Taking bird photographs - white clouds - over exposure / under exposure problems

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Gil
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I wondered if anybody might be able to help me out with recommendations on how to shoot birds in challenging light. I have found when shooting into the light, and where there are white clouds - the overall picture ends up overexposed as a result of getting just the bird properly exposed, or if you shoot to avoid overexposure of the sky, your bird ends up underexposed which results in poor detail when you try bringing it back in Lightroom. Is it essential to have a filter to achieve best results in these situations? Here is an example of a picture before and after PP - you can see there is quite a lot of lost detail due to underexposure.

GSC_1959-2 by Gilbo B, on Flickr

GSC_1959 by Gilbo B, on Flickr
 
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What metering mode did you use?
I used Matrix mode - so camera decided on exposure based on full frame. When I've tried Spot in this situation, I found the sky overexposed with light fringing around the bird which I can't counteract in Lightroom
 
When taking shots like these there will always be a compromise and it has to be loosing detail in the sky because the bird is the subject (y)

If, like me, you use matrix to meter, then anywhere between 1 and 2 stops over-exposed on the meter should give the best results for a correct exposure on the bird

Edit to add that the brighter the sky the move over-exposed the shot needs to be on the meter when using matrix
 
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Photography is about light, understanding it and knowing when it will work in your favour and when it won't, small birds with a vast grey background is definitely not a time it's working in your favour. How you expose this depends on your camera but in general I wouldn't bother shooting these shots at all in situations like this.

On the other hand, if you can fill the frame with the bird then you will have some nice soft light without any blown highlights.
 
I wouldn't bother shooting these shots at all in situations like this.

The biggest problem with bird photography is, if you don't take the shot because the light isn't in your favour , the bird could be gone forever!

I understand what you're saying though Ned, I rarely bother shooting every day garden birds in this situation, but I have done and still occasionally do, because they're good to practise on.

One day I might want to photograph something very rare, if its perched in shadow with a very bright sky, that practise will come in handy :)
 
Thank you both!! I am finding that if I do see a bird that is unknown to me, it's nice to be able to get something as Phil had said, simply to be able to identify it rather than to take nothing at all. However for the perfect picture, I hear where Nawty is coming from!! When you do see something that you can't get round to the other side of before it flies off and you do need the shot - then getting the advice you've given Phil will help me at least get something better than I've been getting.
 
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Oh, absolutely, if it's something rare or you are trying something then go for it - just expect 'record shots' rather than something great :)
 
Exactly this issue I had this weekend. Was tracking a Lesser Spotted Woody in the trees - after ten minutes, he finally presents me with a decent shot....with the sun directly behind him!! Grrrr.....
 
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