Prized catch

[Mike Tracy]

Female Snail Kite on the shores of Lake Kissimmee, Fl. returning with the staple of their diet which are apple snails. I am pretty sure I can not salvage the white tail feathers and wish I had used a faster shutter. Would changing from evaluative metering to another type have helped the tail ? Suggestions always welcomed.

MkIII, EF500 with 1.4x, 1/640, F8.0, ISO 400, AV mode, hand held.

[Jim Poor]

. . .Would changing from evaluative metering to another type have helped the tail . . .

As resistant to it as I have been, I have to say that manual metering and would probably have been the way to go.

There are some spots that fall below the 255 mark in the whites for the JPG. With the original and maybe a multiply layer, you might be able to get some detail back.

That said, I like the pose here and think that trimming some off the bottom would emphasize the low level flight.

[Lance Warley]

Beautiful shot, Mike.

I agree that manual metering would have helped. I think Av mode caused the ss to drop below 1/800 because the bird was below the horizon. If you had set it manually at f8 1/800 iso 400, I think you would have saved the whites.

One of my favorite birds.

[Arthur Morris]

Sorry to disagree here but if you do not know what you are doing exposure-wise it does not matter what mode you are in... Mike did not say if he added any light to the metered exposure. IAC, Evaulative -1/3 stop most likely would have nailed the exposure including the whites. Lance: how would he have known to set the exposure to your values before he created the image??? IAC, it needs a crop from the bottom...

Mike: you need to study exposure theory...

later and love, artie

[PeterGruener]

Hi,

I like the picture especially as I know how hard it is to shot handheld at 700mm.
Nonetheless, I highly recommend Art's PDF at http://birdsasart.com/ABPII.htm
This made a huge progress in my learning curve - though I am still lacking 20+ years of experience.

Take care

Peter

[Mike Tracy]

Mike: you need to study exposure theory...



No objection to that. Can you recommend some resources ? I would prefer print if possible.

[PeterGruener]

Mike,


No objection to that. Can you recommend some resources ? I would prefer print if possible.

Just look at Arties signature or visit his website www.birdsasart.com. The Art of Bird Photography II is a very helpful PDF and you could print the passages you need the most - like we did.

Peter

[Alfred Forns]

No objection to that. Can you recommend some resources ? I would prefer print if possible.


...... Digital Basics by Arthur Morris :)

JIm I have Arties book "The Art of Bird Photography" is out of print but will be available soon Any way I still read it and get useful information out of it

Would take a look at the PDF file I have gotten used to the computer format and now find it more convenient

btw here the manual exposure makes the most sense since the bird is in the same light but with changing bg The second part of the equation is the compensation In the case of manual the setting since there is no compensation

For most Av will give good results once you understand the theory I like using the best method for the task at hand but do have to admit Av is my method most of the time Once you understand is easy to decide !!!

[Arthur Morris]

The premier source covering exposure theory is the original Art of Bird Photography. We are currently having it re-printed in China. You might be able to borrow a copy from a library or a friend. We should have 5,000 in about five weeks...

Exposure Simplified in the CD book will help with histograms and getting the right exposure but it is my strong belief that every photographer should have a workable understanding of exposure theory so when that once in a lifetime image is in your viewfinder you will have some clue as to what you are doing before you push the shutter button...

later and love, artie

[Richard Kowalski]

I've got to recommend Artie's softcover book once again for Chapter 3, Making Good Exposures. This chapter is worth the price of the book!

I will say I made up and printed out some 18% gray cards with the exposure compensations for various subjects and backgrounds that is presented on page 60. I then tucked a few copies in my various camera bags so I always have them handy for quick review if I can't remember them exactly.

[Lance Warley]

Artie, I was thinking that the settings I mentioned have worked for me as a "generic" way for preseving a higher shutter speed. Your point is well-taken. I will look into the resources you mentioned.

[Arthur Morris]

Artie, I was thinking that the settings I mentioned have worked for me as a "generic" way for preseving a higher shutter speed. Your point is well-taken. I will look into the resources you mentioned.

Lance, Generic setting are fine as long as folks understand that they must be different for birds with varying tonalites... On the Hooptie you need one generic setting for the spoonbills, another for the Great Egrets, another for the cormorants, one for the adult pelicans, one for the young pelicans, and still another for the Glossy Ibises... Not quite generic...

later and love, artie

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

I really like the light and the colors!!!