Some more bird practice...for C&C

[IzzieK]

Continuing my bird shot series...I think these ones are better processed than the first batch...

1. Flamingoes (is that the plural of this word?) Anyway the white blob at the back are two pelicans I did not processed...



2. Flamingo domestics -- their back feathers seems to rise up when they are fighting...



3. Look Ma...just one wing....same Cormorant as the first one...I think this is a cutie... I tried explaining to my husband what James said about the Cormorant spreading its wing/s like this and there was this aha! and ahhh....moment...



4. Spoonbill -- I cloned, healed and blur the overexposed spots where the sun had shown on its shoulder and head here, not to mention almost half of the bill so I do not have to worry about trying to un-brightened those overexposures...



5. I was taking some shots of the Pelicans when a mother and her son came around the corner and just said in a very loud voice --- Look at the pelicans, look at the pelicans!! -- I looked at her and told her that she is disturbing the resting birds, turned my back and went to my mule...She got so excited she really pissed me off. Anyway, I did not get a good shot of the ones at the back here which I am fascinated about really...


I have better pelican shots but I will upload tomorrow...when I have time...

[Shadowman]

Nice series, looking forward to seeing more.

[FootLoose]

Nice set, Izzie. I love the colour of the flamingoes. Are they always so vivid or is it breeding season? (And I am a bit curious about the bird on the right in the 2nd shot... )

Stunning colours in the cormorant's face.

I think the spoonbill has an accountants forehead The bird seems to be well exposed, but what are the white diagonal lines behind it?

[Ziggy]

Very well done series Izzie. I agree about this series better than the first.

[JohnRostron]

A nice series Izzie.

Nice set, Izzie. I love the colour of the flamingoes. Are they always so vivid or is it breeding season? (And I am a bit curious about the bird on the right in the 2nd shot... )

The vivid colours depend on how much pink pigment they get in their diet. Zoos will often supplement this. As to the bird on the right, I must admit that I have never seen a headless Flamingo!

I think the spoonbill has an accountants forehead The bird seems to be well exposed, but what are the white diagonal lines behind it?

I must agree with this assessment!

John

[Wavelength]

So awesome..... Liked them all....

[Brownbear]

Hi Izzie,

Great job on the Cormorant for me, because of the wonderful sharp focus on the birds eye, gorgeous colours, lovely detail, and of course for the adorable moment captured. I also like your image of the Spoonbill for the exposure and quirky pose.

When I click on the Exif reader for the Cormorant I see a SS of 1/125 sec at 86 mm which still seems to be a little risky(ie little slow for a shutter speed for bird) unless you're using a tripod. (beyond my capabilities)

Those Flamingos are especially beautiful. Lovely capture of the colours, and the setting looks natural, potentially making for a lovely image. In the first Flamingo shot you chose a SS of 1/400 sec and in the 2nd 1/20 second (the ducks heads have almost disappeared, and some bits of the Flamingos, too... nevertheless it holds a quirky charm for me) Perhaps an artistic choice?

Just FYI I adore the right hand side of the 1st image (with just two Flamingos, if the highlights on their upper backs were not clipped). If I had the opportunity to photograph these Flamingos I would visit on a cloudy day and/or a late afternoon for softer lighting... It makes photographing birds so much easier.

[IzzieK]

Thank you John for commenting...I appreciate any comment and feedback for my learning experience.

Nice set, Izzie. I love the colour of the flamingoes. Are they always so vivid or is it breeding season? (And I am a bit curious about the bird on the right in the 2nd shot... )

Stunning colours in the cormorant's face.

I think the spoonbill has an accountants forehead The bird seems to be well exposed, but what are the white diagonal lines behind it?

I think John Rostron commented on your question about the colouring of the flamingoes somewhere in this page. It was really vivid as they are here as far as I can remember. They are beautiful birds...

Cormorants are beautiful too and John (Rostron) also explained about that bird I did not know was actually very little in person (birdie) in this first experiment that I have...in this series:

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...8-new-post.htm

The spoonbill was located very faraway by about 5 or 6 meters from where I was situated. They were up there in the tree and I kept changing my position just to see them up there...I had removed some of them that I cut off from the sides to concentrate on this one...I do not know what an accountants forehead means...??? and also the lines above is the whole structure that enclosed the area where they are with the egrets and all that. I will soon upload the egret mating dance as soon as I pp the sequence. I had enjoyed that one very much...the first batch and this second one are the single bird shots...I have two more batches to go through and some...both more interesting...than the single ones here...

