Female Summer Tanager

[Joel Eade]

Image taken in my yard with a setup using a feeder

1D MKIV
700mm
ISO 1600
f/5.6
1/125
580 EXII + Better Beamer 1/64 manual power

[Ronald Zigler]

Great photo Joel. When you say you used a "set up" does that mean you created a background for the bird before shooting? I like that crisp, sharp eye.

[Joel Eade]

Great photo Joel. When you say you used a "set up" does that mean you created a background for the bird before shooting? I like that crisp, sharp eye.

No, not exactly. I have some bird feeders in the yard and I prop up perches near them. Birds have a tendency to perch and look at the situation before they come in to feed so I take advantage of that moment to capture their image. The perches are strategically "set up" and oriented so the background is favorable and the birds will tend to sit a certain way when they land.

I remain somewhat concealed by shooting from inside a darkened room in my basement (with the door open) sort of like a sniper!

I have also used a pop up deer hunting blind in the past (Outhouse by Ameristep)

[Ronald Zigler]

OK, I see. I tried to do this over the winter, but our feeders are a bit too close to our house (for good lighting) and there are too many "natural" perches (bushes & trees) nearby to effectively, consistently and predictably isolate the birds. Thanks Joel.

[P-A. Fortin]

Very nice bird. I wish we had those here.

I'm being picky here, but this image looks a tad brighter to me than your usual images. Maybe it is because the bird actually has brighter colors than the other ones you posted, or maybe it is the flash, but I do see a few bits of clipped yellow. Nothing significant, toning it down just a little bit would make it perfect to me.

Any reason why you are using your flash in manual mode instead of ETTL? I'm starting to try to learn how to decently use mine and so far I only went for ETTL. Is there any advantage in using it in manual mode?

[Joel Eade]

Very nice bird. I wish we had those here.

I'm being picky here, but this image looks a tad brighter to me than your usual images. Maybe it is because the bird actually has brighter colors than the other ones you posted, or maybe it is the flash, but I do see a few bits of clipped yellow. Nothing significant, toning it down just a little bit would make it perfect to me.

Any reason why you are using your flash in manual mode instead of ETTL? I'm starting to try to learn how to decently use mine and so far I only went for ETTL. Is there any advantage in using it in manual mode?

Thanks for commenting.

I am trying to get just a small amount of fill flash on the bird, even less than -3 stops in ETTL at times. It seems to help give a little more contrast and sharpness to the feathers at times, it doesn't always work.

I use ETTL as well, usually at -2 1/3 or less for fill flash.

[P-A. Fortin]

Interesting approach. What is the approximate distance between your "basement hide" and your perches?

[Joel Eade]

Interesting approach. What is the approximate distance between your "basement hide" and your perches?

20 feet or so