Rspb saltholme

What do you think about them yourself Chris? My guess is that you haven't looked at (or learned anything from) any other threads on here, or you've missed the point about April Fools only lasting for half a day rather than a whole month. As far as wildlife photography is concerned, either you understand that there is no merit whatsoever in these images, you're having a laugh, or you just need to spend a bit more time reading and looking at the work of others, rather than blindly pressing a shutter and posting regardless.
 
I don't think there that good which is why there on here as I'm a beginner trying to learn and improve from others feedback. i understand the set up looking back on them was wrong shutter speed etc as they were only took at 1/400 and this should have been quicker however they are only a second at wildlife photography as a beginner, luckily John it's not April fools and I will carry on reading the forum and trying to learn thanks for your feedback :)
 
I've just read my post and can only say 'well-done' for not taking it entirely the wrong way. I've seen a few posts with really bad photos recently, so I've just decided to be blunt. Most people don't like to say anything at all when things are bad, but if you are new to this, then zero comments aren't going to help you.

Have a look at the shots generally on this forum and then look again at what you've posted. Read the comments on the other threads and you will begin to get an idea of what's being given the thumbs up or down. If you are genuinely looking for help, just ask. There's nothing to be scared of and we've all started out as newbies.

Bird photography isn't easy to get right and I'm no expert either. I'm at a point now (after pressing a shutter tens of thousands of times) where I just don't take a shot in the hope that something will work out right. To get a decent shot, you first have to get close to the subject. Even with a 400mm or a 500mm+2x convertor, there's no substitute for getting within a stones throw of your subject. Once you are at that point, you can start to learn how to improve the photography.

Advice...... If the subject is too far away to see its eye, don't even bother pressing the shutter. If it's moving, get your shutter speed up. If it's not looking at you, you're probably wasting your time.

I don't know what equipment you are using, so can't be more specific with suggestions. Over to you.
 
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Chris

if you could put together a check list of "procedures" starting from picking up the camera and switching it on through to posting an image on the forum maybe it would help.

Keep posting and explaining what you have done and why and what problems you experience

I'm a relative beginning and am still learning and it is possible to improve quite quickly, but you have to put some thought and effort into it as it's not simple as a "point and shoot"
 
FourRingCircus said:
Advice...... If the subject is too far away to see its eye, don't even bother pressing the shutter. If it's moving, get your shutter speed up. If it's not looking at you, you're probably wasting your time.
Click to expand...

....That's very good advice. Although I'm not totally convinced about always needing the bird to be looking at you - You need to see the eye but other poses can still work very well in my opinion.

I'm a beginner too in that I only started DSLR in December but I have learnt a lot here on TP from critiques. And I still have much to learn!
 
FourRingCircus said:
I've just read my post and can only say 'well-done' for not taking it entirely the wrong way. I've seen a few posts with really bad photos recently, so I've just decided to be blunt. Most people don't like to say anything at all when things are bad, but if you are new to this, then zero comments aren't going to help you.

Have a look at the shots generally on this forum and then look again at what you've posted. Read the comments on the other threads and you will begin to get an idea of what's being given the thumbs up or down. If you are genuinely looking for help, just ask. There's nothing to be scared of and we've all started out as newbies.

Bird photography isn't easy to get right and I'm no expert either. I'm at a point now (after pressing a shutter tens of thousands of times) where I just don't take a shot in the hope that something will work out right. To get a decent shot, you first have to get close to the subject. Even with a 400mm or a 500mm+2x convertor, there's no substitute for getting within a stones throw of your subject. Once you are at that point, you can start to learn how to improve the photography.

Advice...... If the subject is too far away to see its eye, don't even bother pressing the shutter. If it's moving, get your shutter speed up. If it's not looking at you, you're probably wasting your time.

I don't know what equipment you are using, so can't be more specific with suggestions. Over to you.
Click to expand...

John, thanks for your response and I understand that these photos are bad and suggestions to improve them would be massively appreciated as per your advice about being too far away, with regards to being to far away these photos were all taken from inside a hide would you recommend not using the hide and finding an alternate location?

Equipment wise I'm not using the greatest due to a budget when I first started but I am looking to upgrade so any thoughts on what I could upgrade would be good, body is a nikon d3000 looking to upgrade but not sure what too? Lens are a tamron 70-300 and a cheap 500mm lens would you recommend using the sigma 150/500mm lens?
 
BillN_33 said:
Chris

if you could put together a check list of "procedures" starting from picking up the camera and switching it on through to posting an image on the forum maybe it would help.

Keep posting and explaining what you have done and why and what problems you experience

I'm a relative beginning and am still learning and it is possible to improve quite quickly, but you have to put some thought and effort into it as it's not simple as a "point and shoot"
Click to expand...

