remote release for wildlife shots is it cheating ?

LCPete

LCPete

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What do you lot think about using a remote release for wildlife shots is it just another way of doing things or cheating :D?
In my case birds in the garden:)

I really like using the 70-200 as its so sharp but its not easy to get close enough

I been using a set up in the garden with the camera set up on a tripod, prefocussed on a perch. I sit about 10 feet away using a long cable release to fire the shutter when a bird sits on the perch:)

It takes some setting up and working out where the bird is most likely perch


A motion sensor jobbie in my mind IS cheating as the camera is unnatended
Pete
 
To me its cheating if you set the camera up to trigger itself and your not present, its the machine taking the shot then and not you. If your there and deciding when to release the shutter then fair enough you have taken the shot.
 
I don't see any sort of remote gear as cheating.

The photographer still has to put a reasonable effort in in order to scout a suitable spot, set everything up - get everything spot on - introduce new stuff steadily so as not to put wildlife off.

Remote release allows photographers to capture photographs that would otherwise be impossible - remote triggers even more so.

Although to set a remote trigger up for garden birds is overkill and the cost of the gear would be better spent on a decent piece of glass.

Or (Even better) set up a hide in the garden and then a 70-200mm is ample for the garden birds.
 
For the last two years I think the Wildlife Photographer of the year award has been won by people using remote set ups. One was a snow leapard and one a wolf. Don't get me wrong, there was probably hours of planning (more so than being there) and time waiting for the right subject to come along. I wouldn't say it was cheating but for me personally, it really does take the edge off it.
I think your set up of a cable and you deciding when to take the picture is better and really your photograph rather than a wireless machine deciding when to press the button!!
All my opinion though so don't let it put you off experimenting.
 
sbowler579 said:
To me its cheating if you set the camera up to trigger itself and your not present, its the machine taking the shot then and not you. If your there and deciding when to release the shutter then fair enough you have taken the shot.
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I cant agree with this as You have to set it up knowing where the subject will be. it is not easy to do I have seen the work someone had to do to get night shots of owls and I can tell you its was very complex
 
I would say a big NO WAY, in fact I think it is harder setting everything up without the subject present.

In fact I am just building a Microprocessor controlled flash / camera trigger with multiple sensor inputs, including laser, motion, and sound.

For just this very thing :)P
 
stuartg said:
For the last two years I think the Wildlife Photographer of the year award has been won by people using remote set ups. One was a snow leapard and one a wolf. Don't get me wrong, there was probably hours of planning (more so than being there) and time waiting for the right subject to come along. I wouldn't say it was cheating but for me personally, it really does take the edge off it.
I think your set up of a cable and you deciding when to take the picture is better and really your photograph rather than a wireless machine deciding when to press the button!!
All my opinion though so don't let it put you off experimenting.
Click to expand...

But surely the photographer chooses exactly where the wireless machine will trigger? :shrug: Picking the composition then spot has got to be a lot harder without your subject actually being there
 
stuartg said:
I think your set up of a cable and you deciding when to take the picture is better and really your photograph rather than a wireless machine deciding when to press the button!!
Click to expand...

There is no machine involved any process of setting up a shot. The subject will break an IR beam or something, and the camera will take the shot.

It's a damn sight harder to do this as you have to guess exactly where the subject will be in the frame, which part of it will trigger the beam etc.

If you are sat there taking the shot you can focus and compose multiple times in the few seconds you have to shoot the subject. Not something that is possible with a remote set up.
 
Its not just taking the pictures, you like to see it for yourself as well. Just get a wireless remote shutter and hide in the shed or something. I wouldnt call it cheating what you say but I wouldnt like to do it.
 
A motion sensor type thing would take the fun out of it. But I do have a remote trigger (although not used it yet) so I can set the camera up in places where my presence would prevent the wildlife from getting close enough. Trigger will let me hang back (in the car maybe) and fire the camera when I want the shot taken so it's not cheating I don't think.
 
Thanks for the replies :) Glad it's considered OK:D
I have considered a hide it would actually be easier to get the shots but not really an option as we have a very small garden no space to leave anything set up

Im not using any expensive kit just a cheapie long cable release from ebay
Works a treat :)

I do have a longer lens the 100-400 which is great but I prefer the 70-200 for smaller birds close up.

It's great fun seeing what I can get and last year I was getting shots of blackbirds and Robins with my Sigma 105 macro.

and even with the big lens at 400 I struggle to fill the frame with small ones like coal tits

I see what you guys means about the motion sensor for difficult situations and a lot of work goes into it but for me half the fun is watching whats going on
Pete
 
The camera is a tool, the infra-red trigger is a tool. The photographer has to decide where to place the camera and sensor, work out where the subject will be, dial in the correct exposure, the correct focus area. All that is being done by remote is the pressing of the shutter button.

There was a guy in the recent Genius of Photography program who never even touched a camera, he had a "crew: to do everything for him. Was that cheating? No. Odd, but not cheating. :D
 
Cheating? No it's not cheating unless you're attempting to pass off as your own handiwork an image taken without your hand on the shutter button or remote release, one triggerred by the subject. It is simply the result of an automated process, a bit like a speed camera at the side of the road.
 
Not cheating. I'm in the processing of pulling information together to build my own IR beam triggers and it's far from easy. Need to MF on the point, set the beam up right and (normally) use flash in a well balanced way.

