On the Wing.....

 

Sandhill Cranes 600mm f.5.6 @ 500th sec.

 

 

Osprey 600mm f.4 @ 750th sec.

 

 

Hummingbird 300mm f2.8 @ 1500th sec.

 

      Action photographs can be extremely challenging, but not impossible if you keep your wits about you and concentrate on the action before you. Whether photographing sports, race cars, air shows, or wildlife, it's technique that matters most. In this case, understanding the importance of shutter speed and how it can affect the final image.

      Most of us tend to underestimate how fast things happen. Our eyes have an amazing ability to stay with the action, regardless of its' speed. For the most part, the human eye can discern incredible detail even when an object is moving. But, of course, even the eye has its' limitations. Our cameras can help in this regard by stopping the action for a closer inspection. That is, in large part, the fascination with "stop action" photography. By freezing a moment in time, we give ourselves a chance to see what the eye may have missed, and see that moment with amazing detail.

      When shooting action subjects, it important to shoot in Shutter Priority Mode. This allows the photographer to select a specific shutter speed to match the action of the scene. The faster the shutter speed, the more chance you have of freezing your subject. However, faster shutter speeds demand more light. Fortunately, many of todays' newer cameras have the ability to produce wonderful images in very low light situation. By simply increasing the ISO setting, we can now achieve some very high shutter speeds. Most actions shots are going to demand shutter speeds in excess of 1/250 of a sec.. In fact, I often find myself shooting in the range of 1/1000 to 1/2500 of a sec. to stop the action of flying birds. Even with those speeds, not all of the images make the final cut.

      If action photography is your game, then your next camera purchase should take a serious look into the low light capabilities of the camera you're considering. As a bird photographer, the ability to shoot at ever increasing ISO's is a primary factor. Producing "clean" images at 1600 - 3200 ISO is a dream come true. Fortunately, that dream has become a reality, and the images of the future will just keep blowing our minds. What a fun time to be a photographer!

Selective Focus for Impact

 600mm lens @ f 4

300mm lens @ f2.8

 

      There are lots of ways to add impact to our images, but my personal favorite may well be the simplest. Shooting in Aperture Priority Mode is a great way to control backgrounds and force the viewers eye immediately to your primary subject. Opening your lens' aperture to its' widest setting will cause your photos background to go soft and concentrate the focus on the main subject of the image. For me, that generally means that my birds are going to be sharply focused, while my backgrounds are going to appear extremely soft. Nothing really earthshaking here, as portrait photographers have been using this technique since the beginning of time. While landscape shooters tend to want everything in the image in sharp focus, lots of wildlife photographers seek just the opposite.

      Your lens are going to dictate just how well you can execute this technique. Better lens have wider aperture settings, and that translates to even softer backgrounds. There's a good reason we pay more for lens with openings of 1.4 to 2.8. They focus faster, and they simply give better results. However, experiment with whatever you have in your bag, and I think you'll be surprised with the results. Happy Shooting. 



Ask Yourself The Basic Question

     I have often been asked for advice in helping amateur photographers make the leap from hobby to professional photographer. This is a difficult one for me to answer, as my answer is not usually what people want to hear. But.....as they say, "The truth will set you free."

      Let me begin by saying that very few individuals should actually contemplate such a move. Quite frankly, the odds are stacked against you, and most will be completely shocked by the capital investment that must be made if you want to succeed. I'm not talking about cameras and lenses, as that is what most amateurs focus on in the beginning. The real expenses come from travel and exhibition fees, not to mention printing supplies. Those things alone would bring many to their senses. Even more.....it's the dedication and the time one devotes to the craft that can be daunting.

      We all tend to think we have great images that others will want to purchase. Sadly, this is not actually the case for most photographers. Often what we think is great, well, it's not "great" to the general public. That incredible image you have that makes you weep at the sight of its' beauty, might get zero reaction from the general public (the folks with the money in their wallets). My experience is that most photographers, and that includes really good photographers, haven't got a clue as to what images will succeed in the marketplace. How many times have I seen young photographers fail, not because they aren't good photographers, but because they are lousy editors. While they may have countless images in their files, they just can't seem to pick out the right images for display and sales.

