GBH... Good, Bad & hUgly

Gallery: AvianPosted June 9, 2010105 views11 comments

Well, I was in the mist literally and the midst of a nature overload yesterday at a favorite lake of mine. Many deer on different shorelines, ducks, chicks, a few heron, fischer, etc. etc.

Anyway, the fog was lifting and the sun was hot, but there were at least two GBH making flights, fishing, and soaking up the sun. I had preset the ISO to 500 then switched to 800, shooting all in AP mode. During all the commotion, I was getting the 500mm on the camera and the camera on the tripod and somehow switched modes to, I believe, portrait, without noticing it 'til too late.

As a result, I came away with some decent GBH images in the shade w/ reflections, etc. but the close-up flight shots... like this flying into the sun, but they all left me disappointed. So as said, this fired at only 1/500th at ISO-280, f-6.3. Looks like a Great Brown Heron!! Thanks for looking and any other comments.

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on June 9, 2010 at 5:24 AM

Bill,

Sounds like you had a fun day. Color casts are a constant issue in nature photography but the color does not look too far off here. The more important thing for me is that the shot is soft overall and more shutter speed would have probably helped.

David

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on June 9, 2010 at 5:35 AM

I agree with David. The colors look fine to me, but the motion blur is certainly going to be present at 1/500.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Maile on June 9, 2010 at 8:16 AM

Thank you gentlemen. Your kind words ease my "pain" somewhat! Just thought I was prepared and then all heck broke lose, and I tried doing too many things rather than keeping it simple.

Registered on March 2, 2009, 984 Posts, 2518 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on June 9, 2010 at 9:48 AM

Bill, I hate it when the shooting mode gets switched without my noticing... ISO 500-800 would almost certainly have resulted in a sharper shot.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on June 9, 2010 at 10:16 AM

Nice pose, but as noted rather soft image. Thanks for the story behind the shot.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Maile on June 9, 2010 at 11:12 AM

Thanks again for the encouragement. Well, I got a lot of really soft, pretty light and pretty colors, "artsy" reflection images of the GBHs just off the water as well if anyone wants any!!

Registered on March 2, 2009, 984 Posts, 2518 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on June 9, 2010 at 11:26 AM

Bill, GBHs fly slow enoughthat 1/500 should ahve still worked to get this sharp IMO. I think the issue wasn't so much the SS, but the focal point looks to be the lower left wing tip. Were you using all points in your AF mode? When I shoot birds in flight, I am always on single focal point so I can control which point is hitting the head.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Keith A Anderson on June 9, 2010 at 12:36 PM

I like the pose and find the shadow of the feet on the off side wing an interesting addition to the composition. I agree the colors are fine, but that the focus is definitely off a bit and seems best on the near wing tip. Was this a large crop?

Registered on February 13, 2006, 166 Posts, 1818 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Maile on June 9, 2010 at 6:12 PM

Thank you folks, Kurt, I think you hit the nail on the head. I was just talking yesterday to a friend who lets me use the D-60. I told her I think that it takes better flight shots than the D-90. Why?? Because there are three focal points instead of 12. Awesome point, and I agree w/ a GBH winging it, 1/500th should be better than this. I think you are exactly right. Not that I can't change that, but... great point.

Registered on March 2, 2009, 984 Posts, 2518 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Maile on June 10, 2010 at 7:24 AM

Keith, no, not a huge crop at all. The bird was originally coming right at me at full 500mm. Maybe 15-20%.

Kurt, I wasn't even aware of that setting on the D-90 for single focal point. Going to try some last shots with it now that I've located that option, before I have to return this borrowed body and lens today.

Registered on March 2, 2009, 984 Posts, 2518 Comments

Comment posted by Derrick Lipinski on June 11, 2010 at 12:08 AM

Nicely captured pose, Bill. I think the softness is more a focus issue; rather than that of slow shutter speed. Acquiring and maintaining focus on flight shots can be tricky.

Registered on October 5, 2007, 58 Posts, 2039 Comments