Hi thanks for your response :) with regards to a procedure when taking photographs it's not very long which I don't know if this is good I'd presume bad. Normally it's the basic things if I take the tripod it setting up that and fixing the camera in etc. And lenses depending which one I'm using. Normally a couple of test shots to check settings etc but should take longer to do this now. Then I walk to location and shoot from there however there I think I should take longer to do these things and set up the camera. If anyone could think of that I've missed please let me know. Also as an idea would it be good to practice in he garden with bird feeders etc? Chris
 
Ok you know these are not good photos but at least with digital it has only cost you time not cash. As there is no cash involved a good way to practice bird shots is to go to the local park with bread and feed the ducks and gulls and then try. Don't just hit the shutter button when you do this but think about every image as if it's film, maybe go for an hour and limit your self to say fifty shots to make you think. As has been said read around the forum and look at what others are achieving as there are some great bird photographers on here. Unfortunately I'm not one of them. :(
 
One of the problems with Salthome is simply the distance you are from the birds. Nearby Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park would allow you to get closer to the birds. Its a learning curve Chris, i remember my first efforts all gave me experience to build on.
 
Chris141h said:
John, thanks for your response and I understand that these photos are bad and suggestions to improve them would be massively appreciated as per your advice about being too far away, with regards to being to far away these photos were all taken from inside a hide would you recommend not using the hide and finding an alternate location?

Equipment wise I'm not using the greatest due to a budget when I first started but I am looking to upgrade so any thoughts on what I could upgrade would be good, body is a nikon d3000 looking to upgrade but not sure what too? Lens are a tamron 70-300 and a cheap 500mm lens would you recommend using the sigma 150/500mm lens?
Click to expand...
Using a hide is absolutely sensible Chris! Just don't go in there and point a camera at whatever happens to move on the horizon and then start firing like you're in a WW1 trench with a charge heading in your direction! Also, have an idea of what you are looking to capture before you go there. Your shots show a Canada Goose - is that what you wanted to photograph before you headed out that day, or was it just 'something' to point a camera at? The suggestion about going to the local park (or even just a garden) is a good one. Go out with a specific objective and this might help to remove the temptation to shoot 'anything'. It doesn't matter if it's a sparrow or a chaffinch, just look for a subject that takes your interest and try to get some decent shots. Then you can post something up and discover how to improve.

I know nothing whatsoever of Nikons, Tamarons or Sigmas as everything I have is Canon. Lenses are more important than cameras though. A cheap body with an expensive lens will produce a better image than an expensive body with a cheap lens. Bear this in mind next time you see a 'bargain' lens.

Finally, I presume you have an interest in birds / wildlife generally? I used photography to gain a better understanding and to aid identification of birds - a subject I've always had an interest in. If you are not especially interested in birds, perhaps there are easier subjects to aim a camera at if you simply want to improve your photography. Whatever it is, get out and enjoy what you want to do. You will get a lot of help here, but it will be better if you have an idea of what's being expected in terms of pictures if you read round this particular (bird) forum and view the work of others. (y)
 
Chris,

I don't know your level of experience, so I'll try and give you a rough idea as to some basic settings to start with, which you can then change as you learn. Apologies if these are a bit basic and patronising, and I don't know the Nikon D3000, so you might need to research a couple of the suggestions further.

By the way, you do know that birds in flight are right up there with the most difficult subjects around don't you!!

Your AF setup - You're going for moving subjects, so you need continuous AF (AF-C). You don't want the camera choosing the AF point, you want to remain in contol, so set your camera to just use the centre AF point, and try your best to ensure this point remains on your subjects eye whenever possible.

ISO - you need to keep your ISO high in all but the brightest light. If you're not already aware, google the exposure triangle and learn how ISO, shutter speed and aperture all affect each other. For now, I wouldn't go lower than ISO 800, and if you can shoot without cropping too much, ISO 1600. They may not provide you with the best available quality, but they will assist in you getting a faster shutter speed, and you can always apply noise reduction, but theres nothing you can do about a blurred shot.

Exposure - Simply put, you want a very fast shutter speed. 1/500th may sound fast, but for birds in flight it will not freeze that action. Faster the better. Your lens has a slow maximum aperture, so for now, I'd recommend shooting in Aperture Priority with your aperture set as wide as it will go.

The metering settings vary a lot depending upon subject, light and background, and the only real way of learning is to go out and shoot. As a start, I'd suggest Aperture priority, spot metering and set your exposure compensation to +1 stop.Again, these are basic settings and not suitable for all shots by a long way. Experimenting and practice is the only way forward.

Shoot in continuous drive mode, take 2-3 shots on each pass, trying to keep your movements smooth and getused to following teh bird for a second or so after your last shot. This will prevent you getting too 'jerky' with your movements

Subjects - we all want great shots of Owls and Ospreys etc, but for now, go down to your local park and shoot the ducks and the gulls. They have fairly predictable flight patterns where you can concentrate on getting the focus point over the eye, and should have the opportunity to choose where you want the light to come from. Keep it behind you at the moment.

Finally, get out there, shoot and post your results. This is not an easy subject, and you will get frustrated, but if you keep at it and take the advice offered on board, yo uwill progress quickly.
 