Thank you for looking and commenting as I truly appreciate the learning curve so I can shoot as good as Barbara Ponder who have exquisite bird shots...

[IzzieK]

Very well done series Izzie. I agree about this series better than the first.

Thank you Jim...that is a very encouraging comment. Love it...I am still struggling but I will do better next time...

[IzzieK]

A nice series Izzie.

The vivid colours depend on how much pink pigment they get in their diet. Zoos will often supplement this. As to the bird on the right, I must admit that I have never seen a headless Flamingo!

I must agree with this assessment!

John

John...I misjudged my SS hence the headless Flamingo ...they were quarreling about something and a lot of noise. I wish I had remembered John (Shadowman) advice in my earlier backyard bird shots about using the capability of my camera's video...but I am not used to it. I easily forget.. Now you saw a headless Flamingo...are you happy I caught it for you to enjoy???

Again, I have to ask...what is an accountants' forehead???

Thank you again for coming to my rescue about birds' IDs. I wouldn't have known which one to put in where if not for you...'appreciate all your help so far...

[IzzieK]

So awesome..... Liked them all....

Thank you Nandakumar....'appreciate your feedback...

[IzzieK]

Hi Izzie,

Great job on the Cormorant for me, because of the wonderful sharp focus on the birds eye, gorgeous colours, lovely detail, and of course for the adorable moment captured. I also like your image of the Spoonbill for the exposure and quirky pose.

This bird was so easy to photograph if not for the "tourists" milling around it while it dries its wing. I have to wait for them to disperse only to be replaced by more passing kids with parents and the like...I am glad you like it as this last one is my favourite pose looking up at heaven or something, begging to be fed or dried by the sun...it has a beautiful face...

[QUOTE] When I click on the Exif reader for the Cormorant I see a SS of 1/125 sec at 86 mm which still seems to be a little risky(ie little slow for a shutter speed for bird) unless you're using a tripod. (beyond my capabilities) [QUOTE]

I did not use a tripod on most of my shots apart from the Egrets while doing its mating dance (I will upload that later...after I pp-ed my images).

Those Flamingos are especially beautiful. Lovely capture of the colours, and the setting looks natural, potentially making for a lovely image. In the first Flamingo shot you chose a SS of 1/400 sec and in the 2nd 1/20 second (the ducks heads have almost disappeared, and some bits of the Flamingos, too... nevertheless it holds a quirky charm for me) Perhaps an artistic choice?

Sorry to disappoint you, my artistic mode flew out of the window as soon as I saw these Flamingos squabbling, I just took one shot after the other and even forgot to look at my histogram, then I waited for another fracas and corrected my Aperture and SS setting...Good thing they were all under the tree so no problem about changing the ISO....I have to learn how to be patient....

Just FYI I adore the right hand side of the 1st image (with just two Flamingos, if the highlights on their upper backs were not clipped). If I had the opportunity to photograph these Flamingos I would visit on a cloudy day and/or a late afternoon for softer lighting... It makes photographing birds so much easier.

Unfortunately, I cannot choose the time of my shots that day because we only went to the zoo as a practice shot of being a Barbara Ponder shooter and I also forgot many things besides...hubby problem too having to wait hours for him to make a move...because he is so used to his airplane club's unholy hour (usually midday) so hence I have to wait until he moves. Honestly, I am tempted to leave him behind and just jump in my SUV to go somewhere but I did that a few weeks ago and I was spotted by the driveway and asked where I was going...I said to the supermarket down the road and he asked me to go to the passenger's side because he will take me. Maybe he doesn't trust me to go out alone...who knows? He thought he is doing me a favour all the time...guilt? for what? I just give in...happy husband, quiet wife...no problemo...

I cannot aim to be like you because you are one of the best avian shooter here...I have so much respect for you and the way you shoot I feel I cannot be on the same level...I aim to be a Barbara Ponder for a start because she had progressed so quick being one of the best up there too...though I still have to learn how to use Aperture priority shooting...

Thank you so much for passing by and commenting and your feedback is most appreciated.

