How do You Expose for this Situation?

[Michael Pancier]

This is straight out of the camera no processing. I can fix the image in PS, but I'm posting this for advice on best way to shoot this.

took this with 40d+500 4.0L+1.4x TC
f/7.1
1/250
ISO 400
Ev - 0

580ex II at full (no beamer)
Av Mode

or should I have gone in full manual here?

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Michael,
I went to one of your favorite places yesterday...the old Spanish Monastery in North Miami. The place is very nice. I was playing around with some HDRI captures...:D
Your composition is a little tight in frame, especially in the tail area. The head area can be lightened a bit to bring out the details in the blacks and the eye; and a bit of selective sharpening to go along as well. The placement of the subject in frame is good, I like the slanted rock perch, and the two tone background gives the image a pleasant punch...good show...now go ahead and post process it to your liking...:):cool:

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Not a techie but I would have dialed in some +EC, maybe 1/2 to 2/3 since your bird is more light than dark and the BG is light too. Flash still at full I think and then check the histogram and fine tune from there.

[Alfred Forns]

Mike as presented is way tight in frame Agree with Jackie on the exposure, the histogram was probably a little under. Don't think the flash made any difference without the BB?

Best think to do with flash is make three rapid exposure. The first will give the set flash output, the second slightly less since it will fire but the capacitor is not fully charge and the third will probably have no flash at all. Comparing you can learn how much flash you need.

[Gail Spitler]

Michael
Thanks for posting the image and asking the question
Gail

[Lance Peters]

Really SOFT LIGHT.

:)

[Harold Davis]

agree with lance about the soft light!! the flash is no good beyond 200mm. after 200 you need the beamer.

[Michael Pancier]

Really SOFT LIGHT.

:)

I agree on that. the skies cleared when I arrived ....

[Arthur Morris]

Lots to say here:

#1: I would have started at +1 even with the 40D, close to +2 with a MIII.

#2: Simplest thing to do ALWAYS is to make one image and then check the histogram. Keep adding light until the highlight end of the histogram is well into the 5th box without the presence of any flashing highlights. It's that simple... Expose to the right.

#3: If you are caught without your beamer, it is still a good plan to use the flash. The beamer saves battery power and concentrates the flash but the flash is capable of providing some fill at distances much greater than folks think...