Camera Labs

Hi friends,

Please find below shots and critique and suggest how I could have done better?

Image 1.





Photo details for above photo:
Camera Model Canon EOS 500D
Shooting Mode Shutter-Priority AE
Shooting Mode Shutter-Priority AE
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.6
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 1600
Lens EF70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Focal Length 300.0 mm
White Balance Mode Auto
Drive Mode Continuous shooting

Image 2.




Camera Model Canon EOS 500D
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/80
Av( Aperture Value ) 8.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 1600
Auto ISO Speed ON
Lens EF70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Focal Length 300.0 mm
Image Size 3500x2362
Image Quality Fine
White Balance Mode Auto
AF Mode AI Focus AF
Drive Mode Continuous shooting

Image 3.



Camera Model Canon EOS 500D
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/200
Av( Aperture Value ) 8.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 500
Lens EF70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Focal Length 140.0 mm
White Balance Mode Auto
AF Mode AI Focus AF
Picture Style Standard
Peripheral illumination correction Enable
Drive Mode Continuous shooting


Please give valuable suggestions and advise

_________________
In a Photographers eye

To freeze the birds' motion you'll need a faster shutter speed. Also for the high focal length. Especially when tracking as that's when IS isn't any help. IS doesn't help against motion blur caused by movement of the subject anyway. This will mean that unless conditions are sunny and bright you'll need to up the ISO, or buy a hugely expensive faster lens.

Ben
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When in doubt..... Press the shutter.

On 1 and 3 the focus is off. If you're using multi-point AF, switch to mid point only and use that, particularly if the subject is small compared to the whole frame. #2 is overexposed. This is common for bright (white) birds when using a large area metering scheme. Either dial in some negative compensation or switch to a smaller metering area. Experiment to see which you prefer. The smaller area metering works well with the single spot AF.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

One thing missing that would be good to know is what shutter speeds you got...unless I'm missing it, I don't see it in your list of values. Either way, you don't seem to have enough of it in the first shot for sure. Your first shot is also challenged by lack of light - but you can't really control that! Faster shutter speed would be most recommended, as would a center area focus mode - since the camera doesn't seem to have quite gotten the focus correct...but you may also occasionally be hitting the limitations of your F5.6 lens in dimmer light, especially if you were already at ISO1600.

Second shot - way too slow a shutter speed. For a bird in flight, even a soaring gull which is one of the easiest flight shots to get, you need to be thinking of shutter speeds of at least 1/500. The shot is also badly overexposed, but if your shutter speed had been faster, that wouldn't have been an issue. Aperture priority may not have done you any favors here - either try shutter priority for a faster shutter, or 'egads!' even Program Auto and shift it if you need to adjust the shutter. As mentioned by others, usually a center-weighted metering is better in these situations than a wide metering area, and often times dialing in a little negative EV is helpful too - better to control the potential for killing your highlights, especially since it's your subject that's white, and underexpose a wee bit, which can always be brought back up in post.

In the 3rd shot, your shutter speed is a little better at 1/200, but still not enough for a diving bird splashing in the water. Also, focus missed completely. As Popo recommended, a spot/center area focus mode would help significantly, limiting potential distractions for the focus system and letting it just get the bird right. The centerweighted metering would also help get the exposure better on the white bird, as would a bit of - EV. I'd still think on keeping the shutter speeds whenever possible above 1/500 or so with moving birds - and that's often the minimum - fast moving birds in flight often require 1/1000 or better to really freeze the action. Some wing motion can be good in certain shots, but not getting a sharp, clear head and body isn't really very desirable by anyone.

