Snow Goose Landing - Bosque

[Dennis Zaebst]

Taken on November 23 at Bosque - late afternoon. Thanks for any comments. I have experienced a much higher "keeper" rate on flight shots using Canon 7D vs. older 50D -- maybe 10-15/100 attempts vs. 3-5/100. I used the highest ISO I dared to. This was cropped about 50% from original, sharpened and noise reduction in LR 3.2 - that's about it for PP.

Canon 7D
ISO 1600
500 mm f/4L IS +1.4x TC II
f/5.6 and 1/1250 sec
no flash
Tripod using gimbal head.

[Bill Dix]

I like the straight-on look and raised wings, with fanned tail and dangling legs, and also the nice Bosque BG. In a perfect world I might have wished for the sun to be at your back.

[Randy Stout]

Dennis:

Great pose, pleasant background.
For me the issue is the light angle, causing dark shadows on the bird's left side.

I know that you are at the mercy of the wind as to what direction they land, but because the light angle was well off to your left, you would have been better to move to your left if possible and accept the side angle shot on the landing, rather than head on.

I haven't been to Bosque, but I suspect you are limited in where you can shoot from, but the strongly angled light here is hard to make work.

I think a looser crop would work here also.

Get news about the higher keeper rate with BIF. Maybe you are getting better too, not just the camera!

Cheers

Randy

PS: It turns out I was typing at same time as Bill, so sorry about the repeats.

[Clemens Vanderwerf]

Dennis,

Nice position shot with the wings spread out. Light angle not optimal with side lighting, but difficult to get both wind and sun angle correct. Nature's play! I do not like the crop you made. More space on both sides would be preferable and I would also leave more room at the top, but still less than at the bottom of the frame. Bird is landing so you need more space at the bottom to leave him room "to land".

Regards,
Clemens


Taken on November 23 at Bosque - late afternoon. Thanks for any comments. I have experienced a much higher "keeper" rate on flight shots using Canon 7D vs. older 50D -- maybe 10-15/100 attempts vs. 3-5/100. I used the highest ISO I dared to. This was cropped about 50% from original, sharpened and noise reduction in LR 3.2 - that's about it for PP.

Canon 7D
ISO 1600
500 mm f/4L IS +1.4x TC II
f/5.6 and 1/1250 sec
no flash
Tripod using gimbal head.

[Dennis Zaebst]

Dennis,

Nice position shot with the wings spread out. Light angle not optimal with side lighting, but difficult to get both wind and sun angle correct. Nature's play! I do not like the crop you made. More space on both sides would be preferable and I would also leave more room at the top, but still less than at the bottom of the frame. Bird is landing so you need more space at the bottom to leave him room "to land".

Regards,
Clemens

Thanks everyone...I appreciate the comments. I agree the sidelight makes for a dark left side, but that is what I was given to work with.. couldn't move to the left easily. I can easily make a larger crop...since the original had considerably more space around the bird. Thanks again. Dennis

[Christopher Marek]

Hey Dennis, I am interested in your theory about keeper rate with the 7D. Indeed you could be getting better, but what advantage do you feel the 7D gives you over the 50D. I am shooting with a 30D. While I was at bosque 2 weeks ago, several folks told me my autofocus was too slow for this kind of photography. All I know is limitted to what I own, the 30D. So I am trying to decide if I should upgrade. It never ends.

[Dennis Zaebst]

Hi Chris, I think it is a little bit of both (practice and better autofocus). I have been practicing a lot, but I also think the 7D has a much better autofocus system. I also used the 50D during this trip, and many of those shots were not in clear focus, even though I used a 70-200 lens with the 50D. I used a 500 mm lens or a 500 with a 1.4x TC with the 7D, and the keeper rate was higher with the 7D and the 500 or even with the TC attached, than it was with the 50D and the 70-200. I am sure it has something to do with the 19 cross type autofocus sensors, which are spaced more closely together so that when you are tracking a moving subject with the 7D's 19 sensors, using AI servo AF and Hi-speed drive, the subject will be less likely to fall in between the autofocus sensors. I think the algorithms in the firmware are improved as well. Before this last trip around Thanksgiving, I didn't have a clue about how much better (if at all) the 7D would be. But now I am convinced....the 7D has helped my photography. Dennis
Hey Dennis, I am interested in your theory about keeper rate with the 7D. Indeed you could be getting better, but what advantage do you feel the 7D gives you over the 50D. I am shooting with a 30D. While I was at bosque 2 weeks ago, several folks told me my autofocus was too slow for this kind of photography. All I know is limitted to what I own, the 30D. So I am trying to decide if I should upgrade. It never ends.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I am shooting with a 30D. While I was at bosque 2 weeks ago, several folks told me my autofocus was too slow for this kind of photography. All I know is limitted to what I own, the 30D.


Chris, the 30D is not too slow for photographing large birds in flight! I have sharp duck, geese, and gulls in-flights that I took with an XT...simply upgrading equipment out of hope of major improvement will usually lead to disapointment. Right now I use a 40D as main body, with 30D as backup, and although I acknowledge better performance of the higher rated bodies, I would make 100% sure it is not user error before upgrading just for the sake of doing so because a few people looked "down" on your camera...

Dennis, as for your image, I agree with comments about light angle and crop...but I do like the pose and BG.