Critique Inflight.

Dale.

Dale.

Bo Derek
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Dale.
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Stu's challenge a few weeks ago to get one inflight prompts me to keep trying, I won't be right until I nail it.

This is closer to what I want but still not nailed in my book. The practice is paying off but still some way to go. The background was in partial shadow today, I'd noticed this flightpath yesterday but the light was dull and grey, with shutter speeds maxing out at 400-640/sec at iso 3200. Today, we had softish Autumn light which allowed 3000/sec plus at reasonable ISO (1250). I'm finding 2000/sec too slow. I'm happier with the sharp bits in this one but also some movement at 3000/sec or over.

Please feel free to crit, not a problem here, I'm open to suggestions as this level of inflight is new to me. Tear it a new one if you have to. (y)

tp.jpg
 
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Not a bad shot Dale as we all know its a bit harder than a bird on a stick :) look forward to seeing more of these
 
Nicely caught
 
Thanks all, I'm quite pleased with it but now realise the BG might be letting it down a little. I'll keep trying though.
 
I don't think the bkg is letting it down bro ,frankly I think it's a corker. Sure I'd also keep the not there yet attitude,why not???? How ya, gonna get better without that little chestnut !! :)

What I like mate is the dark bkg and the bird being lit,I'm a sucker for real dark bkg's Dale coupled with a well lit subject. I also worry not for a little motion blur on wing tips, it's flying bro that motion blur conveys that. HA ha..........that said OMG how fast they move and the SS required to freeze that...really freeze it ,its something isn't it;) I love the frame the negative space up front is it full frame buddy??

Dale,tell me how you are approaching this,I'm curious what camera,what type of FP array(or single point) you have used?? I see you have clocked flight lines(y)

Re image above what dof ..........................do you maybe need a bit more. For me mate the sharpest bit is base of wing and I suspect dof is dropping off towards the head,which sadly fella has turned slightly away. I don't have the expertise to be sure whether dof or motion blur,I don't really trust me at all:D so sort of bunging it out there,as ya do !! I think the frame needs a smidge more DOF but I wish this was from some of the other lads and lasses here with more ability than me. I'm being proper picky Dale it's a banging frame!! But surely we have to be as there are so many amazing photographers out there whom set such a high bar.

Buddy, I love how you have met my challenge head on,I adore the images you are taking,you are such a cracking tog but I hadn't seen much like this from your efforts at home. I knew there was more from all that graft with your hide, and your ability. It's wicked seeing these frames and knowing I was tiny part of that.:cool:

'ere how is it the good frames are always of the kids,with no red:(

rock 'm' roll Dale, love the attitude it's inspiring,dude !!

stu
 
Stuart Philpott said:
I don't think the bkg is letting it down bro ,frankly I think it's a corker. Sure I'd also keep the not there yet attitude,why not???? How ya, gonna get better without that little chestnut !! :)

What I like mate is the dark bkg and the bird being lit,I'm a sucker for real dark bkg's Dale coupled with a well lit subject. I also worry not for a little motion blur on wing tips, it's flying bro that motion blur conveys that. HA ha..........that said OMG how fast they move and the SS required to freeze that...really freeze it ,its something isn't it;) I love the frame the negative space up front is it full frame buddy??

Dale,tell me how you are approaching this,I'm curious what camera,what type of FP array(or single point) you have used?? I see you have clocked flight lines(y)

Re image above what dof ..........................do you maybe need a bit more. For me mate the sharpest bit is base of wing and I suspect dof is dropping off towards the head,which sadly fella has turned slightly away. I don't have the expertise to be sure whether dof or motion blur,I don't really trust me at all:D so sort of bunging it out there,as ya do !! I think the frame needs a smidge more DOF but I wish this was from some of the other lads and lasses here with more ability than me. I'm being proper picky Dale it's a banging frame!! But surely we have to be as there are so many amazing photographers out there whom set such a high bar.

Buddy, I love how you have met my challenge head on,I adore the images you are taking,you are such a cracking tog but I hadn't seen much like this from your efforts at home. I knew there was more from all that graft with your hide, and your ability. It's wicked seeing these frames and knowing I was tiny part of that.:cool:

'ere how is it the good frames are always of the kids,with no red:(

rock 'm' roll Dale, love the attitude it's inspiring,dude !!

stu
Click to expand...


Thanks for the input Stu, as always, the extra mile from you. (y)

I had to do some significant cloning to the BG, there was a whole feeder in the frame. See the original below.

It's also a bit of a crop, though not huge. I used the 7D for this, I am enjoying the extra reach of a crop sensor, it's more than enough for the closer perches with the 100-400 on. The further away perches, about 20 feet from the hide, a crop sensor is about right on those at 400mm. I'm not so worried about bashing the 7D about in the hide, or running up the clicks on it now, daft but true, I do worry about both on the 5D. In hign speed continuous, the shutter count soon adds up and trying inflights about 90% are binned, sadly, that's my hit rate at the moment, with inflights. Hit rate on perched is about 99%.

So,
7D, 100-400L,
f 5.6, to make the most of the light and get the shutter speed where I need it,

iso, 1600, same reasons as above,

1/3200 sec. Seeing this, I could probably have gone to 6.3 or even 7.1 with the aperture and bumped the iso and still got a reasonable shutter speed. Closing down the aperture would probably have given a bit more sharpness to the head as it is slightly turned and looking out of the frame, so (just) out of the focal plane. I don't think it's motion blur at 1/3200, more a DOF issue. Bumping the iso will always grind my gears on a 7D though but that said, it's not as bad as I thought.

I was a 1/3rd of a stop over, in an attempt to control the 7D grain issues, I sometimes go upto a full stop.

The lens was at 235mm, I could've gone in a bit more but you need as mush space as posssible with inflights, or at least the way I'm doing it. I pre focused on a flightpath, and waited for a goldfinch to leave the perch, heading for the feeder, then fired a burst. I used centre weighted average metering and spot AF. I may try tracking but the hatch I use for these is a bit too small for that.

I'm always open to suggestions on these methods, we can all learn that way, I won't be offended by anyone offering better suggetions than my way. (y)

Here's the original file, exposed to the right, as you can see. I have the downward swing of the wings too on the very next frame.

IMG_0345.jpg
 
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