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Big Andy said:
Ok you know these are not good photos but at least with digital it has only cost you time not cash. As there is no cash involved a good way to practice bird shots is to go to the local park with bread and feed the ducks and gulls and then try. Don't just hit the shutter button when you do this but think about every image as if it's film, maybe go for an hour and limit your self to say fifty shots to make you think. As has been said read around the forum and look at what others are achieving as there are some great bird photographers on here. Unfortunately I'm not one of them. :(
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback I think over the bank holiday weekend I'm going to try in the garden and also the local park as well and just experiment with what I've been which has been great information, I'm looking forward to getting out again to show hopefully some progress :)
 
FourRingCircus said:
Using a hide is absolutely sensible Chris! Just don't go in there and point a camera at whatever happens to move on the horizon and then start firing like you're in a WW1 trench with a charge heading in your direction! Also, have an idea of what you are looking to capture before you go there. Your shots show a Canada Goose - is that what you wanted to photograph before you headed out that day, or was it just 'something' to point a camera at? The suggestion about going to the local park (or even just a garden) is a good one. Go out with a specific objective and this might help to remove the temptation to shoot 'anything'. It doesn't matter if it's a sparrow or a chaffinch, just look for a subject that takes your interest and try to get some decent shots. Then you can post something up and discover how to improve.

I know nothing whatsoever of Nikons, Tamarons or Sigmas as everything I have is Canon. Lenses are more important than cameras though. A cheap body with an expensive lens will produce a better image than an expensive body with a cheap lens. Bear this in mind next time you see a 'bargain' lens.

Finally, I presume you have an interest in birds / wildlife generally? I used photography to gain a better understanding and to aid identification of birds - a subject I've always had an interest in. If you are not especially interested in birds, perhaps there are easier subjects to aim a camera at if you simply want to improve your photography. Whatever it is, get out and enjoy what you want to do. You will get a lot of help here, but it will be better if you have an idea of what's being expected in terms of pictures if you read round this particular (bird) forum and view the work of others. (y)
Click to expand...

Thanks John what I think I need to do is get a better understanding of the wildlife mainly birds around me as I have gone out aimlessly as you mentioned just point and shooting at what flies by in hope I suppose of getting a good shot, were I agree that I should be more patient and focus on one or maybe two species of bird and try for them?

And yes I've always had an interest in wildlife and mainly birds on the whole but recently I've took for some reason a bit more of interest which is why took the camera out and without getting good shot I still really enjoyed it just a shame about the results but I'm keen to put into action what's been said and will upload some pictures to show hopefully the results

Chris
 
M
pooley said:
Chris,

I don't know your level of experience, so I'll try and give you a rough idea as to some basic settings to start with, which you can then change as you learn. Apologies if these are a bit basic and patronising, and I don't know the Nikon D3000, so you might need to research a couple of the suggestions further.

By the way, you do know that birds in flight are right up there with the most difficult subjects around don't you!!

Your AF setup - You're going for moving subjects, so you need continuous AF (AF-C). You don't want the camera choosing the AF point, you want to remain in contol, so set your camera to just use the centre AF point, and try your best to ensure this point remains on your subjects eye whenever possible.

ISO - you need to keep your ISO high in all but the brightest light. If you're not already aware, google the exposure triangle and learn how ISO, shutter speed and aperture all affect each other. For now, I wouldn't go lower than ISO 800, and if you can shoot without cropping too much, ISO 1600. They may not provide you with the best available quality, but they will assist in you getting a faster shutter speed, and you can always apply noise reduction, but theres nothing you can do about a blurred shot.

Exposure - Simply put, you want a very fast shutter speed. 1/500th may sound fast, but for birds in flight it will not freeze that action. Faster the better. Your lens has a slow maximum aperture, so for now, I'd recommend shooting in Aperture Priority with your aperture set as wide as it will go.

The metering settings vary a lot depending upon subject, light and background, and the only real way of learning is to go out and shoot. As a start, I'd suggest Aperture priority, spot metering and set your exposure compensation to +1 stop.Again, these are basic settings and not suitable for all shots by a long way. Experimenting and practice is the only way forward.

Shoot in continuous drive mode, take 2-3 shots on each pass, trying to keep your movements smooth and getused to following teh bird for a second or so after your last shot. This will prevent you getting too 'jerky' with your movements

Subjects - we all want great shots of Owls and Ospreys etc, but for now, go down to your local park and shoot the ducks and the gulls. They have fairly predictable flight patterns where you can concentrate on getting the focus point over the eye, and should have the opportunity to choose where you want the light to come from. Keep it behind you at the moment.

Finally, get out there, shoot and post your results. This is not an easy subject, and you will get frustrated, but if you keep at it and take the advice offered on board, yo uwill progress quickly.
Click to expand...

Mike this information you have provided has not been patronising at all and i think it will help me set the camera up a lot better and I think I will do what has previously been mentioned by yourself and other members and practice on the ducks and gulls at the park and have a go in the garden as well thanks for the help and I'm going to look at the exposure triangle now :)
 
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