(Added Photos) Another go at Birding....

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Bryn
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I swapped my Sigma 150-500 for a Tamron 150-600mm.

Some more attempts at this birding malarkey... shot on TV mode set to 1/640 - 1/800s and ISO Auto occasional move of the Exp comp

Hopefully these are better than previous attempts

1.

IMG_5546
by bthomas124, on Flickr

2.

IMG_5544
by bthomas124, on Flickr

3.

IMG_5543
by bthomas124, on Flickr

4. And a posed dirty pigeon

IMG_5564
by bthomas124, on Flickr

All comments welcome and appreciated.

:ty:
 
Pigeon looks distinctly sharper than the Nuthatch, what focus mode are you using? :)
 
I agree with Roger- the Nuthatch is not a sharp as the wood pigeon at least the exposure is getting better Bryn ;)

I would suggest trying to get a much faster shutter speed say 1/750th sec if hand held mate

Les
 
Centre point should have cracked it but doesn't seem to have ... could you have missed focus, either you or the bird moving?
 
Pigeon is very sharp Bryn and the images are getting better from the first ones you showed me. I'd be tempted to try in shutter priority at 800-1200 and auto ISO, but I'm no expert! From what people have told me this lens is fantastic wide open at speeds faster than 600 in good light.
 
I agree with Roger- the Nuthatch is not a sharp as the wood pigeon at least the exposure is getting better Bryn ;)

I would suggest trying to get a much faster shutter speed say 1/750th sec if hand held mate

Les

My camera can only go from 640 - 800s so will set it to 800s.... thanks mate glad I'm improving.

Centre point should have cracked it but doesn't seem to have ... could you have missed focus, either you or the bird moving?

Suspect I probably moved though there is a little wind too so maybe slight movement on subject too

Pigeon is very sharp Bryn and the images are getting better from the first ones you showed me. I'd be tempted to try in shutter priority at 800-1200 and auto ISO, but I'm no expert! From what people have told me this lens is fantastic wide open at speeds faster than 600 in good light.

Thanks mate, will go to 1/800s some reason I keep trying to do Macro with the lens have no Idea why ;)
 
Looks like the focus has picked up the branches on the nuthatch.

Still a nice bird to be out photographing though.

Have you given AV a go with the birds ? Just adjusting the ISO to control shutter speed ?
 
You are supposed to "hold your ........" whilst squeezing the trigger ...... reduces and controls any "movements"

Lol

Looks like the focus has picked up the branches on the nuthatch.

Still a nice bird to be out photographing though.

Have you given AV a go with the birds ? Just adjusting the ISO to control shutter speed ?

Now that's what people meant by using AV mode... I did wonder well how do you control shutter speed if using auto ISO answer clearly use manual ISO dohhhhhhhhhhh
 
Lol

Now that's what people meant by using AV mode... I did wonder well how do you control shutter speed if using auto ISO answer clearly use manual ISO dohhhhhhhhhhh

Yep - just set aperture in AV (somewhere between 5.6 & 8) check your shutter speed is suitable and if not, up the ISO till it is.

It's not everybody's preferred method and it's more suited to sitting around in one place but I find it an OK way to work. Just means nudging the ISO up and down now and again to maintain shutter speed as the light changes.
 
OK had another go this afternoon... sorry about some higher ISO stuff here camera not so great at it but its all I have so you know.

Hopefully these are better they do look that way to me :D

1. Shake a tail feather

Shake a Tail Feather
by bthomas124, on Flickr

2.

IMG_5633
by bthomas124, on Flickr

3. I'm a big bird

IMG_5638
by bthomas124, on Flickr

4. So am I ...

IMG_5651
by bthomas124, on Flickr

5.

IMG_5643
by bthomas124, on Flickr

6. Nesting

IMG_5635
by bthomas124, on Flickr

Rest are on Flickr if you fancy looking :D

:ty:
 
Looks like you are making great leaps forward. I particularly like that last one with the nest material.

The lens is working out well for you. Much better than anything I managed yesterday, although I'm going to go out again this weekend when I have chance of getting at least some light ;)
 
Play to your strengths.
 
Looks like you are making great leaps forward. I particularly like that last one with the nest material.

The lens is working out well for you. Much better than anything I managed yesterday, although I'm going to go out again this weekend when I have chance of getting at least some light ;)

Thanks mate much appreciated look forward to seeing your efforts :)

Play to your strengths.

