SOOC
I had a lovely walk at the "Golden Hour" this evening as I was in search of "flower" for my bird and flower week theme. And I may still post the hot pink leaves I found on the path, but I'm posting this photo to remind me how much the Triangle matters when taking shots. I love, for example, how leaving my aperture open makes a lovely bokeh with shots like these. I do know, however, that my shutter speed was probably off as the bird is more a silhouette than detailed as I might like. Yes, I could play with the processing and I did at first, but I decided to leave it as is. Any advice on what to do is welcome. I got an amazing shot of the bokeh when the light was half-hitting the bird too (the pine prongs just looked like fireworks!). So aperture, I'm getting. The others, it will take time.
This is lovely! I do get that "golden hour" feeling with the bird nicely underexposed. When the subject is backlit, as it is here, a silhouette is what you end up with. You can use fill flash but that might scare the bird a away. You can also expose for the bird but then you may find that the background is overexposed and it would not be as pretty as it is here.
Increasing the fill in post processing would be the easiest thing.
@vskolnik Many thanks Vee. My flash is useless to be honest, and I do believe the bird would be spooked. I wish I could show the other shot where the bird was lit well--the sun is coming in at an angle (you can see on the branch to his left where if he were there, I'd have had him in the best light), but then there were other issues. It's always something where one part has to sacrifice in my mind (at least at this point in my limited skills and understanding). Thanks so much for your advice! One thing I also need to learn is proper processing--this summer while I'm off from teaching, I'm going to learn how to use the PSE 9 on my computer. It sits dormant!
Yes, birds are so unpredictable and it's always a challenge to have all the elements in perfect synch! I shoot constantly and hope to get a keeper or two every so often.....thank goodness for digital! I've actually stopped photographing birds in the late afternoon...the light is never good enough. Photoshop definitely comes in handy for me!
Spot meter on the bird rather than the bright BG. There is also something called as the zonal system for metering and calculating the exposure but too complicated. For example, to take a shot of a picture with the sun, so not meter on the sun but meter with the sun excluded. Most cameras have a spot metering option but not sure if yrs has one. The differnce between the highlights & blacks shud not be more than 3 stops in a picture when doing spot metering to calculate exposure.
@cjainmd Many thanks Chandru! It is clear I am still quite the novice! I've Googled the spot meter for my camera and it appears that it is on it--now the hard work (figuring it all out!). I have to take things slowly, but what you had to say makes sense. With birds, it's all in what I can do to move quickly, but I do not care for the auto everything as the background often gets muddled in auto. Sometimes I think its that I have to use more processing than I'd like (but that's really because I just "don't know how"). I think what's interesting is that I'm almost 4 months into this project and I think I don't get things when 4 months ago I REALLY didn't get anything. :) It's people like you and Vee above who make my day because I'm learning so much. Thank you again! :)
Well, from an amateur like me.... a ll i can say Daryl! The silhouette with the worm, the. Feel of that golden hour... all work and reach out to me.... and i do make mental notes of all these technicalities.... and feel .... a looooong way to go fir me.... :)
@foxsparrow Thanks Ann. It is tough. I've had two golden hours days back to back and the birds will not cooperate when I say "move into the light please!" Ha. I just love the bokeh I get. A flower might be a better subject, which is what I started out with but I guess I'm just in love with birds who have things in their mouths. :)
@amrita21 I have to remind myself that I would have been overjoyed a few months ago to get anything at all! I also think I just like the profile and the "suggestion" of the bird more than having gotten the bird in a crisp, detailed shot (although, I really do want to get that as much as I can). I know focus is an issue for me because my eyesight is not the greatest and I have to rely on the camera's focal point too. I really should be working with stationary subjects to figure this dilemma out. :) Thanks so much for your comments!
Daryl, I have trouble with this myself. On my old 35mm film camera, there was a fill flash button or something but that was from shooting p close and indoors. Thanks @cjainmd for reminding me I need to learn how to use spot metering! And Daryl, I forget, but aren't you in my area? (East Cobb/atlanta) Or am I getting confused? I know Carol Imes is too..she is in Roswell. Anyway, I wondered where u took this. It looks alot like a robin with bug in mouth shit I took at Wills Park in Alpharetta. Anyway...stick to your practice! We learn just a bit each day!
@espyetta I took this shot off of Hembree Rd in an office Park behind N. Fulton Hospital-- I really like that it is secluded and bird a plenty. Wills Park is very close to me! I'm off Hembree near Hembree Springs Elem. Have you ever met up with anyone? Would love to meet you and Carole sometime this summer when I'm not teaching or going mad over the spring school/soccer schedules! :)
@darylo let's do a meet up this summer when I am not teaching school! My first year doing 365 I shot some fall leaves in a wooded office park off Highway 9 sort of near the hospital. I was headed there the week we had theme-puddles to see if I could find any left as it is shady there. But ended up stopping in Roswell at Roswell Rec park. That is a gorgeous park with tall trees, the sports fields are all tucked away in private corners with lots of trees, and the wildlife ( bugs and birds) is great. Maybe we could meet there. I also want to go to the city to shoot something different for a change. Katy @grammym lives in Alabama and plans to come meet up this summer. do you follow her? and Tara @tara11 lives here and has been my friend for 24 years. You should follow them if you do not already. We could have a big "365 meet up" this summer. Used to be it seemed so few people from the South did this project, but that is changing I guess.
@espyetta Sounds good! We are at Roswell Area Park often--best park ever. My mom lives in Midtown and we could all go there and then head over to Piedmont park. Love being intown (I'm from Ansley Park and miss it sooooo). :)
@darylo sounds great! I do not go downtown-Midtown- Buckhead much at all. I did run the Peachtree for 19 years and hung in Piedmont park after those. A lot of movies shoot in AtL and Piedmont Park now! Change up with Jason Bateman and that one about the Dad's Club ...
Increasing the fill in post processing would be the easiest thing.