[crewl1]

We also have a large cedar tree that is adjacent where they stage themselves, but difficult to capture them as they are partially hidden when in that tree.

Stan, have you considered creating your own staging area for the birds going to the feeder that you can place in the optimum location for the lens you want to use, lighting direction, background you want to include, etc.?

I think an appropriate branch strapped to a tripod with an upward arch that will encourage a consistent landing spot prior to hitting the feeders would work excellent.

A tripod will allow you to experiment with placement until you find the optimum location.

I note that some of the prettiest bird shots from a talented photographer will use a consistent location for many different kinds of birds, which tells me they either scouted or created their own 'stage' for their 'models' next to a feeder.

Here is an article with a little info, I know I've seen others but can't find the links at the moment. Bird Photography Near Feeders

You have a gorgeous place there, I am envious.

Edit: Check this video around 1:55

You Tube

You Tube

---

Last edited by crewl1; 10-03-2012 at 07:11 AM.

[stormtech]

Thanks for the nice comment Larry - this is where I want to be if I have to stay home!

Your suggestions are right on. I plan to use my house as a blind of sorts - beside the large sliding glass door that faces out back, I have 4 other windows at different levels to shoot from in the same direction.

I already have the birds coming in thanks to my wife's feeding routine. As I said earlier, on most days we will see over 100 birds of different varieties although the Goldfinches prevail and like to hog all the feeders if they can.

The idea of having some staging props is an excellent one - of which I already got somewhat of a start with. Strapping an arched stick to a tripod is excellent as I can move it around to get the best vantage point and not have the sky in the background blowing the image out. While the weather is still decent, I plan on moving forward with this idea now.

Here is a shot standing in the open doorway to the deck. The feeders on the left are only there for summer. The rail across the top of the stairs is where most of the feeders are hung in the winter.



I had already started with a staging stick of sorts. The distance of this stick is perfect for the 300mm lens. I plan on adding a few more around the deck.



Using what I have on hand, I used a couple of plastic pipe clamps as holders. They are big enough to take different size branches.



Here is a shot with the 300mm lens that I would typically use taken from inside the room. That feeder in the background would not be there in the winter.



And as another option, I can strap or attach a nice size stick to this feeder which is just off the deck



My wife will be proud - by the time I get done I will probably have 6-8 sticks attached to various items around the deck and yard, but she loves her birds and really likes having her own K-5 w/60-250 to shoot them also.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts/ideas Larry - while I kind of had a start in this direction, your post with article and video has given more great ideas on how to get this done.

[dadipentak]

Well, while we've got this flash discussion going, I figured I should do some trials in this morning's overcast, shooting at the dead oak at a distance of about 75' with the K-5, Sigma 500/4.5 & 1.4x TC. The good news is that the 540/BB set up is effective at that range. I tried various settings and settled on P-TTL & High Speed because I just don't feel comfortable shooting at 1/180 at such long FLs (also, as gloomy as it was, I was still getting blown-out sky.)

Looks like I've got a bit of flash OD here. Is there a cure for retinal reflections? I got a lot of that.


I liked this one:


Later, after the sun came out, I tried and failed to get fill flash on the trunk of the tree. What's the trick there?

[baro-nite]

Looks like I've got a bit of flash OD here. Is there a cure for retinal reflections? I got a lot of that.

From my experience this is more of a problem when it's dark or gloomy/shady and the bird isn't very close, i.e. exactly these conditions. I don't know the cure, other than fixing it in PP.

Later, after the sun came out, I tried and failed to get fill flash on the trunk of the tree. What's the trick there?

I've found that the Beamer points down slightly (makes sense; it is above the lens) and needs a little adjustment to hit the subject full on, unless you happen to be at just the right distance. Worth experimenting, e.g. by shooting at a blank wall from various distances and checking for uniform illumination. I carry some extra velcro strips to stick under the flash head to elevate it slightly.

[dadipentak]

Thanks, Baro-nite! It turns out my fill-flash problem was due to the flash not being properly set on the hot-shoe (DOH!) That's also a good tip on aiming the beamer--I'll put some effort into that.