[Rebel]

Very nice images, definitely better than the first series. There are some lovely colours in these, that Spoonbill looks HUGE!

[Brownbear]

This bird was so easy to photograph if not for the "tourists" milling around it while it dries its wing. I have to wait for them to disperse only to be replaced by more passing kids with parents and the like...I am glad you like it as this last one is my favourite pose looking up at heaven or something, begging to be fed or dried by the sun...it has a beautiful face...

I would think that it would be very challenging to photograph birds at a zoo (people/fences etc,) and that it is easier to photograph birds in their natural environment (once found), well done!

Sorry to disappoint you, my artistic mode flew out of the window as soon as I saw these Flamingos squabbling...

Izzie, you didn't disappoint me... Quite the opposite! It is wonderful to watch your progression. I still get caught up in the moment, and squabbling Flamingos would do it to me.


Unfortunately, I cannot choose the time of my shots that day...

Perhaps a bright, overcast day will come around... With respect to hubbies. Mine of late likes to accompany me lately as we've had a few cougars spotted on the trails (I wish) when he is able to, so I know what you mean... "Don't climb up on that OR Don't go down there... Not one more step..." So i just say that I'm going for a walk, and fly out the door before too, many questions are asked.

[Barbara Ponder]

Getting better with each set! I don't know how to look at the EXIF data so I will just tell you what I have found helpful information from different sources. Shutter speed must be at least your focal length. I always TRY to do more than that in other words if I shoot at Aperture priortity with a focal length of 400mm the slowest shutter speed I would try for would be 500. If the subject was moving I would want at least 800 and if moving fast 1200. You are shooting manual? If so I am really not much help on information because I have not gotten to that yet. I am still on Aperture priority usually at f/6.3 or f/8 if using my 1.4 teleconverter. Then I set the ISO to whatever I need to get me to the SS I want. I also use exposure compensation thanks to Dan helping me understand it, but that is not needed if you are manually setting everything.

For me the best of these is the spoonbill has good detail followed by the white pelican also good detail in the closest one, cormorant good detail and flamingos detail is not as good. It seems to me, and I am not an expert by any means, shutter speed was an issue on these as well and perhaps aperture could have been bigger. Also to me there seems to be something not right in the colors. Could that be a white balance issue? Where is Dan (Northern Focus)? He could tell you exactly what if any the issues seem to be.

Izzie all I can say is keep at it and it will come. Practice practice practice. I am flattered that you think my work has improved so much so quickly but honestly I have so much more to learn and I practice every day! I hope that one day I will achieve the level of some of the excellent nature photographers on this site.

[IzzieK]

Thanks for this extra info -- tripod : check! I took note of the other tips on this response and since I shoot manual most of the time (thanks to my film days habits...) yes I can work out the EV. I am still confused on what ISO to use on sunny bright days I thought on brighter days, ISO 100 or 200 is sufficient so I match the SS and Aperture speed appropriately to suit, plus or minus depending on the shadows. Upping my ISO is only a consideration for me when my SS or Aperture does not seem to match my histogram or why I am still having blinkies...then my think tank gets excited and up my ISO. I always make it the last resort in the exposure triangle especially if I am handholding...

SS I am used to it because I shoot airplanes and airshows for most of the year, but I have not experienced any occasion to shoot Aperture Priority...and I think what you are doing and your choices are pretty cool for what subjects you choose, especially on birds. When I came to the picture, Christina was already on the way to moving on with her photography whereas I had seen your progress from the start and amazed at how little time it took you to move on so quickly...choosing wisely and listening to advice instead of showing some temper tantrums (in a way, making excuses is to me another way of showing temper tantrum) if some advice or comment is not pleasant. I had learned a lot from observing your shots and others but this time with birds, I went to shoot these with you in mind...shutter speed as to focal length I wouldn't have any idea as I am dumb on that one...I will try to understand that. At the moment, I am relying on the balance of my histogram on my shots as against my shutter speed and aperture and EV, too much plus or minus is very crucial to the exposure and clarity of my shots. That is without adding camera shakes to the equation...As I have already said, the first batch are the worst. Maybe I should not have uploaded them in the first place ... The second are a bit better. I have just finished processing the pelican shots so I will upload that next.

