Star Trek "klingon" ????

[VinceRossi]

Canon EOS REbel XSi
June 13, 2009
Shutter Speed 1/25
Aperture Priority
F 5.6
ISO 100
Focal Length 250
Zoom 55-250 (f/4-5.6 is)
Metering --Spot

Not much work done here just blurred the back ground a little and also minor level adjustments.
Hope all is well with everyone. I haven't posted for awhile, BUT I have been looking at the site and enjoying all the beautiful photos everyone has been posting.

[David Thomasson]

The first thing that jumped at me was the halo from blurring the background. You might find some of the discussion in this thread (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=53815) helpful.

[Bill Dix]

Hi Vince. Glad to see you back. Halo noted above. SS seems very low unless that's a typo. Should normally be at least the inverse of the focal length (i.e. 1/250s for 250mm); I'm surprised you were able to hold it still enough to get the breast feathers sharp - good work! With the beak sticking out toward you it looks as if a smaller aperture might have helped. No harm in boosting the ISO so you could get more SS and/or DOF.

[Lance Peters]

Hi Vince - first two points noted above :)
Just trying to help you learn here Vince - can you explain to me your choice and use of spot metering - why spot metering and what is the advantages in this circumstance???

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Vince Nice Guinea fowl !!! Love them birds !!!

On the tech side crank that ISO up and shoot wide open, you need the shutter speed !!! Sharp beats noise any day of the week !!! Also I'm not understanding the spot meter setting !!! Did well holding steady at that speed !!

.. btw if I had the ISO up and still had very low shutter speed would try a zoom blur or just regular blur as the bird moved around !! ... going with the flow !!!

[VinceRossi]

The reason for the shutter speed is as I am still Learning (back in June and also NOW) I was told by many to use SPOT metering to get focus best. I guess they were wrong.
By increasing the ISO is sought of increasing the noise as mentioned. If I shoot at ISO 800 it is really a little beyond acceptable. As noted I was using a Canon XSi and now I use a Nikon D5000. Not as high a quality camera as many of you use. Could that be why my noise is higher then expected? The other thing is focusing. Yes I got something sharp here, but I am having one heck of a time even coming close to what you guys are getting. That is why I haven't been posting.:(

[kostas nianiopoulos]

Vince the cameras u talk about Canon XSi and Nikon d5000 are pretty good cameras , a hi high quality camera as u say it will not make you a high quality photographer , i saw photographers with much cheaper cameras , almost crap , to get great images .

[VinceRossi]

I guess I will have to strive harder to get better as a photographer. It is frustrating not being able to get the pictures I see here. One day some way I guess.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Vince There are a couple of images in Wildlife, one by Harshad, at very low shutter speeds ... and sharp !!!

One some sort of deer and the other a trio of elephants ... two elethins one elephat !!! both within the first few !!!

[VinceRossi]

Thanks for the info, as usual, Al. I took a look and did see the sharpness. My main goal if we ever get rid of the snow up here will be to concentrate on getting better at focusing and using higher ISO. Hope my camera can handle the higher ISO without giving me too much noise.

[Lance Peters]

Vince - Arties book will help - my advice would be to work on one thing at a time, Id go with exposure first, change to matrix metering and just practice exposure - when I first started out - I took my camera to work with me every day and stopped on the way to work and on the way just taking photo's of anything to practice exposure.
Wont be long until you get the hang of it. That also includes being familiar with your gear and knowing the slowest shutter speed you can handhold or use a tripod at and still get a sharp image.
All down to practice and technique - on a good day I can get a sharp shot at 1/60th @800mm on a tripod.

, Practice, Practice, Practice