Taken around the same time as the first pic in the initial post below with the major difference that this time I used the flash to counteract the slightly harsh backlighting (so less to do in Photoshop). It can give problems with blown highlights if you don't manage the output and compensation so for me at the mo a bit hit and miss - also the bird equivalent of 'red-eye' is 'steel-eye' and I had to do a bit of fixing in Photoshop - tho looking at it again I've not done a great job!
Just something I'd been mulling over when decorating the new house - having had a bunch of time to think I was trying to work out how I could get properly exposed and detailed shots of the birds out of the hide at LCyD which for the majority of the day is pretty much into the sun. Doing some further digging on the web I found others, in particular in the States, had similar concerns. It's all a bit of a faff at times as you end up carrying a bunch more gear with various flash add-ons, external battery packs and the like so the pack gets a bit weighty but I think there's something in it.
Interested in any comments - in particular views on whether or not this pic works better for you than the first one in the post last night!
tech stuff is 1D3, Canon 500mm f4 + 1.4TC, ISO 200, f5.6, 1/500, spot metering, AV with -1EC, Canon 580 Mk2 flash with stofen diffuser, 1/4 power - think that's it!
A much better job Mark, its sharper due to the flash (Although the maximum flash sync is only 1/250). I cannot use my flash set up at Coed-y-dinas as the openings in the hide are too small to get the flash through! Your D1 mk3 will give perfect results at iso 320 Mark with a very fine grain structure, thats why I have kept mine as well as the mk4! Lovely photo Mark well worth all the work. Must have a day out with you on the Ridge when we can compare notes.
ReplyDeleteThanks Brian - yep my typo mistake ref the shutter speed - 1/300 on the Mk3 - of course the duration of the actual flash is much much less than 1/300 sec, typically more of the order of 1/20000 sec. Found the same problem ref the size of the openings - on the assumption that I can't chainsaw them bigger (haha!!) I'm now toying with horizontal flash brackets - hey ho
ReplyDeleteHi Mark
ReplyDeleteBoth are lovely photos. To my `eye` I see the 1st post in a `more natural` way, in the second image I see the flash bouncing back off of the birds bill which again through my eyes gives a `studio type` set up`almost as if the shot was a `painting`. But as for the `tech stuff` with respect I will leave that to Brian and your good self - lol.
Sadly I once again had to leave the area on 2nd Jan to work away for 4 weeks so it is with great regret that I missed the `red poll` I hope to get to Venus Pool` on Friday and to seek out the Whooper Swan that graze near Much Welock.
Happy birding
Trevor
Cheers Trevor - that's kind of what I was referring to - with flash unless you have the EC and post-proc spot on it can look very unnatural - will persevere!
ReplyDelete