Capturing the moment

[Steve Kaluski]

As I have mentioned a few times in past postings, this year for me was to push both capture and techs and this subject provided a good source. I still need to master some of the setting in camera and the various options in creating multiple exposures, but there are issues when images overlap with either whites or blacks, so this is a series of frames in one continuous burst. In addition, with the new additions within PS creating composites can be so made so easily.

There are only so many images you can do of these guys taking off, landing face on... before things get stale and looking/thinking of other options I feel is paramount both for the 'audience', but more importantly, yourself. Also to use some of the features within the camera itself. If anyone has shot multiple exposures with the 1DX I would welcome any thoughts etc. BTW, Daniel this is the image I referred to a few weeks ago in a PM.

Thanks to those who viewed or posted a comment on the previous thread.

Steve

Subject: Little owl (Athene noctua) hunting in meadow
Location: UK
Camera: Canon 1DX
Lens: 200-400f/4 HH
Exposure: 1/3200s at f/8 ISO5000
Original format: Portrait, very slight crop from top, FF on width.
Subject distance: 9.5m
Processed via: LRCC (2015) & PSCC 2015

Note: The subject is fully wild and completely unconstrained. Besides the potential impact of my presence, nothing has been done to intentionally alter or affect the ongoing behavior of the subject and, of course, there has been no use of any form of bait or other form of wildlife attractants (including vocalisations) in the capture of this image.

[Charlene Bacchioni]

Brilliant Steve.

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Steve, this is pretty cool. I have seen sequence like this with non-overlapping images. Your overlapping images is kind of fun, but like you said once people start posting too many of these, then it becomes stale.

Loi

[Steve Kaluski]

Loi, you should try it as you have the 1DX and it's so easy to build in PSCC, but it's knowing what to use within the software. Expanding on knowing what the camera can do is fun and just broadens your options for capturing images in an interesting way.

[Karl Egressy]

Cool image Steve. You have done a good job with the multiple exposure.

[Loi Nguyen]

Loi, you should try it as you have the 1DX and it's so easy to build in PSCC, but it's knowing what to use within the software. Expanding on knowing what the camera can do is fun and just broadens your options for capturing images in an interesting way.

I find it is difficult enough to get just one frame in focus when the owl jumps. Getting 5 frames in a sequence like this is incredibly hard! Loi

[Steve Kaluski]

Getting 5 frames in a sequence like this is incredibly hard! Loi

That's were putting in the time helps , however remember how many frames the 1DX can handle, have a good Xmas.

but like you said once people start posting too many of these, then it becomes stale.

What I meant/referring to Loi was - that we need to keep stretching ourselves and learn to use the new tech stuff in camera to push and aid our captures, its the more day to day of the same subject that I was referring to as being stale. Shooting the same subject and in different ways utilising the camera technology helps avoid this IMHO. The technology nowadays is really there to help you achieve your goals.

[Arthur Morris]

Hey Steve, If I am understanding correctly, this is a single frame. Is that correct? a

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Artie, I hope below may answer you question, but no, not one single frame although I believe the camera can do this.

At this stage I was/am trying to get to grips in how things work, the many options, the issues in selecting certain options and what happens, a lot to take in, but fairly straight forward. Yes, lots of ‘cock ups’, crap captures, but IMHO it’s the only way to learn.

Therefore, in this instance I reverted back to one continuous burst of shooting, as Multiple Exposure limits you to a fixed maximum amount of frames (albeit not far off the maximum burst of 12), then edited the selection of frames and then allowing PSCC to do it's job. I'm still getting my head around Multiple Exposure, (Average, Additive etc), and how to set the whole camera up, i.e. Continuous shooting priority, but obviously you have less control over exposure, plus where overlapping brights or darks will increase and can effect the overall appearance, but selecting other options within the menu may help reduce this and provide a more ’natural’ look, because it’s under exposed, however I guess this may in turn bring other issues???? Just my take, right or wrong??? I wonder if this is why a lot of images are shot with dark or night backdrops?

All in all, for me it’s quite a challenge, but a good one, with limited ’resources’ in terms of subjects, so it’s tough to build on the experiences to hone the results. As I said, I’m just trying to stretch myself in several directions and in presentations of an image/subject.

Artie if any assumptions in the above are wrong please correct them, as I would like to expand on this more when the opportunities arise?

Cheers
Steve

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Steve,

I am confused then, as to why you wrote this in your original post: " I still need to master some of the setting in camera and the various options in creating multiple exposures..."

And I am confused as to how you created the composite (assuming that that is what the original post is )

I have tried two frame MEs with bird in flight, usually blurs, and they were not very successful. I think that it might be possible to capture the action in a single frame but it would be exceedingly difficult at best. ME does a pretty good job with EXP using Average....

Not sure what your question is regarding exposure. Were you not in Manual mode for this one?

[Steve Kaluski]

Artie, this was a series of frames in say a 4 second burst culminating in a truck load of images. I had tried ME and was unsuccessful in getting it to work, manly down to trying to understand the configuration and what can be achieved. ME is still work in progress, but I found sometimes in the configuration set - Continuous in the ME set-up, the overlay whites or blacks were better when they overlapped with an under exposure.

It's hard to try and explain without writing reams I guess easier on a one to one and where we could both question things.

BTW I'll send you a quick video, you may find it of interest.

cheers
Steve

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Steve very impressive what can be done with todays kit and software .
It is great to see you experimenting with your little owls .
Great work , Steve

BTW you can send me the video if you like