      So, let's now get to the big question. Do I love this thing called photography? Do I love it so much that I can't live without it? Do I love it so much that I'm willing to take huge risks to make it happen for me? Do I love it enough to spend most of my time "working" at it? Finally, Do I love it enough to be open to failure? Passion does not always translate to success. We need to know this going into any adventure. Photography is no different.

       I love seeing individuals succeed in life. I especially love seeing artists succeed. Success is not something we are promised in life......it is something we earn through hard work, and it is often attached to a kind heart. My advice........Dream large, Work hard, and let your heart be gentle in all things. Good Luck. 

The Moment of Capture

 

 

 

        Sometimes a click of the shutter just doesn't tell the whole story. Even with the best of gear, it's ultimately the eye of the photographer that makes or breaks a photograph. Luck rarely plays any major role in a meaningful image. Planning and persistence are far more significant than the luck of being in the right place at the right time.

        This image was taken a few days ago in a location that I have been visiting for several years. This exact spot has been a favorite of mine, and it's been a location that calls to me often. I can't begin to tell you how many sunsets I have witnessed in this precise spot. Some have been beautiful, while others have been disappointing, but all have been important in making "this" photograph. What I have learned through countless shoots have taught me lessons enabling me to make this image possible. Because of previous successes and failures, I came prepared for this image with the right lens and the knowledge needed to make this exposure. Experience does count, and practice does make perfect. Pushing yourself toward perfection can be a tough road, but the end of the road can be an incredible adventure. We all have it within us to improve and grow, and it's our personal challenge to follow our own road to success. It's time to start your journey. I wish you success. 

Shooting White...exposure issues and more

 

 

        As many photographers can tell you, it can be very difficult to get great shots, when much of your frame is filled with white or near white. Modern exposure meters in our DSLR cameras are programed to balance our exposures in a manner that tends to underexpose images like the one above. The camera's meter sees the image and immediately decides the image is too bright, and then underexposes it in a way that it thinks is going to give us a better image. However, what we end up with is an image that is often at least two full stops under what is needed to record the image as we see it in the moment of capture.

        The solution is a simple one......we need to set our exposure compensation dial for +2 stops, and we end up with the correct exposure for the scene. No great brain drain here, but something we need to remember. Of course, shooting in RAW can make this correction a simple task. If you're shooting in jpeg format, however, you'll need to keep this in mind at all times.

 

 

         With the image above, the reverse is true. The meter reads the majority of the frame as being dark and tries to lighten the image by opening the exposure by one or two stops. The result is that the whites get over exposed, or sometimes referred to as "blown out." By setting the exposure compensation dial to minus one or two stops, this type of image is once again properly exposed.

 

Final Thoughts:  Too many photographers are just plain sloppy with their exposures. The digital age of photography has made it far to easy to "correct things after the exposure is taken." I believe that is a huge mistake. There is just no replacement to hitting the exposure on the head with the original image. Your photos will be so much richer in so many ways if you take the time to do it right the first time. If you really want quality images, then you need to put forth the effort to nail the exposure. Don't be one of the "sloppy" photographers. We have far too many of them amongst us already.







Experimenting With Still Life

 

 

 

      I'm always looking for new ways to highlight my feathered friends, and lately I've been having some fun with a radio frequency remote shutter release. This is one of the toys that I've looked at for years, but only recently added to my arsenal of photographic tools. It simply enables us to capture images, while not actually sitting in front of the camera. From the comfort of my favorite leather chair, I can activate the shutter and capture images that would be nearly impossible any other way.

     My son-in-law, without knowing he was doing so, inspired me to experiment with some still life scenes. He recently had an assignment to create some still life images for his employer, and I was blown away by their beauty. That lead me to begin thinking along those same lines regarding my own work. How could I put my love for birds together with the beauty of a classic still life image.

     I ended up putting together a grouping of some antique objects that I've collected, and placed them in a setting of soft light ..........and then introduced some "bird seed." It didn't take long until I had attracted a suitable subject, which resulted in the image above. From the comfort of my (indoor) chair I clicked the shutter, and I'm now thinking about all sorts of new uses for my remote shutter release. Watch for some interesting images in the weeks to come.