Setting for bird photography.

I just read an article on the internet on tips of bird photography in which the author says: "When shooting to Aperture Priority mode, which I use most of the time, I set the Auto-ISO minimum shutter speed to 1/800 and shoot wide open, i.e. with a maximum aperture. The nice thing about shooting in "Aperture Priority" mode, is that if there is too much light, my shutter speed increases to a bigger number and if the light deteriorates, the camera's Auto-ISO feature increases the ISO and tries to keep the shutter speed at what ever I set it to. It the higher ISO is already reached and there is still not enough light, it will obviously decrease the shutter speed, which still keeping the exposure consistent"

Now someone please explain to me how do I set the Auto-ISO minimum shutter speed to 1/800 sec? From what I know is that I can set my camera on Aperture Priority and the shutter speed is decided by the camera and I can set the ISO on Auto as well. Now I would like to know how to link the Auto-ISO to keep the shutter speed 1/800sec and above? I am using a Canon 60D.

Kindly explain to me the above which will be very helpful for me. Thanks.
Hussain

A couple questions, first:
1. Who is the author? anyone can post suggestions on the Net; not all are useful or correct.
2. What camera do you use?

Sandy

Hi Sandy,
Here is the link of the site: http://mansurovs.com/how-to-photograph-birds and the author is Mr. Mansurovs.
2. I use a Canon 60D
Thanks

I think it may be a Nikon feature Hussain. Here's a quote from the article...

Nikon users are blessed with an Auto-ISO feature that automatically adjusts the ISO based on light conditions. You can set a minimum shutter speed, which can be set to a high number for bird photography and maximum ISO to retain the detail.

Following up on Sandy's comment, here's how I shoot birds or anything that moves:
- Determine the highest acceptable ISO level for your camera that doesn't create too much noise. For my 7D and 5DII (despite a lot of comments and blogs), it's 400. Anything above 400 shows noise when I process.
- Determine the slowest shutter speed you can use to freeze the desired action. For most birds in flight, for me, it's 1/1000.
- Using a minimum of SS 1/1000 and a maximum of ISO 400, create the desired exposure by adjusting ISO, SS, and Aperture.
- I prefer shooting in Manual because I'm comfortable with quickly changing the settings myself. Shooting in Aperture and or SS and adjusting compensation also works.

The biggest help of all - do it a lot.

Basically, I agree with Lance's approach. Shooting manual where you control all the camera settings is the best way to go IMO. There are just too many different situations to start setting the aperture wide open and the SS at a minimum of1/800 and just leaving them. I like to be able to adjust everything to tailor my shots to the prevailing conditions and what I am looking for in the shot. Sometimes I want to increase SS to stop fast wings. Sometimes I want to increase DoF to get two birds sharp. Shooting manual lets you do what you need to do, not what the cameras meter tells the camera to do.

I also agree that shooting Aperture priority and adjusting compensation works well most of the time, but you still reliquish some control to the camera and its meter. A good example is bird in flight shots when a bird flies first against a bright BG and then against a dark BG and maybe back and forth while you are panning and rattling off shots. Well, if you are in Aperture Priority then your SS is jumping all over the place as you are panning. When the bird is against the dark BGs your SS is dropping, maybe resulting in a soft image or two.

If you shoot in manual and you set your exposure for your subject, in this case the bird, it does not matter what BG the bird is against. As long as the bird is in the same light you set you manual exposure for you will get the right exposure on the bird and your shooting parameters (SS, ISO, Aperture) will not change. If you had your exposure correct you have the potential for all your shots to be good.

Anyway, probably more input than you wanted.

Cheers. Ron

I agree with Ron's approach. i shoot birds, and pretty well all wildlife, in Manual Mode. l then have the control I need to adjust for rapidly changing light conditions. Getting your assistant to run over and hold up a grey card in front of a bear to get a light reading is not going to happen, so I use the back of my hand or the sky to get a WB reading for the conditions I'm in, shoot a couple test shots, check the histo, make some adjustments, and go for it. For birds I almost always use centre point expansion focus, and if a bird flies into a very bright sky, the background will blow out and get clipped, but the bird is exposed just right, and will be sharp.

Garry

Thanks Sandy,David, Lance,Ron and Garry for the good advice. I will be leaving on Saturday for Cape Town and will try taking some pictures of birds in Manual format. thanks once again.
Hussain

I always shoot in Manual. It's no more difficult than Av + managing exposure compensation and because you *know* you have to manage all of the settings yourself, it keeps you on your toes :)