[stormtech]

Happy to see you get going with the flash Dave. Your first results look very promising. I also had some good first results and plan to continue using the flash/beamer and learn as I go.

[Lowell Goudge]

Well, while we've got this flash discussion going, I figured I should do some trials in this morning's overcast, shooting at the dead oak at a distance of about 75' with the K-5, Sigma 500/4.5 & 1.4x TC. The good news is that the 540/BB set up is effective at that range. I tried various settings and settled on P-TTL & High Speed because I just don't feel comfortable shooting at 1/180 at such long FLs (also, as gloomy as it was, I was still getting blown-out sky.)

Looks like I've got a bit of flash OD here. Is there a cure for retinal reflections? I got a lot of that.


I liked this one:


Later, after the sun came out, I tried and failed to get fill flash on the trunk of the tree. What's the trick there?

dont worry too much about 1/180 shutter, especially when shooting against a white/bright sky. your need for fill will be so high that the flash duration will dominate the subject, not the 1/180 shutter. it will be tougher shooting into a foliage background where the difference in foreground/subject to background is less, or in your case when the sun is out and on the subject. In that case, as I posted earlier, i usually set natural exposure 1-2 stops below the requirement, shooting in manual, and then let the flash do more, that has the subject usually light, and well lit against a blurred darker background.

As for the flash in the retina, there is not much you can do, because when shooting a long lens the angle between flash to subject to camera is so small you will get green eye (or what ever color the retina is)

[dragon132312]

Here is a shot standing in the open doorway to the deck. The feeders on the left are only there for summer. The rail across the top of the stairs is where most of the feeders are hung in the winter.

That a really nice place and that view from the deck Stan, the pavilion near the rivers great spot . We don't have the contrast in seasons as you do,same green all year just warmer and colder.

Looks like I've got a bit of flash OD here. Is there a cure for retinal reflections? I got a lot of that.

I was always under the impression that the flash was more for giving the bird that glint in the eye to make it more look more alive rather than to light up the whole bird especially at that long distance ,still the pictures look nice.

Nice clip Larry thanks

[pacerr]

This has been an interesting thread with many good suggestions.

Tricks I use:

- Set up "ambushes" at preselected sites and pre-focus, pre-focus, pre-focus. Then use the great advantages of "free" digital trial shots and in-camera instant review and correction to refine the exposure and DoF/plane-of-focus until satisfied. With time and patience you can lure birds and wild animals to pre-selected staging/feeding areas where lighting and composition are as predictable as studio setups. (I've even trained the local buzzards to ignore a chair-blind near road kill -- but who wants to see that?)

- If nothing else alarms them, birds often ignore a focused, high power spot light used to provide extra illumination to establish focus when pre-focusing isn't practicable.

- I learned a long time ago to establish manual focus using the surrounding foliage/grass/limbs/waves, etc rather than the subject itself. It's much easier to determine, and effectively bracket, the plane-of-focus and DoF when you concentrate on the surroundings IME. A DoF check on the grass around a deer or turkey is much more useful and accurate than an AF beep or VF icon.

- Strategically placed, solar-powered yard lights with the twilight switch deactivated/taped over for use in daylight conditions make useful fill lights for bird feeders.

- Three panels of 2x4 inch welded wire fencing hinged together with nylon ties folds into a convenient flat package and makes into a cheap, 3 1/2 x 4' portable blind. Add a fourth hinged panel for a roof lid if desired. Use wire cutters to snip out strategic camera ports. Add local foliage or strips of burlap sacking threaded through the wire to build your own ghillie suit blind. They're cheap enough you can leave a coupl'a of 'em in the field without worry about them being 'misappropriated' and wild life quickly gets used to them. (I once had a fawn bed down in the shade of one -- unfortunately, I wasn't using that one at the time.)

- A one-gallon plastic milk jug filled with damp sand makes a stable, vibration damping 'pod if you have something high enough for comfort to set it on. Put a short 1/4 x 20 thread screw/bolt in the screw-on cap to attach a tripod head. Remove the head and leave it in position so you only have to carry it into position once.

