Babe in the woods

Taken yesterday morning. 7D, 300 2.8 IS, 1.4Tc ISO 800.

I am needing help on this. Basically the sun was out again (every Sunday I pray for siffused light and I get bright sun) and the piglets were, always are, in the shade of the trees. My exposure, even at ISO 800 f4, was 1/80 sec. I only managed static shots for obvious reasons. Should I, would you, use flash to help boost both light and colour? I did use fill flash with some success over the winter for small birds but am almost sure it could scare the boar, and give me away? Help :( please - because when they are running and jumping around they would make great shots :|

Hi Neil,

When you're in a hide and the animals are shy the flash will scare the living daylight out of them. But I'm sure they will get used to it quite fast. I never use flash but I understand your point to freeze the action. But also with fill flash you're shutterspeed will likely be the same as it is now. You can just give it a go and see what happens. You can also push the iso to 1600 and give it a go.

Edwin

Thanks for the answer Edwin. ISO 1600 on the 7D is not a place I want to go really, certainly not in bad light :| Damn the mega pixel race! I guess the only was is to try ;)

The only place I have ever tried these is in the local British Wildlife zoo, where it is very dark as the enclosure is under conifers. I can see the attraction of flash, but personally avoid using it if I possibly can as I prefer the look of natural lighting. However, if you do decide to use it I think Edwin is right. They will be scared at first, but get used to it remarkably quickly.

David

Thanks David. Would love to get things more diffuse but then I lose too much light with the 430EX.

Are those flash boosters worth using or is it only for longer distances (here I was 12m away ish)?

Neil, I am not quite sure what you mean by a 'flash booster', I did a quick search for the phrase and one use was a type of cosmetic , probably not what you had in mind! I think you mean a flash slave unit. With several of these it is possible to fill in some of the shadows that you get when using a single unit too close to the camera. The price you will pay for this is that you will have more, and probably brighter, lights to spook the animals. A bit of a mixed blessing I am afraid.

David

I've used my 5DII at in excess of 2000ISO in order to try and bring out some detail in very low light conditions when I found some dragonflies roosting.. The results were astounding and I didn't have to use any (never have) noise reduction. I think you might want to just reconstruct the conditions and see what you can get away with before using flash on the animals. You might be pleasantly surprised what you can achieve with the 7D..

Sorry David, I meant flash extender, living in Germany is wearing my English out I am affraid :| Something like this http://www.outbackphoto.com/the_bag/brad_fillflash/Image8.jpg

Sorry David, I meant flash extender, living in Germany is wearing my English out I am affraid :| Something like this http://www.outbackphoto.com/the_bag/brad_fillflash/Image8.jpg

@ Brett. Yes, the 5D II is an awsome beast but Canon saw fit to make the 7D awsome, all except the sensor. I have used 1600ISO and it looks fine for web images but anything large is really asking alot. I have tested the 7D in sunshine and snow, rain and fog and was never very impressed with ISO performance (despite some poeple raving about it when it first appeared). One also loses DR pretty quickly too (notice the piglet is in and out of shade).
If only Canon would make me a 200-400 f4 lens and a full frame 7D ;)

Thanks for the help.

Awww, it certainly is cute

Can't help you re the flash as I don't own one myself but increasing the ISO looks like the best method, just don't under expose or that will add noise ( I learned that the hard way).
Well captured.

Geoff.

A fine shot Neil.

Dale

A 'crackling' good picture. (sorry) I first saw this earlier for a brief moment on a very poor monitor in work and couldn't quite make up my mind on the hind legs of the pig in the background. Having now seen it on a better display and with a bit of time to look more carefully I find myself liking it more and more. The oof 'parent'? in the background makes you more aware of the size of the little 'un. Very nice.

Cheers guys. The other bain in my life...oof grass and leaves :| Must remember to take the shears....might need a new backpack

Fine image I recon...

Neil, a friend (Chris Grady) and myself were doing Badgers one night in the Forest of Dean and a group of 2 sows and 12 piglets came and staarted snaffling all the peanuts. I was merely observing, chris was doing the photography and using a flash. Neither the Sows nor the Piglets were bothered by the Flash. They weren't particularly bothered by us either as long as we didnt move too quickly. You can check out Chris's success on his website, www.wildlife-imaging.co.uk Boar dont have the best eyesight in the world.

Brian, thank you! Chris's images are brilliant and one day I hope to have flash down pat :| one day.