High-Key Imagery

Gallery: AvianPosted September 21, 2011103 views8 comments

Canon EOS 7D, EF 500mm f/4L IS USM, Manual @ f/5.6 (1/800 sec), 0 EV, ISO 3200, Tripod, JPEG from RAW, Cropped to About 50% of Full Frame and For Some Reason Decided to Go Pano!

While I do actually like this shot a lot, to be perfectly honest I have no idea why I chose these particular settings so, if anyone else happens to like something about this image too please realise that this was a result of pure luck rather than sheer inspiration on my part ;^)

What I do remember is that having had a little of Stu's tuition in preparation for particular shoots I'd likely have in coming days, he'd managed to wean me off Aperture Priority and onto full Manual. His instruction specific to those particular shoots were indeed spot on, and so happy was I with the results that I'd made a decision after he left to make a point of experimenting with Manual settings whenever I was not too concerned with missing a particular shot.

Magpie Shrikes are fairly common to the areas I was in, so I guess this is why I chose it to work with. Hope this high-key result appeals to some of you too :^)

Critique and comments always welcome!

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on September 21, 2011 at 6:24 AM

Hey Ashley, it appeals to me and my next post will show why

That said, I recently started working on manual as well - however with the ISO-auto mode on. This gives me the flexibility to quickly adjust both aperture and shutter speed as I see fit.
Now about your picture: looks excellent to me, you managed the blacks and whites very well ! I also like the look in it's eye. Like it ! Cheers, hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on September 21, 2011 at 9:52 AM

Nice, Ashley. The larger version works very well, though I do think it would work even better if there were some detail in the whites. I don't know if they're recoverable. I really like the texture you got in the blacks this way.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on September 21, 2011 at 8:47 PM

Love the high key graphic look to this Ashley and the angle between the perch and the tail. Excellent detail in the blacks of the bird. Very nice.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on September 22, 2011 at 1:37 AM

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Hans, Dennis, and Ray :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Harris on September 22, 2011 at 9:40 AM

Ashley, I have started to play with manual as well and so far I have mixed results. I will keep trying. I really like the pano composition with this bird. With that long tail it must be a real composition problem and you handled it well. Again thanks for bringing new birds to my attention; I appreciate you postings a lot.

Skip Harris

Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on September 22, 2011 at 10:04 PM

Thanks Skip, always happy to share :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Neal Cooper on September 23, 2011 at 4:19 PM

Ashley, you were indeed lucky. I like the shot which is almost b&w. The bird is holding on for dear life and the streaking tail emphasizes the did effect. Well done!

Registered on June 3, 2009, 144 Posts, 306 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on September 24, 2011 at 1:29 AM

Thanks Neal, and yep, it was a pretty windy day ;^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments