motif: Backlit blue tit

[SeanKP]

400mm DO with the 40D + 1.4TC, handheld.
ISO 400, Aperture Priority, F7.1 @ 1/250 sec. -1/3 EC
580EX Flash at -3 stops.
Slight crop.

This was my first real attempt at using fill flash, something that I was inspired to try as a result of seeing all the great shots taken with that method posted on this forum. I still have a great deal to learn I fear.

Thanks for looking. All comments appreciated.
Sean

[Alfred Forns]

Looking good Sean !!!!

Good subject for the motif and came out well. Normally you want to use more flash in these instances. With full sun will be close to +3 all the time but here at least plus one? I don't think the minus three did all that much. You really want to pop the bird!!!

The bg looks very nice and would only like to see the light area by the head absent !!! Big Congrats !!!!

[Jodee Novak]

Beautiful job on the sharpness, Sean, and I love the placement of the bird in the frame as well as the head angle and bg. I agree with Alfred about the light area by his head, but overall I think you did a fantastic job with this image. Good capture of the detail in the bird! Congratulations!

[John Chardine]

Sean- This is a great subject for fill flash. As mentioned I think you need some more flash light to give more detail to the front aspect of the bird. Your -3 stops compensation on the flash output was a bit much. Also, at adequate ambient light conditions, Canon reduces flash output automatically, by an unpublished amount. Thus even with no flash exposure compensation, Canon gives you some whether you like it or not! You learn to work around this. I found the following articles (first part with links to other two) very useful for understanding use of Canon EOS flashes.

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/#controlling

BTW, Photoshop's Shadows and Highlights can help you out in cases like this where you need a little more punch in the shadows. If you don't mind, I did a selective S&H on your image attached here.

[Harold Davis]

really nice image, sean!!! agree with al in reference to the light spot above the head. if you could tone it down a bit would be better. john did a fantastic job with the repost!!!

[George DeCamp]

Beautiful bird, nice placement in frame as well. The bright round areas could be fixed as mentioned. Nice job by John to do some fixing too!!

All too often have my flash set for fill like you did. I always try to remember when the back lit situation crops up I have to change it.It takes some getting used to but I still forget as well! :o

[John Chardine]

Another thought Sean- the -1/3 on the BG exposure didn't help either. The bright BG will be telling the metering system to shut down, which makes your bird in the shadows even darker.

[Lance Peters]

Nice bird - like the repost - toning down the white spots would be the go - well done :)