Brandon Holden
01-14-2008, 02:03 PM
http://www.peregrineprints.com/NSN/sawW.jpg
1D M2n, 600mm... ISO 400, 1/250, F 8... 550EX w/BB... Full Frame
This was the most "in the open" Saw-whet Owl I had ever seen, with a clear shooting lane into this small spruce tree. However, there was a few problems. By stuffing myself into another tree, I was able to just get inside my 600mm's minimum focusing distance. A bigger problem however was that the bird was completley backlit (1pm and bright sunshine) and the light wouldn't get better. I decided to use my flash as a main light (set very powerfully to over come the strong sun). This would light the bird, with a dark enough background, however small bits of sun passing through the tree were causing totally blown white patches on the bird. I was able to solve this problem too by getting my girlfriend to hold up our gloves high over her head (on the other side of the tree) to shadow the bird from the sun. Now all I had to do was get the bird to look at me instead of her. A bit of squeaking - I grabbed the shots I wanted, and we were on our way!
I cloned out a few dead branches poking down from the top.
Happy shooting!:)
Brandon
1D M2n, 600mm... ISO 400, 1/250, F 8... 550EX w/BB... Full Frame
This was the most "in the open" Saw-whet Owl I had ever seen, with a clear shooting lane into this small spruce tree. However, there was a few problems. By stuffing myself into another tree, I was able to just get inside my 600mm's minimum focusing distance. A bigger problem however was that the bird was completley backlit (1pm and bright sunshine) and the light wouldn't get better. I decided to use my flash as a main light (set very powerfully to over come the strong sun). This would light the bird, with a dark enough background, however small bits of sun passing through the tree were causing totally blown white patches on the bird. I was able to solve this problem too by getting my girlfriend to hold up our gloves high over her head (on the other side of the tree) to shadow the bird from the sun. Now all I had to do was get the bird to look at me instead of her. A bit of squeaking - I grabbed the shots I wanted, and we were on our way!
I cloned out a few dead branches poking down from the top.
Happy shooting!:)
Brandon