The major change was setting 3 flashes to 1/64th power and wow, out of only ten shots, my keeper rate was 80%.


Here are a couple--My focus was a little soft at the eye but that really wasn't what I was working on---anyway, here they are---


f/16, 1/125th, ISO 200, 3 flashes @1/64th


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the flashes were set up as 1 low right, 1 low center and one high left---I really like the way this particular configuration lit the bird---what do you think?





Bob

[bob williams]

Here is one more that I just though was cute---looks like he is spitting something out that he didn't like"


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[Joel Eade]

Bob,


looks like the shorter flash duration (1/64 power) cleared up the ghosting quite nicely....cool beans!!!


Joel

[ddt0725]

Bob - You have most definitely reached perfection on these shots! I am so happy for you that you were able to solve your dilemma with the ghosting! Looks like you will be able to start the next hb season off with a bang!

[bob williams]

DD, Joel, Thanks---Now all I need is about 10 430exII flashes so I can get the bird and the background well lit: In reality what this would do is significantly improve the keeper rate with distant backgrounds---But.....We have all seen some pretty decent shots with just 1-5 flashes, you just have to be willing to shoot more and accept a smaller keeper rate. I am not sure it would be worth the investment to improve that keeper rate---anyway, thats my story and I am sticking to it--I have discovered that the more ambient light you can eliminate, the better off you are---so maybe just some pieces of black cloth will help---Next year, my back porch could look like a maosoleum