Stan, you might be able to borrow a boat duck-blind during the off season if you offered to "store" it for a up-town owner. Puts you much closer to the action and on the water so the really long lenses (and their problems) aren't as necessary. Consult a hunter for SAFE, warm and effective clothing (and a proven 'coffee-overflow container') for foul weather conditions.

H2

[crewl1]

Great tips Pacerr!

(and a proven 'coffee-overflow container') for foul weather conditions.

LOL but so true.

[stormtech]

Thanks for the tips H (pacerr) -

The first couple will really help in going forward with my plan noted above. Once I have my camera/lens positions made, I can then work on my staging areas. I didn't even think of extra lighting, but you've now given me some ideas since I have a good flash and radio triggers. I can already formulate a nice setup with wireless flash on a tripod set at strategic positions. Also pre-focusing and bracketing are good pointers since I will be stationary shooting at a basically static subject.

Getting closer to the water is another project that I will work on in the future. Your idea of using some wire fence for a blind is great since I have a couple partial rolls out in the barn.

[dadipentak]

Thanks everyone--this has been a great help!

That a really nice place and that view from the deck Stan, the pavilion near the rivers great spot .

You don't know the half of it, Frank. I've fished that stream (too many years ago)--there are some nice trout in there. ;~)

[rkappleby]

Winter is certainly just around the corner, I was greeted with 2 inches of snow on the ground here in the Crownest Pass this morning. Jeez seems a bit too soon!! Seeing the remarks here regarding the use of flash it was certainly appropriate for me today. It was a very grey day and rather than the flash being "fill" it was more the sole source. Anyway we had a group of Evening Grosbeaks show up today in search of sunflower seeds. Male and Female.

[dadipentak]

2 inches of snow

Oh noes! Lovely birds, though.

[Frogfish]

This has been an interesting thread with many good suggestions.

Tricks I use:

- Set up "ambushes" at preselected sites and pre-focus, pre-focus, pre-focus. Then use the great advantages of "free" digital trial shots and in-camera instant review and correction to refine the exposure and DoF/plane-of-focus until satisfied. With time and patience you can lure birds and wild animals to pre-selected staging/feeding areas where lighting and composition are as predictable as studio setups. (I've even trained the local buzzards to ignore a chair-blind near road kill -- but who wants to see that?)

- If nothing else alarms them, birds often ignore a focused, high power spot light used to provide extra illumination to establish focus when pre-focusing isn't practicable.

- I learned a long time ago to establish manual focus using the surrounding foliage/grass/limbs/waves, etc rather than the subject itself. It's much easier to determine, and effectively bracket, the plane-of-focus and DoF when you concentrate on the surroundings IME. A DoF check on the grass around a deer or turkey is much more useful and accurate than an AF beep or VF icon.

- Strategically placed, solar-powered yard lights with the twilight switch deactivated/taped over for use in daylight conditions make useful fill lights for bird feeders.

- Three panels of 2x4 inch welded wire fencing hinged together with nylon ties folds into a convenient flat package and makes into a cheap, 3 1/2 x 4' portable blind. Add a fourth hinged panel for a roof lid if desired. Use wire cutters to snip out strategic camera ports. Add local foliage or strips of burlap sacking threaded through the wire to build your own ghillie suit blind. They're cheap enough you can leave a coupl'a of 'em in the field without worry about them being 'misappropriated' and wild life quickly gets used to them. (I once had a fawn bed down in the shade of one -- unfortunately, I wasn't using that one at the time.)

- A one-gallon plastic milk jug filled with damp sand makes a stable, vibration damping 'pod if you have something high enough for comfort to set it on. Put a short 1/4 x 20 thread screw/bolt in the screw-on cap to attach a tripod head. Remove the head and leave it in position so you only have to carry it into position once.

Stan, you might be able to borrow a boat duck-blind during the off season if you offered to "store" it for a up-town owner. Puts you much closer to the action and on the water so the really long lenses (and their problems) aren't as necessary. Consult a hunter for SAFE, warm and effective clothing (and a proven 'coffee-overflow container') for foul weather conditions.

H2

Some very nice tips there, certainly has me thinking how I can adapt/use them.