Hi folks, I have been missing on this Forum for a while now trying to devote my time to learn how to shoot wildlife and improve my PP. I'm new to photography too, have about 1 year only, but I have learned a lt from the folks here on BPN. So if you are new like me and want to learn, don't be shy to provide your comments to other folks' images. It may be scary at first, but you will get a hang of it. Just be clear and honest and that is the best way to learn. At least it works for me.
My Summer here in Southern California was a total zero image. No birds, cloudy weather at the beach, so I'm happy to see Fall comes. I went to the beach late afternoon yesterday and found this Mabled Godwit standing on a sand dune may be a bout 5 feet from the beach, so I went down to the beach to get to an eye level shot. The sun was on the left side of the bird, not right behind me, but I chose this angle to have the bird against a background of a distant mountain. Had I moved to get the sun behind me, the background would be a clutter of reef and sky.
I had my 500f4 + 1.4X = 700mm on and I could retreat further unless I was willing to stand in the water.
1DX
500f4 II + 1.4X III = 700mm
1/4000 (I kept my SS high for other BIF shots)
f5.6
ISO-800
Handheld
AF Servo with the focus point on the neck of the bird. Ideally I would want the focus point on the eye, but I was too close and the eye was too high on the frame.
Manual exposure. I started learning how to do Manual exposure about 6 months ago and now I shoot almost exclusively in this mode to avoid sudden exposure changes with changing background.
Cropped just a sliver off the right hand side for composition.
Marbled Godwit
