Garden Birds.. With Lighting..

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Name
Colin
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Hi Everyone..

Over the last year I have been playing with a little project, unfortunately not up to the standard of species you seem to find. Due to my time constrants, normally in the wet & cold season as I worked as a motorsports tog most of the year. As part of my work I use a lot of Off Camera Flash & tend to shoot everything I do with it... Always find it gives me more dramatic shots with more detail & texture.

So over the last year I have been using the same technique on the birds in my garden & some from my local woods, this year I'm planning to try a similar technique on more of the wilder species.

Please let me know what you think as you are a lot more experienced with birds then me, if anyone needs C&C on flying motorcycles, I'm your man...

Thanks.

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I really like number 2, so simple but the bird looks amazing against a totally dark background. The way you've captured this image is stunning.
 
I really like number 2, so simple but the bird looks amazing against a totally dark background. The way you've captured this image is stunning.

Thanks... The background is my garden, just shot at a high shutter speed cutting out all ambient light, this way the flash is the only light to register.. one of the trickier shots to do.
 
These are certainly dramatic pictures, I do like the ones were the wings are outstretched showing all the feathers.

Is the set up a single flash off camera with an radio transmitter?, can you give us some more details about settings, etc?
 
Thanks... The background is my garden, just shot at a high shutter speed cutting out all ambient light, this way the flash is the only light to register.. one of the trickier shots to do.
I like it so much that I going to try it for myself...if it ever stops raining!
 
No techy crit thingy from me as I'm not a birder but as for personal taste etc I really really like them, it'd nice to see something different and look forward hopefully to seeing more :D
 
Hi Huffy..

Most of these are 2 speedlites, I use a lot of different makes for my normal work but all will work the same... At the moment I'm using 600's so trigger built in, but most of these were shot using Pocket Wizard Flex TT system, triggering a couple of 580's... The lights are set about 2ft from where I think the bird will pass or land, they are normal set facing each other, bit like sandwich lighting... gives more of a dramatic feel & adds tecture & shadow to the feather structure... Cameras around 45 degree to flash plane...
Settings, always shoot manual, have full control over how much ambient light is allowed in the shot compared to flash which again is fully adjustable, most of these the flash is around 1/4 power... Average shot setting f2.8-f3.5.. shutter 1/6400-1/8000... Blue tits are super fast definately 1/8000
 
I see , so the flash units are capable of HSS flash so you can get the shutter speeds up to 1/8000.
 
I think they really are great, unusual too which is always a plus!

I noticed on your Blue Tit thread that you said the SS was 1/8000 but my camera only goes to 1/250.

How do you get it synced so high!?

Using HSS..
No techy crit thingy from me as I'm not a birder but as for personal taste etc I really really like them, it'd nice to see something different and look forward hopefully to seeing more :D

Thank you... I just like doing weird stuff

Even squirrels get a bit of lighting...can make em even look meaner
 
Using HSS..


Thank you... I just like doing weird stuff

Even squirrels get a bit of lighting...can make em even look meaner

Noooooooooo I don't believe squirrels csn ever look mean lol!

As for weird. Well weird is cool so that's right up my street :D
 
Sorry but i really dont like the use of flash on birds, its been the subject of many a debate on here before. As for the images they are mostly ok at best with harsh shadows due to the use of flash. A few have feeders in them which shows little thought in the surroundings- sorry i cant be more sympathetic to them.
 
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Sorry but i really dont like the use of flash on birds, its been the subject of many a debate on here before. As for the images they are mostly ok at best with harsh shadows due to the use of flash. A few have feeders in them which shows little thought in the surroundings- sorry i cant be more sympathetic to them.

Thanks for your views, lighting is something I use in all my projects, mainly for what it can add to an image, as for light irritating the birds, most were back in seconds.. I understand the comments with the feeders, but I only get a few sunday's a year to shoot private projects so cant say i'm a pro with shooting birds, it wasn't there was little thought, more with the time it was a good area to light & capture them with outstretched wings, similar to my worm nail to log. In photography everything should be tried.. Different isn't always wrong. But thank you for your views
 
They are different and have enabled you to get some good wing action, my concern however is similar to Mark.
I have used flash for bird photography during the day but it is not something I would feel happy about doing in the hours of dusk/darkness (as these appear to be) as I personally feel that it is not beneficial to the birds. :)
 
Nearly all are shot midday... by shooting manual I have full control how much ambient light is in the image... Flash power is set on the flashes, the shutter speed will never change the amount of light the flash throws... by shooting at 1/8000 you can turn midday into a black background..
 
Nearly all are shot midday... by shooting manual I have full control how much ambient light is in the image... Flash power is set on the flashes, the shutter speed will never change the amount of light the flash throws... by shooting at 1/8000 you can turn midday into a black background..

Fairy nuff :)
 
Number 11... was shot at 2.00 yesterday afternoon which was very bright & fairly cloudless & bloody cold... shot using a 1dx, 24-70 f2,8... setting f2.8, 1/6400 ISO250...

By keeping the aperture I little wider, Ive kept the sky as a deeper blue rather then a very pale one..
 
Number 11... was shot at 2.00 yesterday afternoon which was very bright & fairly cloudless & bloody cold... shot using a 1dx, 24-70 f2,8... setting f2.8, 1/6400 ISO250...

By keeping the aperture I little wider, Ive kept the sky as a deeper blue rather then a very pale one..

I really like this capture the best, great detail and his/her little mate flying in background adds a little something to the shot.
 
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