birds in flight
i had a go at this sunday & i was not happy with my shots because i was shooting wide open , so i then stoped down to f/11.0 & got much better shots.
I try to avoid technical advice unless I work directly with the person as it depends a lot on what you are comfortable with when using the camera.
For instance I use the AF-on button for focusing, but it took me quite a few sessions to get used to it and at first I could not see the poinr, now it is second-nature and I don' think I could go back to just using the shutter button. So I find it is more about presenting the options to people and letting them make up their own mind.
I'll have a think about adding something around settings.
I thought the article did mention metering off the grass, but it may depend which of the websites you went to. I'll certainly revisit it and see what I can add without misleading people. I think all settings are only advice and not law, which is not how I have heard some others present shooting tips. I can only state what works for me and alternatives. Thanks for the feedback on here and via PM for people.
For instance I use the AF-on button for focusing, but it took me quite a few sessions to get used to it and at first I could not see the poinr, now it is second-nature and I don' think I could go back to just using the shutter button. So I find it is more about presenting the options to people and letting them make up their own mind.
I'll have a think about adding something around settings.
I thought the article did mention metering off the grass, but it may depend which of the websites you went to. I'll certainly revisit it and see what I can add without misleading people. I think all settings are only advice and not law, which is not how I have heard some others present shooting tips. I can only state what works for me and alternatives. Thanks for the feedback on here and via PM for people.
Quote:For instance I use the AF-on button for focusing
I tried that, then forgot I set it and thought my camera was broke
Quote:I thought the article did mention metering off the grass, but it may depend which of the websites you went to. I'll certainly revisit it and see what I can add without misleading people
Yes it does, just wondering about the detail - if a bird is against the sky, do you just leave the exposure fixed ?
There are no rules to the computer called a digital slr...Theres more than one way to achieve the same result....A bit like making a pot of tea!!
A starting point is always helpful and then the ownus is on the photographer to do a little sleeping on what went went wrong and right to understand thier own goal and how to achieve it.
Controlling your slr on a moving subject in changing conditions is a bit like playing an instrument....you have to be a bit intuitive and know where the notes are without looking which comes from hours of practise.
Thats the fun of it....It moves and its not easy to do but the self satisfaction is immense when you get it right.
A starting point is always helpful and then the ownus is on the photographer to do a little sleeping on what went went wrong and right to understand thier own goal and how to achieve it.
Controlling your slr on a moving subject in changing conditions is a bit like playing an instrument....you have to be a bit intuitive and know where the notes are without looking which comes from hours of practise.
Thats the fun of it....It moves and its not easy to do but the self satisfaction is immense when you get it right.
Yes, the grass is basically a giant grey card. So if the reading is made for the grass it will be correct against the sky, the grass or anything else. You just need to become tuned in to variations in the light and if necessary check the reading every so often.
The way I normally illustrate to people that it works is by getting them to take the reading. Set the camera in manual, so say 1/1000th at f/5.6. I then ask if you were shooting against the sky would you expect to dial in + or - compensation. Most figure out that it is + say 1.5 to 2 stops for a sky. So then I get them to point their camera with the manual settings up to the edge of a distant tree, so that the top of the tree fills just a small portion at the bottom of the frame. Get them to look at the exposure meter in the viewfinder and see that it is showing say +2. Take the shot and review the histogram.
Then repeat against a very dark background, which at Gigrin after Spring and before Autumn is over is provided by the trees in the distance. The meter now shows something like -1. So the setting is correct no matter the background.
If you merely set the exposure compensation to say +2 (in aperture or shuuter priority) then generally all shots against the sky will be OK, but the images against the trees or grass will be incorrectly exposed. So you lose a lot of shooting possibilities within the session.
I guess I need to find a better way to explain that and some mocked up viewfinder images may be the way to go. Will definitely think about adding this as I find it is one of the most valuable lessons someone can take from such a session.
The way I normally illustrate to people that it works is by getting them to take the reading. Set the camera in manual, so say 1/1000th at f/5.6. I then ask if you were shooting against the sky would you expect to dial in + or - compensation. Most figure out that it is + say 1.5 to 2 stops for a sky. So then I get them to point their camera with the manual settings up to the edge of a distant tree, so that the top of the tree fills just a small portion at the bottom of the frame. Get them to look at the exposure meter in the viewfinder and see that it is showing say +2. Take the shot and review the histogram.
Then repeat against a very dark background, which at Gigrin after Spring and before Autumn is over is provided by the trees in the distance. The meter now shows something like -1. So the setting is correct no matter the background.
If you merely set the exposure compensation to say +2 (in aperture or shuuter priority) then generally all shots against the sky will be OK, but the images against the trees or grass will be incorrectly exposed. So you lose a lot of shooting possibilities within the session.
I guess I need to find a better way to explain that and some mocked up viewfinder images may be the way to go. Will definitely think about adding this as I find it is one of the most valuable lessons someone can take from such a session.
Yep, published OK.
I'm also trying to come to grips with this. I currently use spot focussing most of the time (Canon 40D) so is there an advantage of using all points?
Never tried the AF button yet (guilty of not fully reading the manual). However, I'm upgrading to the 7D on Monday and will devour the manual to justify the expenditire
I'm also trying to come to grips with this. I currently use spot focussing most of the time (Canon 40D) so is there an advantage of using all points?
Never tried the AF button yet (guilty of not fully reading the manual). However, I'm upgrading to the 7D on Monday and will devour the manual to justify the expenditire
Can't speak for the 40 d focus points but on a 1 DM3 all focus points is known as the ring of fire, this works well on a BIF in a clear blue sky, but focus can get distracted by contrasty backgounds, the way it operates is to start from the centre point and then latches onto sometimes the closest object, sometimes the background.
I always use Centre point with expansion for BIF, either that or occasionally manual focus, your new manual with the 7D should cover it though
I find the AF button useful, but usually when I want to use autofocus to set the plane for manual focus, as I like the shutter way of focusing, I suppose with more practice you can become quicker with the af button, but I find it difficult with quickly moving targets
I always use Centre point with expansion for BIF, either that or occasionally manual focus, your new manual with the 7D should cover it though
I find the AF button useful, but usually when I want to use autofocus to set the plane for manual focus, as I like the shutter way of focusing, I suppose with more practice you can become quicker with the af button, but I find it difficult with quickly moving targets
Quote:Go through Arthur Morris's archived bulletins on his site www.birdsasart.com, he's a Canon rep, and he explains how to do it all with birds in flight.
I get a "website not available"??? Have you got the name right?
The link is slightly broken. Use this: www.birdsasart.com
Quote:The link is slightly broken. Use this: www.birdsasart.com
Nice pictures but I was expecting some sort of tutorial on actually taking the pictures - or did I miss something??
You might want to have a read at the 7D Manual as well
