Post your best bird shots!

[Joel Eade]

This is an American Goldfinch im winter plumage, from the backyard setup....40D, 300mm 2.8 + 1.4xTC





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[Fast Glass]

Great shot Joel!


John.

[Brendan7]

Joel, would you mind posting EXIF info for your shots? It helps beginners like me get the hang of things [8-|]

[DavidEccleston]

Joel, would you mind posting EXIF info for your shots?

It's not stripped out, so you can just save the image and check (or use an EXIF firefox plugin). The goldfinch above is:


40D, 420mm, 1/400, f/6.3, ISO-400. Aperture priority + 0.7 EC. Center Weighted Average metering.

[YellowJacket]

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;"]Joel, you&rsquo;re tough to please, I appreciate the feedback []. And awesome goldfinch btw! You do that lens justice.<o></o>


<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 11.5pt;"]Here are some mandarins... (at different angles []). The 3rd one is so sad that the other duck was in my shot. [] I'll have to go shoot more and hope to get lucky. Sigh.<o></o>





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50D 70-200L F4 IS @ 200mm F4 1/800 iso 250


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50D 70-200L F4 IS @ 200mm F4 1/640 iso 250





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50D 70-200L F4 IS @ 200mm F4 1/800 iso 250


Best,


-james

[Joel Eade]

I'm not really trying to give you a hard time....I just think with birds the images look best if you're on the same level with the subject and if the subject is making eye contact with you....this requires that the head angle be just right to get the best result. Kind of picky I guess, and I have to shoot alot of images to get one just right. My keeper rate is probably less than 5%.


Mandarins and woodies are gorgeous birds aren't they? The ones you've posted are well done but if you concentrate on getting low and then try to get eye contact I think you get even better.

[JJphoto]

OK, finally got a chance to go to La Jolla and took some pictures of those pelicans last month, here is one of them, thanks for viewing


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[Jayson]

Could you guys help me out a little? I love the shots you guys are getting with the backyard setup and I have seen some photos of the setups, but never really paid that much attention until now. Do you guys have a fairly large back yard into a wooded area or just fixed it up to look that way. I have a fairly small back yard and a fence that goes around it. I am trying to set up some type of feeder for some song birds and possibly get some pictures to show off. Any tips or techniques would be a great help. I am tired of driving for 20 mins to get to a spot where there might be birds and finding out that they have gone elsewhere. Thanks.


Jayson

[Brendan7]

Hey Jayson,


I'll try to give you a basic idea of how I make my setups.

a or just fixed it up to look that way. I have a fairly small back yard and a fence that goes around it. I am trying to set up some type of feeder for some song birds and possibly get some pictures to show off.

I personally don't have a huge backyard. It's semi-large, but not deeply forested. Joel does have a ton of woods behind his house and from what I've seen a far greater diversity of birds. You don't need a huge backyard, but then again you can't really attract songbird diversity if your backyard is sized like this:


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2068/2496184120_d4498de165_o.jpg


Anywho, here's how I make my setups.


First, use a birdfeeder. As you saw with that spilled birdseed, it'll attract all the birds in your area.


Second, setup any bush, dead tree, branch, or otherwise natural photogenic perch near the birdfeeder. Many birds love to stop off at a perch before they come to a feeder, and that's when they're best photographed. Here's one of my first (rudimentary) setups:


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Yeah, it's really simple. I just found a stick and put it on top of my birdfeeder. Almost TOO easy. Definitely not my best setup. But hey, I got some awesome photos with this:


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Using a blind will increase the volume of birds landing at your perches. Panning a long telephoto lens will send a bird within 12', especially wary birds like woodpeckers, into the air. Plus, blinds only run about $90.

I am tired of driving for 20 mins to get to a spot where there might be birds and finding out that they have gone elsewhere.

That's why birdfeeder setups are awesome. Everything'll come to you. Use different perches, maybe plant a bush or two, use trial and error to see what works for you. Joel will probably give you a better explanation.


hope this helps


brendan

[bob williams]

OK, finally got a chance to go to La Jolla and took some pictures of those pelicans last month, here is one of them, thanks for viewing

What a great shot, thanks for sharing.


Bob