I'm keen to get some pictures of an urban fox at night and it's the only way I can see to do it without disturbing the fox.
 
Some cameras can be set up to be focussed on a particular spot and as the subject passes through the point of focus the shutter is triggered automatically.
I see nothing wrong with using that.
 
I do a similar thing, set it all up, but I run a massively long USB cable so I control the camera indoors. 1) Nice and warm 2) can change settings of camera 3) no movement at all in garden 4) can see results without disturbing birds.

overkill? possibly, just how i set mine up :)
 
arclight said:
Some cameras can be set up to be focussed on a particular spot and as the subject passes through the point of focus the shutter is triggered automatically.
I see nothing wrong with using that.
Click to expand...
That's a good point, I forgot all about that. I know some older Nikons did it, not sure if any of the newer ones do...(runs off to find out)
 
I tried the very same thing this summer gone and had much better results than hand held from 20 odd feet away. Nearly everything I took was destined for the bin till I set up a remote trigger on tripod about six feet away from the feeders. It took only an hour for the birds to get used to the shutter noise and it seems they are not at all frightened of my camera but with me behind it I didn't stand a chance. I also only have a small yard so using anything to help get a half decent shot is ok in my opinion :thumbs:

Taken with my wireless trigger from 20 odd feet away. Skilfully released at the right moment :lol:
2ppav09.jpg


I'm going to be using Phil's idea of putting a branch over the top of the feed in the hope I can get a shot of them before they pop down and feast on all the free food I keep providing for them :)
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by arclight View Post
Some cameras can be set up to be focussed on a particular spot and as the subject passes through the point of focus the shutter is triggered automatically.
I see nothing wrong with using that.
That's a good point, I forgot all about that. I know some older Nikons did it, not sure if any of the newer ones do...(runs off to find out)

Nikon call it Trap Focus.
D700 has it so I expect your D3 to have it too. Perhaps the D300 also has it - maybe other models too.

Pentax K20d also has it.

If I can get blue tits to use a nesting box I intend to try using Trap Focus to get shots of them going in and out of the box in the Spring if the wx is OK.
 
Dave450 said:
I do a similar thing, set it all up, but I run a massively long USB cable so I control the camera indoors. 1) Nice and warm 2) can change settings of camera 3) no movement at all in garden 4) can see results without disturbing birds.

overkill? possibly, just how i set mine up :)
Click to expand...

Thats a good idea Dave :)
I guess you still need to prefocus manually but fire the shutter from the computer and the files go straight to the laptop
Do you have a Canon and use the software that comes on the DPP disc?
Pete
 
This is one of my all time favourite photos, shot by remote control. It's quite famous I think - Swallow drinking, by Stephen Dalton http://www.stephendalton.co.uk/photo_1235867.html

He told me that he was shopping in Brighton when the pic was taken. It's the garden pond outside his kitchen window, which he spent the preceeding week netting over so the birds would hit the focus point, and introducing flash heads and light beam triggers. Shot on a Hasselblad.

Stephen Dalton's photography depends entirely on remote triggering. Most of it would be impossible without and his high speed flash work shows things that cannot be seen without the naked eye. It was Dalton's pictures that showed how a bumble bee could fly - before that, aerodynamic theory said it was impossible!
 
LCPete said:
Thats a good idea Dave :)
I guess you still need to prefocus manually but fire the shutter from the computer and the files go straight to the laptop
Do you have a Canon and use the software that comes on the DPP disc?
Pete
Click to expand...

Update just had a go with remote shooting worked OK but can only do one shot at a time and a bit of delay uploading the pic maybee my PC is too slow
Need to be able to take 3 or 4 shots in quick succession I think I will stick to the old fashioned way with a memory card :D

HoppyUK said:
This is one of my all time favourite photos, shot by remote control. It's quite famous I think - Swallow drinking, by Stephen Dalton http://www.stephendalton.co.uk/photo_1235867.html

He told me that he was shopping in Brighton when the pic was taken. It's the garden pond outside his kitchen window, which he spent the preceeding week netting over so the birds would hit the focus point, and introducing flash heads and light beam triggers. Shot on a Hasselblad.

Stephen Dalton's photography depends entirely on remote triggering. Most of it would be impossible without and his high speed flash work shows things that cannot be seen without the naked eye. It was Dalton's pictures that showed how a bumble bee could fly - before that, aerodynamic theory said it was impossible!
Click to expand...

Just had a look at that Richard amazing shot :clap:
 
artyman said:
I'd be interested to know how long a USB lead you can use for remote shooting, I thought they were limited to about 6-10 feet.
Click to expand...

Im running a 5 metre lead from garden to conservatory. Have no problems with the speed of transfer.
 
LCPete said:
What do you lot think about using a remote release for wildlife shots is it just another way of doing things or cheating :D?
In my case birds in the garden:)

I really like using the 70-200 as its so sharp but its not easy to get close enough

I been using a set up in the garden with the camera set up on a tripod, prefocussed on a perch. I sit about 10 feet away using a long cable release to fire the shutter when a bird sits on the perch:)

It takes some setting up and working out where the bird is most likely perch


A motion sensor jobbie in my mind IS cheating as the camera is unnatended
Pete
Click to expand...

who are you cheating...the photograph doesnt change or is 'cheated' just because you dont touch the shutter butter
you do initiate the shot...so its kashrut!!
 
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