birds in flight
Cheryl, great article - I haven't been to Gigrin, but I have been to one further south, which was just a couple of makeshift hides on the edge of a field.
I would love some more technical advice. Do you meter off the grass in manual mode and leave it set ? What's the best way of locking on focus ? Any advice on the best type of tripod head ? I've been photographing birds handheld for years but the results I got from using my tripod at Slimbridge convinced me I should be using it more.
I would love some more technical advice. Do you meter off the grass in manual mode and leave it set ? What's the best way of locking on focus ? Any advice on the best type of tripod head ? I've been photographing birds handheld for years but the results I got from using my tripod at Slimbridge convinced me I should be using it more.
I'd like to hear the locking focus tips as well, but I would guess it's going to be mainly experience and skill to marry up the combination of a long lens, shallow depth of field and erratically flying bird (even if they do follow similar patterns).
I really must give it a go one day, to date my only BIF that I'm pleased with were some at the Barn Owl Centre with the trained and slow flying buzzards and Eagle Owls.
No idea how you keep something like a kite in frame, let along in focus.
I really must give it a go one day, to date my only BIF that I'm pleased with were some at the Barn Owl Centre with the trained and slow flying buzzards and Eagle Owls.
No idea how you keep something like a kite in frame, let along in focus.
If you go to Gigrin you will find fast moving birds all over the place, not just kites, I managed to get a static picture of a Heron, Buzzard, Raven, in a tree and a red kite flying in front of them, there was also a "kamikaze " cat skulking around on the ground looking for scraps of food.
With so many birds whizzing around you need to pick one out (preferably unmarked) and follow it, shooting in AI servo, fast frame rate, and a quick focusing longish lens helps, but be aware of the backgrounds, alternatively you can pre/focus on the ground action and fights between the flying/diving kites and grounded buzzards, all great fun.
When the action stops and folk disappear, don't because it normally starts up again after about 20 mins and goes on for hours, take plenty of memory, and it will be a magic day out.
With so many birds whizzing around you need to pick one out (preferably unmarked) and follow it, shooting in AI servo, fast frame rate, and a quick focusing longish lens helps, but be aware of the backgrounds, alternatively you can pre/focus on the ground action and fights between the flying/diving kites and grounded buzzards, all great fun.
When the action stops and folk disappear, don't because it normally starts up again after about 20 mins and goes on for hours, take plenty of memory, and it will be a magic day out.
Not sure If I am allowed to post a link but I up-loaded an article to my site in our how to shoot section last night about birds in flight Birds in flight By David Hemmings, he talks about it being similar to clay pigeon shooting, you have to aim just ahead of the bird.
Another site to look at is Richard Bedford Bird Photography He specialises in birds in flight and only shoots wild birds. I used to work with him and he is extremely knowledgeable about birds and if you put a question in his guest book he will usually help you. Think there are some articles on there as well.
One of his images on there is a sparrowhawk catching a snipe, which is something to see.
One of his images on there is a sparrowhawk catching a snipe, which is something to see.
Hotwings, sell the 2x converter. I know that will lessen your range but I bet it's the converter making your pics fuzzy. 2x converters aren't very good.
With the money you get for the 2x, buy a hide which will get you closer and leave it set up in your garden for the birds to get used to. When they do, get a flask of tea and be prepared to sit in there a while! Tripods are unnecessary - hand hold at a fast shutter speed and set the camera to "machine gun mode". You'll delete 95 shots out of 100 but you'll get some good ones and that'll do your confidence no end of good. Then you can slow down and think about technique. Good luck.
Chris
With the money you get for the 2x, buy a hide which will get you closer and leave it set up in your garden for the birds to get used to. When they do, get a flask of tea and be prepared to sit in there a while! Tripods are unnecessary - hand hold at a fast shutter speed and set the camera to "machine gun mode". You'll delete 95 shots out of 100 but you'll get some good ones and that'll do your confidence no end of good. Then you can slow down and think about technique. Good luck.
Chris
You could check this hide out, camo and pop up, you should have loads of change from the tc
Some nice pictures in your portfolio,
Set your 50d to AI servo and select all focus points....Half depress shutter button and track the Buzzard for a couple of seconds to let the focus lock and fire away..(in high speed shooting)....Dont go above iso 400 as the 50d doesnt do high iso well, If its an f4 lens you have set it to f4 to creat reasonably high shutter speed...You will get a few keepers if they come to you daily and then you can work on light, aperture settings etc....Just a thought but if your already doing this then use the af calibrate function on your 50d to check that camera and lens are focussing correctly.
Set your 50d to AI servo and select all focus points....Half depress shutter button and track the Buzzard for a couple of seconds to let the focus lock and fire away..(in high speed shooting)....Dont go above iso 400 as the 50d doesnt do high iso well, If its an f4 lens you have set it to f4 to creat reasonably high shutter speed...You will get a few keepers if they come to you daily and then you can work on light, aperture settings etc....Just a thought but if your already doing this then use the af calibrate function on your 50d to check that camera and lens are focussing correctly.
