First Chance To Use New Camera, Tripod & Lens - Please C&C

[ddt0725]

Hi All,


I finally was able to set up my new gear outside for about 1/2 hour, weather wasn't cooperating. Let me know what you think of these quick results. The bird photo was taken using my new 7D, tripod & my 300mm f/4 lens with 1.4 extender, also usinga Better Beamer for the first time. Dog photos were taken with the 7D and my new 17-55mm f/2.8 lens. Granted, I have not had a chance to read the manual yet on the camera ...SO much to learn, so little time!

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[Wes]

Well they do look pretty good. Some nits though to help you improve. The shot of the bird looks to be over sharpened. The dogs shot I like alot expected on the first one I would like to see the eye a little sharper. Don't know if you focused on the eye and it missed focus or if you focused some where in between the nose and eye but the nose looks much sharper that the eye we can see.


I love the cocker shot the most because it reminds me of a cocker we had for 14 years before we had to put her down due to cancer but it is a great image also.





How do you like the Beamer so far and how did you have your flash set up with it? Thinking of getting one myself since my main subjects are birds and mammals.

[ddt0725]

The shot of the bird looks to be over sharpened.

I thought so too on the bird. Here is one a tad less sharpened.

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I think the Better Beamer is awesome. My bird would have beena great deal darker without it. I had the 580EX II on the camera for the bird shot but soon I will try it off camera with the flash brackets I just bought, I'm ok for macro but I think I need to get one more piece for telephoto.

thanks for the comments,


Denise

[Brendan7]

Congrats on your new gear Denise.


As I am a bird photographer I will critique your first one.


First, is it cropped? Could you post the original?


If it's uncropped, it's not bad at all. Exposure is good, framing is good, head angle is decent. Next time, use an aperture of maybe f8 so that the branch will be in focus also. Overall a decent shot. However, WAAAY over sharpened. If you're sharpening that much you probably cropped or something...anyways, the last technical criticism is that you blew out the whites on the bird's side with your flash, they are about 1 1/2 stops overexposed IMO. Easy fix for that.


Do you use your 300 with the 1.4x extender all the time? I think on your 7D it'd be better bare. just my opinion.


brendan

[ddt0725]

First, is it cropped? Could you post the original?

This is not the exact orignal but was taken right before it. I don't have any trees in my yard so I take photos of the birds in my neighbors yard and have to crop. Most the time I use the 1.4x but since this is the first hour out with the new camera, I didn't shoot any without it yet but plan to soon. My post-processing skills are basically no skills so most of the time whenI take a pretty decent photo and mess it up big time in post-processing.

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Denise

[Brendan7]

So, then, my only C&C for your bird shot is this: Get closer. Whatever it takes. Try a suet feeder, it'll attrack all sorts of birds to your garden if you can't approach them. Excessive Cropping will degrade your pictures no matter what body, lens, extender, or flash unit you're using. I know you've had some bad experience with birdfeeders, but I will tell you for me it's the difference between five birds scattered fifty feet away from me and fifty birds scattered five feet away from me. You need to find a way to get closer. It's not that your post-processing skills suck, it's that you're not close enough to your subject. Even the best post-processor in the world could get a reasonably good-looking shot once it's cropped so much. Bird photography is demanding. You need to get close to a small, highly active, very skittish subject that has no interest in being photographed. That's a given. Unfortunately, you have to play by the bird's rules. A feeder (or even a birdbath, running water ALWAYS attracts birds) can eliminate some of those rules. Just something worth considering. Because I use one, I don't have to crop 90% of my shots. Always a good thing. EDIT: Wait, you don't have *any* trees? Of any kind?


my 2¢


brendan

[Plymer]

A critique of the dog photos (since those are the only ones I can see right now):


First, I know you are just learning your camera but you had it in Manual based on your EXIF. You shot at 1/250th, ISO 160 and f/2.8 and used on-camera flash. Judging by the underexposed background you could have probably gone up to ISO 400 or 800 and kept the 1/250th shutter speed for a MUCH more natural-looking shot with nice shallow depth-of-field with the f/2.8 WITHOUT the flash. The 7D has fantastic noise even at higher ISOs so don't be afraid of using them if it means not having to use flash!


Secondly, composition... For shooting animals, getting low to the ground is important, and I see that you were indeed trying to do that, but you didn't quite hit the mark. Reason for this is we all see animals from the perspective of our height on a daily basis... when suddenly you're seeing them from their level, the photo and perspective become that much more interesting!


You need to give the animals room to breathe as well, both physically and within the frame. Your focus is on their noses which becomes critical if you're using shallow DoF - you should always try and get their eyes in focus above anything else. The 3rd image really needs to be zoomed out, you've amputated the poor dog's legs! As a general idea, putting the subject at some intersection of the thirds of the picture will help make composition stronger.


If your body can manage it, getting down on your belly when shooting pets makes much better photos


Good luck!