I am enjoy the bright sunshine that we’re getting over here at the moment (forecast is for more rain later today though!). Anyhow I managed to get out for an afternoon on Tuesday, so I decided to look for some waders! It was still high water when I spotted two sleeping Oystercatchers. I must admit I’ve got too many frames of them sleeping! Since everything looked quiet I decided to wait for the tide to ebb and have a crack at these two when they became active! Unfortunately I only managed a handful of shots before they walked over some treacherous rocks and out of sight! I dare not follow!
Happy shooting,
Posted by Andy Astbury on April 10, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Been lovely today hasn't it Paul - nice to see you out in the sunshine
Nice subject and nice comp
Subject looks a bit soft though - and the rock behind looks tack sharp - front focus problem or pilot error
Posted by Mike Smith on April 10, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Hi Paul
Don't take this the wrong way of grandma sucking eggs etc, but as you have given some really usefull EXIF detail.......some critique which may help others tuning in.....
Looks like you had tricky high contrast lighting conditions for a black and white bird. From the EXIF info you chsoe to use Av mode, CW metering and no exposure adjustment - as a result the chest whites look a touch blown.
Dialling at least -2/3 EV compensation is a common tweak under these conditions and camera settings to preseve better detail in the whites, then you can adjust back the black detail in post capture processing.
That said there are also a large number of neutral grey tone pebbles in view so alternatively you could have gone full manual mode and spot metered off the pebbles - this latter approach overcomes the 'do I expose for the blacks or whites for detail' exposure conundrum. But requires constant checking as the light conditions change if clouds obscure the sun for instance (no real hassle really).
Of the two exposure methods the manual mode and spot metering is probably a better methodology when tackling black/white birds in full sun.
Mike
Posted by Paul Inglis on April 10, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Hi Mike,
Interesting observations – I’ll try to taken some on board next time I’m out as the focusing is off here due to yours truly (I didn’t notice until Andy had pointed it out!) so will have another shot (no pun intended!).
I have a problem with blowing highlights – my nemesis so to speak! However in this case the blinky wasn’t flashing on this image so I didn’t think they had blown. I deliberately didn’t dial any EV compensation as I had a polariser on and had lost 2 stops already! However I’ll try your suggestion of going manual next time and give it a whirl the worse that can happen is I’ll come away with a better shot!
Posted by Andy Astbury on April 10, 2008 at 2:27 PM
Paul - negative EV comp will give you speed or aperture back matey
With the D2Xs I usually use it either in spot mode or Dynamic (middle one) - don't think I've every used the center-weighted mode.
Dynamic -0.7EV should have rendered this image with little or no 'blinkies' - and fyi dynamic mode is the equivalent of the Canon 'Evaluative' mode.
You've still got some really glary spec highlights on the wet rocks so the poly filter either wasn't doing it's job, or you hadn't got it rotated properly - and also bare in mind they don't always work fully as the light rays you are trying to cut out rarely are in the right plane to be polarized completely.
TBH they really aren't worth the bother unless clamped on a wide angle or macro -imho of course
Posted by Paul Inglis on April 10, 2008 at 2:39 PM
Cheers Andy!
There are a few bright spots on the rocks!
Will give the EV a try next outing!
Thanks for all your help guys - I'm always try to improve!
Posted by Major Gilbert on April 10, 2008 at 3:02 PM
Paul I would say if you were in bright sunshine and it was catching those white feathers you may need as much as 1 to 1.5 stops neg to stop your blinking highlights.
Major.
Posted by Paul Inglis on April 10, 2008 at 3:13 PM
Cheers Major!
I'll try various setting to see what works best! It'll be an interesting project!
The strange thing is I didn't have any blinking highlights with this image! but agree is a tadge hot in areas! I am determined to get this right!
Discussion
9 repliesBody: Nikon D2Xs
Lens: Nikon 200-400mm f/4 VR & TC 17E II
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Metering Mode: Centre-weighted
Exposure Comp: 0.0 EV
AF Mode: AF-C
Sensitivity: ISO 400
White Balance: Cloudy
Shutter Speed: 1/320 sec
Aperture: f8
Focal Length: 650mm
Tripod: Gitzo G1548 & Levelling Base
Head: Wimberley Gimbal V2
Filter: Circular Polariser
C&C welcome! Thanks for looking!
Hi Everyone,
I am enjoy the bright sunshine that we’re getting over here at the moment (forecast is for more rain later today though!). Anyhow I managed to get out for an afternoon on Tuesday, so I decided to look for some waders! It was still high water when I spotted two sleeping Oystercatchers. I must admit I’ve got too many frames of them sleeping! Since everything looked quiet I decided to wait for the tide to ebb and have a crack at these two when they became active! Unfortunately I only managed a handful of shots before they walked over some treacherous rocks and out of sight! I dare not follow!
Happy shooting,
Nice subject and nice comp
Subject looks a bit soft though - and the rock behind looks tack sharp - front focus problem or pilot error
Don't take this the wrong way of grandma sucking eggs etc, but as you have given some really usefull EXIF detail.......some critique which may help others tuning in.....
Looks like you had tricky high contrast lighting conditions for a black and white bird. From the EXIF info you chsoe to use Av mode, CW metering and no exposure adjustment - as a result the chest whites look a touch blown.
Dialling at least -2/3 EV compensation is a common tweak under these conditions and camera settings to preseve better detail in the whites, then you can adjust back the black detail in post capture processing.
That said there are also a large number of neutral grey tone pebbles in view so alternatively you could have gone full manual mode and spot metered off the pebbles - this latter approach overcomes the 'do I expose for the blacks or whites for detail' exposure conundrum. But requires constant checking as the light conditions change if clouds obscure the sun for instance (no real hassle really).
Of the two exposure methods the manual mode and spot metering is probably a better methodology when tackling black/white birds in full sun.
Mike
Interesting observations – I’ll try to taken some on board next time I’m out as the focusing is off here due to yours truly (I didn’t notice until Andy had pointed it out!) so will have another shot (no pun intended!).
I have a problem with blowing highlights – my nemesis so to speak! However in this case the blinky wasn’t flashing on this image so I didn’t think they had blown. I deliberately didn’t dial any EV compensation as I had a polariser on and had lost 2 stops already! However I’ll try your suggestion of going manual next time and give it a whirl the worse that can happen is I’ll come away with a better shot!
With the D2Xs I usually use it either in spot mode or Dynamic (middle one) - don't think I've every used the center-weighted mode.
Dynamic -0.7EV should have rendered this image with little or no 'blinkies' - and fyi dynamic mode is the equivalent of the Canon 'Evaluative' mode.
You've still got some really glary spec highlights on the wet rocks so the poly filter either wasn't doing it's job, or you hadn't got it rotated properly - and also bare in mind they don't always work fully as the light rays you are trying to cut out rarely are in the right plane to be polarized completely.
TBH they really aren't worth the bother unless clamped on a wide angle or macro -imho of course
There are a few bright spots on the rocks!
Will give the EV a try next outing!
Thanks for all your help guys - I'm always try to improve!
Major.
I'll try various setting to see what works best! It'll be an interesting project!
The strange thing is I didn't have any blinking highlights with this image! but agree is a tadge hot in areas! I am determined to get this right!
For what its worth, my d2h blinkies are not always reliable, especially when metering 'on the edge'.
Alan
John