As for Dan, he is still probably traveling with his wife Paige at the moment...last I (we) heard from him was that he was in Spain.

Thank you for your feedback and comments...I appreciate it very much...

Getting better with each set! I don't know how to look at the EXIF data so I will just tell you what I have found helpful information from different sources. Shutter speed must be at least your focal length. I always TRY to do more than that in other words if I shoot at Aperture priortity with a focal length of 400mm the slowest shutter speed I would try for would be 500. If the subject was moving I would want at least 800 and if moving fast 1200. You are shooting manual? If so I am really not much help on information because I have not gotten to that yet. I am still on Aperture priority usually at f/6.3 or f/8 if using my 1.4 teleconverter. Then I set the ISO to whatever I need to get me to the SS I want. I also use exposure compensation thanks to Dan helping me understand it, but that is not needed if you are manually setting everything.

For me the best of these is the spoonbill has good detail followed by the white pelican also good detail in the closest one, cormorant good detail and flamingos detail is not as good. It seems to me, and I am not an expert by any means, shutter speed was an issue on these as well and perhaps aperture could have been bigger. Also to me there seems to be something not right in the colors. Could that be a white balance issue? Where is Dan (Northern Focus)? He could tell you exactly what if any the issues seem to be.

Izzie all I can say is keep at it and it will come. Practice practice practice. I am flattered that you think my work has improved so much so quickly but honestly I have so much more to learn and I practice every day! I hope that one day I will achieve the level of some of the excellent nature photographers on this site.

[george013]

I think there is quite an amount of motion blur in the images. It's hard to see on these small images.
I would suggest to start with a shutterspeed of minimal 2x the focal length.

I don't know if I understood you well, but changing the ISO doesn't influenze the histogram as long you follow the lightmeter, manual or (half)-automatic. Allways try as low as possible.

If you have a tripod, you can compare photo's shot from a tripod and from handheld. You will be surprised what a differences that will show. And you can do it home. The subject is not important.

George

[JohnRostron]

John...I misjudged my SS hence the headless Flamingo ...Now you saw a headless Flamingo...are you happy I caught it for you to enjoy???

Izzie, I will think of you next time I see a headless Flamingo.

Again, I have to ask...what is an accountants' forehead???

The spoonbill looks as if he is looking down his nose at you (and he has quite a lot of 'nose' to look down). You can imagine the accountant explaining (as if to an idiot) why your figures don't add up.

Actually, I'm not sure where the forehead comes in!

John

[ied]

I too am liking this set Izzie. I can not offer any tips or suggestions on improving these but I'm sure absorbing all the advise you are receiving. I will sit back and await your next instalment then maybe follow it with some of by bird attempts.

Irene

[Brownbear]

Hi Izzie,

Just to advise not to be shy about using higher iso's on birds in bright light, oftentimes very much needed! One of the first exercises Joe gave me to practice with birds in flight was to set my camera to Manual f/8 SS 1/2500 Auto ISO set to 3200... While some shots were too, noisy most every shot was sharp so I learned a lot from that exercise. Another very valuable lesson for me was Mike's advice to always check my exposure by checking my histogram which I do religiously. And today I'm trying to be very conscientious of my backgrounds (a distracting background blurred is still distracting), being at the same level of the subject or lower, and being aware of where the light is falling on the bird.

For birds I typically use manual, choosing my shutter speed and aperture and auto ISO typically set to a max of 800. Then I try a few test shots on my subject and I can see right away if the light will allow for a proper exposure, first thing. Then it is simply a matter of deciding if I can get away with a slower shutter speed/larger aperture or if I have to up the ISO, or if the lighting conditions are impossible for a quality shot. Easier for me than in manual mode because I typically have a set aperture in mind/or the lighting conditions dictate the aperture, so it is simply a matter of changing the shutter speed.

When I check out my bird images I view the eye at 100%, and it is super easy to see when I just missed my focus which typically happens when I'm using slower shutter speeds to avoid using a higher ISO. (hand held, longer focal lengths)Try photographing a bird in your yard at various shutter speeds and check out the difference.

If you view Barbara's bird images you'll see that they head of the bird/eye is always beautifully sharp. And check out the ISO's used by Bobo and Joe, all beautiful!

PS
Great info on chosen SS and focal length (greater for cropped frame cameras)

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...era-lenses.htm