Posted by Barry Southon on April 9, 2012 at 10:26 AM
Thank you all for the comments on my last post. Yet more questions again if I may. Way back I visited this topic and I have tried to use the advice gleaned. I have always found flight shots extremely difficult to get close to what I expect. So many butts and departing subjects or so small in frame as the result of my slow reaction no doubt.
Once in a while I get lucky this subject I had observed for a while hunting and I suspected was very hungry it accepted my presence but checked me out none the less.
It featured in an earlier post with it's kill.
My question relates to flight shot positioning within the frame to delete or keep? Even though I clipped the wing and blurred the tail from camera shake I still like the image and it's big in frame. I like the eyes intense stare and the shadow cast by the beak.
Canon 1D3 Canon 70mm-200mm plus 1.4 mk111 extender Hand Held (I'm just not fast enough on a tri-pod)
1/8000 sec f/4 ISO 400 280mm subject 11.3M RAW to LR3 then re-sized to post.
With the number of gulls we have here I have no excuses for getting these wrong.
Critique, Advice and comments most welcomed. Thanks for looking.
First and foremost Barry, keep or delete is an entirley personal thing. You don't have to please anyone else, if you like it keep it if you don't...bin it.
From the point of view of selling an image then for birds in flight I would generally say the whole of the bird needs to be in frame and preferably in a good position within the frame. I guess the only time that wouldn't apply is if the bird were flying directly at you and you literally had a head shot, but I suspect that doesn't happen often. I have shot hundreds of birds in flight and the percentage of keepers to binners is not high. I too have had some cracking images that have been spoiled by parts of wings out of frame and I still have many of these on file because I like them. No doubt as I get more images that are better, then I shall slowly bin the others.
This image would make me want to cry if it were mine. If only that wing was in frame it would be an absolute belter, a beautiful bird caught in a great pose. An excellent try . . . welcome to the frustrations of wildlife photography.
Posted by Bob Johnson on April 9, 2012 at 11:26 AM
I agree with all that Robert has said. Raptors in flight is by some way my own personal favourite past time and I have improved my success rate a lot since getting a 1dMK4, and buying a Mongoose head has also helped. I would be cross with your shot Barry but I would certainly keep it if the head is as sharp as it looks. I would then crop it head and shoulders and use it for a lecture to RSPB groups or non wildlife photo groups were it will have some impact. Getting your positioning spot on is never easy but if the eye is sharp then the picture is useable
Hi Barry, just to add to the pot and in no particular order:
- If you are going to crop like this I feel it needs to be more deliberate and perhaps quirky, something you wouldn't expect
- Watch your BKGs, this image needs a CW rotation of about 5 degrees based on the tree
- If you know the direction of the subject then move the FP slightly fwd on the horizontal axis so it helps tracking
- Good eye contact on this which is key
- Try to avoid heavy/excessive enlargements which in turn will lose IQ
- As for Bin/Keep, if it ain't sharp...
An excellent try . . . welcome to the frustrations of wildlife photography. How true Rob.
Barry so close on getting it all in,what you got looks good to me.
Keith.
Posted by Nick Mckeown on April 9, 2012 at 3:40 PM
I think you already know what people will say about the image Barry but as regards keep or bin that is up to you and no one else. I have lots of images, especially BIF's, which are not perfect but have been kept as record shots but perhaps more imprtantly so that progress in getting the better shots can be seen. If everytime we went out and got the money shot it would get pretty boring.
Gulls are great subjects to practice on, and in time you'll notice flight shots get a little easier, but saying that you will still have loads of shots for the bin, I know I do
Andy...
Posted by David Taylor on April 10, 2012 at 8:50 AM
You win one or two, you lose many (if you photograph hoverflies in flight in 3D ) but Never, ever give up With flying insects I have to rely on predictive manual focus, a technique that requires lots of practice (for me, anyway)
but the results can be well worth it and very satisfying.
Discussion
7 repliesOnce in a while I get lucky this subject I had observed for a while hunting and I suspected was very hungry it accepted my presence but checked me out none the less.
It featured in an earlier post with it's kill.
My question relates to flight shot positioning within the frame to delete or keep? Even though I clipped the wing and blurred the tail from camera shake I still like the image and it's big in frame. I like the eyes intense stare and the shadow cast by the beak.
Canon 1D3 Canon 70mm-200mm plus 1.4 mk111 extender Hand Held (I'm just not fast enough on a tri-pod)
1/8000 sec f/4 ISO 400 280mm subject 11.3M RAW to LR3 then re-sized to post.
With the number of gulls we have here I have no excuses for getting these wrong.
Critique, Advice and comments most welcomed. Thanks for looking.
From the point of view of selling an image then for birds in flight I would generally say the whole of the bird needs to be in frame and preferably in a good position within the frame. I guess the only time that wouldn't apply is if the bird were flying directly at you and you literally had a head shot, but I suspect that doesn't happen often. I have shot hundreds of birds in flight and the percentage of keepers to binners is not high. I too have had some cracking images that have been spoiled by parts of wings out of frame and I still have many of these on file because I like them. No doubt as I get more images that are better, then I shall slowly bin the others.
This image would make me want to cry if it were mine. If only that wing was in frame it would be an absolute belter, a beautiful bird caught in a great pose. An excellent try . . . welcome to the frustrations of wildlife photography.
Bob
- If you are going to crop like this I feel it needs to be more deliberate and perhaps quirky, something you wouldn't expect
- Watch your BKGs, this image needs a CW rotation of about 5 degrees based on the tree
- If you know the direction of the subject then move the FP slightly fwd on the horizontal axis so it helps tracking
- Good eye contact on this which is key
- Try to avoid heavy/excessive enlargements which in turn will lose IQ
- As for Bin/Keep, if it ain't sharp...
An excellent try . . . welcome to the frustrations of wildlife photography. How true Rob.
Steve
Keith.
Nick.
Gulls are great subjects to practice on, and in time you'll notice flight shots get a little easier, but saying that you will still have loads of shots for the bin, I know I do
Andy...
but the results can be well worth it and very satisfying.