Be cognizant of light, especially with your lens. You are using a pretty slow lens for this type of shooting, so grey days and overcast days are never going to be the best time for these types of shots - that lens needs a ton of light - bright sunshine on a clear day...you'll want to get your ISOs down to 100 to 400 with that camera to get the best detail, and that can't happen with the right shutter speeds without the light. Not that you can't still shoot in these conditions - much like you're doing, you just have to keep the aperture wide open, crank up the ISO, and get by. But if you live in a place prone to that type of condition, or expect to shoot much more of this type of subject, you may want to start saving pennies for a faster lens. In the meantime, keep practicing with the one you've got - stay in continuous shooting mode, try switching to a center weighted metering mode, dial in a little negative EV, keep your shutters at or above 1/500 whenever possible, and use a smaller focus area...and you'll get much better with shooting moving targets![/quote]

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Justin Miller
Sony DSLR-A580 / Sony 18-250mm / Minolta 50mm F1.7 / Sigma 30mm F1.4 / Tamron 10-24mm / Tamron 200-500mm / Tamron 90mm F2.8 macro / Minolta 300mm F4 APO
Sony NEX5N / 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 / 55-210mm F4-6.3 / Pentax K adapter / Konica K/AR adapter / bunches o' Konica & Pentax lenses!

Galleries:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg

Hi, I hope you don't mind if I post my first attempt at some action shots as well. I got my first DSLR a couple weeks ago (canon T2i) and am trying to learn. All of these shots were taken with the 55-135mm canon kit lens. I have a cheep Tamron 75-300 but I could never get it to focus fast enough zoomed in so I gave up put the kit lens back on and cropped them.

All shot on AI Servo focus, I didn't change the metering mode from the default (sounding like that might be a good thing to do?) Anyway I would love some help.

iso 100, 135mm, 7.1, 1/500


iso 100, 126mm, 6.3, 1/640


iso 100, 126mm, 6.3, 1/640


iso 100, 126mm, 8.0, 1/640


iso 100, 126mm, 6.3, 1/640


iso 100, 126mm, 5.6, 1/640


iso 100, 126mm, 5.6, 1/1000


Also any recommendations for a zoom lens for this type of photos? Thanks!

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Rebel T2I, Tamron 17-50 2.8, EF 70-300 f4-5.6, 50mm f 1.8

flickr

The biggest thing I can say is to learn how to track your subject while shooting them.

If your camera has a Continuous focusing option, be sure you're using it. Use a center focus, or a selective focus I should say rather than the auto focus feature so you can focus on your subject without the camera trying to focus on everything for you.

And like I said earlier, learn to track your subject, basically shooting and following it through the viewfinder while it's in motion.

Going to take a bunch of practice and dedication, but you'll get it with enough of both.

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Cheers

Equipment:

Nikon D300S + MB-D10 Battery Grip
Nikon AF-S 16-85mm VR 3.5-5.6
Nikon AF-S 35mm 1.8
Sigma APO 70-200 2.8
Nikon Speedlight SB-600
MC-36 Shutter Release

Regards,

Pete Nukho

you always welcome kev

its always good to learn from the click's so that is easy to learn from mistake.
after getting valuable advise from all, when i saw your photo's i could see and realize what could have done to take birds in action photo better. ..


its all learning curve

_________________
In a Photographers eye

please feel free to post more photo's

_________________
In a Photographers eye

You need a fast shutter speed. At least 1/500 sec.

Second, your ISO was to high. Keep it below 800 if you can.

Third, If you are using a lens that has an aperture of 3.5 or greater you need to make sure you have good lighting.

Also, make sure you camera is set to Continuous Auto-Focusing.


Cheers

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"If I want a 'snapshot'... i will use my phone.."

My Photos:
http://mistycreek.deviantart.com/

Don't worry about high ISO, I used 1600 regularly on 50D and 3200 on 7D. If you need it, use it.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Yep, better to have a slightly noisy shot that a blurry shot. Looks better, and is easier to clean up

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» Nikon D90 | Nikon D7000 + MB-D11 | Nikon 18-55mm VR | Nikon 17-55 f2.8 | Nikon 80-200 f2.8D | Nikon 35mm f1.8 | Nikon 50mm F1.4 | Sigma 85mm f1.4 | Nikon SB-600 | Think Tank UD-60