Egret with tiny meal

[Jay Gould]

Hi, this image was made during my first days experimenting with the 300 and the 5D2. Today I am using the 300 with the 7D while I await the 1D4.

Camera: 5D2
Capture date/time: 8 Aug 09; 2:00 pm
Light condition: bright and sunny
Lens: 300 f/2.8
Focal length: 600mm
Extender: 2X
Tube: none
Flash/Comp: no; none
ISO: 200
Exp Prog: M
Speed: 1/2000 sec
Aperture: f/5.6
Exp Comp: -2/3
Metering: Evaluative
WB: Auto
AF Drive: AI Servo
Tripod: no
All C&Cs gratefully appreciated!

[David Stephens]

I'm new at this, so bear with me. I love the pose and composition of one of my personal favorite subjects.

My only thought is that the bird looks a little over exposed on its back. You using -2/3EV and I'm wondering how it would have turned out at +1EV. I'm only just starting to learn exposure compensation myself, so someone hit me in the head if I've got it wrong. :o

Dave

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Dave With + 1 the bird would be totally toast !!! ...as is the - 2/3 was not enough This is tough exposure and would start checking at -1 depending on camera, Pro bodies seem to need less exp, but 5D, 7D ext will need more comp. !!

White birds in full sun are difficult to capture, need really soft light for these characters !!! ..... you putting together some really nice equipment !!! Congrats !!!

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Jay,
I like the capture and the action...your whites look a little over, also the sun angle was not helping much, because of the shadow in the face. Would also try moving a tad to the left to off center the bird. Would have liked to have seen a lower capture angle if that were possible in this case...I like the natural habitat...looking forward to your next one...:cool:

[Jay Gould]

Thanks Gus, yes I should have tried -1 or more EC. I was on a bank above the lagoon lying down - I couldn't get any lower!

[Jeff Cashdollar]

This might have been a case for spot.

Anyway, as it was more neg comp needed and not sure about sun angle as mentioned by Gus, nice shot anyway Jay. I have a 7D and love the speed and quality, what do you think of it?

[Lance Peters]

HI Jay - white birds are tough in anything but soft light, -1 at least here I would think.
Like the meal - bonus points.
Keep em coming :)

[Thanaboon Jearkjirm]

Like the environment around the bird and the fish is a plus indeed. The light condition has too much contrast, you either have to scarify white or black, in this your main subject is white bird, I would give up black.

[Desmond Chan]

Exp Prog: M
Speed: 1/2000 sec
Aperture: f/5.6
Exp Comp: -2/3

Correct me if I'm wrong, it looks like to me you were using the auto exposure compensation button? If so, my understanding is, you were using the manual exposure mode (M). The auto exposure compensation does not work in manual exposure mode. If you want to reduce the exposure, you have to adjust the aperture, shutter speed or ISO manually and directly. In your case, if you still wanted to stay with ISO 200, and you wanted to reduce exposure by 2/3 stop, you should have done one of the followings:

1. adjusted the shutter speed to 1/3200s, or
2. set f-stop to f7.1

I agree with Jeff that it was a situation calling for the use of spot metering. However, I have a feeling even if you had the bird well exposed, say by opening up one stop on what your meter was telling you, you would likely have the bird ok but the surrounding pretty dark. There appears to me a dark area in the background there (not sure how big it is in the full-frame pic). This may have also affected the meter reading of your camera and thus over-exposed the bird. As stated, not the best kind of light you want to shoot a white bird under.

Looking forward to your next one.

[Jay Gould]

Hi Des, absolutely correct and you win the prize for pointing that out! I didn't realize that there is no EC in manual mode until my workshop in the Sierras in October. Resulted in an eye opener even for the instructor when I came to the same realization and pointed out to him that even his Nikon in manual mode meant just that - manual mode!

Actually, I think this issue of no EC in Manual Mode probably justifies a separate thread since so many posts indicate manual mode and EC.

Regarding the light I knew the light was crap; just out playing and liked the two Egrets I have shared. More coming from Florida and much bette light. Cheers,

[Thanaboon Jearkjirm]

Good point by Desmond. Setting exposure compensation in manual mode (at least for Nikon) will move the indicator point where camera think is the correct exposure, it's the 0 point in Nikon. For example if no EV set the camera indicate iso200 f5.6 and shutter speed of 1/200 is correct, then if you dial in +1EV the indicator will now tell you that you are underexpose, so if you change the shutter speed to 1/100 the indicator will then tell you that you are at the right point. Still YOU need to be the one who change the f-stop, shutter speed or iso the camera will not do it for you. If there any use in setting EV in manual, I don't know.

[Roger Clark]

I was on a bank above the lagoon lying down - I couldn't get any lower!

Hi Jay,
Was this in Florida? If so. be careful about lying on the bank next to lagoons. An alligator could come out of the water at you!

Roger

[Jay Gould]

Hi Roger, not in Florida - in Australia near Brisbane - no crocs in this area!!

[Roger Clark]

Jay,
OK. I thought you might be doing a workshop in Florida.

Roger

[Jay Gould]

Hi Mate, I did two workshops in Fla - with Jim Neiger and James Shadle. This image was made in Australia before I went to Florida. Cheers,