Arthur Morris
01-01-2013, 08:20 PM
This drake Long-tailed Duck image was created on the recently concluded Barnegat Jetty IPT with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the Canon 1.4x EF teleconverter, and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. The AF sensor was on the water below the side of the bird’s breast where the black meets the white; don’t ask me why the eye is sharp…. Click here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2011/09/13/rear-focus-tutorial/) if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial.
Dealing with choppy water and fierce winds with gusts up to 50mph made it difficult to avoid getting knocked on your butt on the jetty. Trying to get the AF sensor squarely on the bird with the bird anywhere in the frame was a great challenge. Photographing swimming sea ducks is often difficult on windless days…..
The bird was much too high in the original frame. You can see the original in my blog post here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2012/12/29/how-did-i-get-from-a-to-b/). I asked folks how I got from A to B, how I created some extra space above the bird while reducing the size of the reflection below the bird to create a more pleasing composition.
On New Years Day, I posted a free Photoshop tutorial video showing exactly what I did. You can read the whole story and see the free video by clicking here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2013/01/01/free-photoshop-tutorial-video-i-how-did-that/).
As for the optimized image above, don't be shy; all comments are welcome. And all have a great and healthy 2013.
Dealing with choppy water and fierce winds with gusts up to 50mph made it difficult to avoid getting knocked on your butt on the jetty. Trying to get the AF sensor squarely on the bird with the bird anywhere in the frame was a great challenge. Photographing swimming sea ducks is often difficult on windless days…..
The bird was much too high in the original frame. You can see the original in my blog post here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2012/12/29/how-did-i-get-from-a-to-b/). I asked folks how I got from A to B, how I created some extra space above the bird while reducing the size of the reflection below the bird to create a more pleasing composition.
On New Years Day, I posted a free Photoshop tutorial video showing exactly what I did. You can read the whole story and see the free video by clicking here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2013/01/01/free-photoshop-tutorial-video-i-how-did-that/).
As for the optimized image above, don't be shy; all comments are welcome. And all have a great and healthy 2013.