I'll wait to see where this is going before I comment ;) :)
 
Thanks mate much appreciated look forward to seeing your efforts :)



I'll wait to see where this is going before I comment ;) :)
I think you know, with no need for me to make any further comment.o_O
 
Bird photography is technically challenging and you need to know you camera/lens and have used it well to get the necessary confidence and experience

understanding light situations are really important

once you have mastered the technical challenges you can consider composition, which hopefully is aided because usually bird images are cropped ........ but if you start with a "dog" it will always be difficult to produce a good image

The images above suffer failures in both areas but are typical of the start of the long journey towards success, bird photography is very challenging
 
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man made bird feeders and structures etc., are considered not to be appropriate by many, (me included)

Even if the shot is good the appearance of such negates any value in the image and such should not be displayed, except in very exceptional circumstances
 
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Thanks for your opinion @BillN_33 feel free to educate me why?

So guess you have never shot a bird at a bird reserve where man made posts/branches are setup?
 
Thanks for your opinion @BillN_33 feel free to educate me why?

So guess you have never shot a bird at a bird reserve where man made posts/branches are setup?

Yes I have - I have feeders etc., in the back garden, but I try to avoid shots on them at all costs, around them yes, on natural perches ........ a fence post out in the countryside in a natural environment, (i.e. not intended to be a bird table/feeder), or a chimney is more acceptable, but not a "set up" feeder or similar in the shot, I bin all such images, no matter how sharpe .. just my opinion/preference ........ or taking captive birds in a zoo or similar .... just no appeal to me

I detest hummingbirds on red plastic sugar syrup feeders .. see so many shots of these beautiful birds taken that way .... just a nightmare!!!
 
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You are improving with every day out with the new Lens- The Nuthatch in No 2 is lovely

The Blue tits look a tad over exposed, do you use a monopd? Maybe worth getting one

Les
 
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You are improving with every day out with the new Lens- The Nuthatch in No 2 is lovely

The Blue tits look a tad over exposed, do you use a monopd?

Les

Thanks mate... glad that people are seeing improvement. Not got a monopod so no only handheld. I will have a look at exposure on blue tits ;)
 
Thanks mate... glad that people are seeing improvement. Not got a monopod so no only handheld. I will have a look at exposure on blue tits ;)

It's a learning curve with a new lens and the 150-600 is a hefty beast a mono-pod helps when shooting at 600mm

Like this one I shot with the new Tamron from a mono-pod, as I wandered around the Levels, 1/500th sec @ f6.7 ISO 200


Blue tit with Tamron @ 600mm by lesmoxonphotography, on Flickr

Les
 
Ok so when are we going to see a macro bird shot Bryn :p

To me and I agree with Les here :oops: :$, they do look a tad over exposed
You are doing well though, keep at it (y)
 
Ok so when are we going to see a macro bird shot Bryn :p

To me and I agree with Les here :oops: :$, they do look a tad over exposed
You are doing well though, keep at it (y)

They don't let me close enough ;)

No blown highlights so can reduce the exposure should be detail left. :D
 
Bryn, looking at the first Nuthatch in the second group, IMG_5638

I don't think that they are over exposed ....... the histogram may point that way ...... but the main adjustments IMHO are that the shadows need lifting, the exposure increasing to lighten the bg whilst pulling the highlights back on the bird when the exposure is increased

In this image if you lighten the background by increasing the exposure selectively it will make the bird stand out more

You could adjust the tone curve manually but a way to improve the image would be the treat the bird separately from the background to ensure that any adjustments made to the bird are not carried through into the bg and vice versa

maybe something like the following if all the adjustments are done in one layer ...... just a couple of minutes work .... I'm sure that it can be improved by an "expert" in PS and difficult with a small jpeg

Rich is the expert!

BRYN.jpg
 
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I agree with Roger- the Nuthatch is not a sharp as the wood pigeon at least the exposure is getting better Bryn ;) Les

Smaller birds are always moving and very fidgety whereas larger birds like the pigeon stay fairly still and I think small birds are harder to capture.
 
Smaller birds are always moving and very fidgety whereas larger birds like the pigeon stay fairly still and I think small birds are harder to capture.

really- thank you for that

How large do you think my Blue tit was then?????

Les :rolleyes:
 
Especially young Springer Spaniels

I miss our Springer ......... my wife is against getting another ....... my daughter had a week off work when ours died suddenly .. she was so upset ...... lovely animals ....... young or old
 
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There's a noticible improvement in the photos. It just shows how helpful criticism really works.
 
I miss our Springer ......... my wife is against getting another ....... my daughter had a week off work when ours died suddenly .. she was so upset ...... lovely animals ....... young or old

I'm on number 3. They have a plan to help each other.

You spend their first 8 years shouting "I'll never have another flipping Springer". Then 4 years saying "another will be fine". Then then their first 8 years shouting "I'll never have............
 
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