[timstone]

What is your lens setup like when shooting birds...specifically, birds that are in trees where you are having to aim at the sky?

What I was wanting to know is what type of metering would one use to keep the sky blue? What filter(s) are used? ND? CPL? Both?

[Ahab]

Spot focus metering. No filters.

[BillM]

Hi Tim,
What Ahab posted runs true, in my case, were I shoot
mostly older manual lenses, Ive added a split-prism to help in manual
focus, trade off is spot metering is so "spotty" that it really cant be used.
If your using auto- focus, like ahab says, spot is the way to go.
Benefit of newer glass is most of it is low-dispersion... ie."ED"
means light wont attenuate to the degree older, non-"ED" glass would show
especially pointed skyward. (look in lens review at K series primes, think
some folks posted examples) One thing I am really careful about is always
using hood. Might have to add a little plus(+) EV if pointed up, otherwise
could end up with just a dark shadowy lookin bird. Again, spot metering
eliminates most of those associated problems. There is no one solution
to it, best thing to do is practice and youll see your own "style" develop.
Bill

[Lowell Goudge]

I shoot 2 combis primairly

SMC-P 300F4 with 1.7x AF TC and sigma APO 70-200F2.8 with 2x TC

I use my K7 for both, and spot metering.

If I shoot flash with these lenses, the 300F4 and 1.7x go on my *istD so I get TTL flash, and I use my AF540FGZ with the sigma combo on my K7.

I do not use other than skylight filter and take what ever I get for the sky. the bird exposure is what counts.

[timstone]

How about if you are shooting birds that are on the ground or water birds like Egrets and such? Do you guys use a monopod, hand held, or a tripod?

Asking all this stuff cause I am soon getting a 55-300 and TC, and will be gong to a sort of nearby park that has TONS of birds and I'd like to think I'm going to be prepared...even though I know I wont be

[Ahab]

These are hand held. Using a Tamron 70-300 Di on a K10D spot focus.

[captmacq]

mono pod will help so will a try pod if your going to shoot 300mm try pod is a must. your best shots will be in late evining or early morning so you will need it to steedy up

[dadipentak]

mono pod will help so will a try pod if your going to shoot 300mm try pod is a must. your best shots will be in late evining or early morning so you will need it to steedy up

I agree a 'pod is a pretty essential at 300mm and above. Sure you can get decent shot without from time to time but your success rate will go up substantially with a 'pod. With good technique a monopod will be a big help.

Another thing that will improve your sucess rate is paying attention to and being selective about shooting conditions. I don't use flash so I just don't shoot against the sky except at the ends of the day when I can shoot with--not against--the sun.

The other thing I was told and found to be good advice is simply, "Get close" Try your best to fill the frame with the bird: there's just no substitute.

[Lowell Goudge]

you can't discount two other things

1= Shake reduction works
2 - use flash

Here are 2 examples the first is my K7 and using shake reduction, the second is my *istD and a flash

Both shot with the SMC-P 300F4 and 1.7x AF TC for effective 510mm F6.7
Both have been posted before to demonstrate technique
Both shots hand held, no monopod, no support, just me standing holding the camera

1/40 using sr this is a 100% crop from a bigger image


1/150 with my *istD and flash full frame image

[Ahab]

mono pod will help so will a try pod if your going to shoot 300mm try pod is a must. your best shots will be in late evining or early morning so you will need it to steedy up

A mono pod is a help but not a must unless you suffer from palsey. There are situations which do not allow either a pod or tripod which was the case on my African Safari. It was just after the end of the rainy season and the grass was chest high. We were not allowed to leave the Landrover or stand up unless given the go ahead by the guide. I've attached some photos so you can see why.

[dadipentak]

We were not allowed to leave the Landrover or stand up unless given the go ahead by the guide. I've attached some photos so you can see why.

There are some situations in which the "get close" advice does not apply.

[ivoire]

I shoot with the f*300mm and m 400mm pentax lenses, with and without a tripod, depending on the situation. If i go where birds are feeding and nesting, i take the tripod. if i'm out cycling, no tripod.

[Ken T]

These 3 shots were with K20D & FA 80-320 @320mm hand-held with SR ON and Spot Metering.

[Ken T]

This one with 55-300 lens at 300mm, hand-held SR ON and Spot Metering . The image is not too sharp since the fence I leaned on was shaken by other people when I pushed the shutter button .

[mysticcowboy]

The oldest advice for bird photographers is, "Put your back to the sun."

Shoot burst mode with flying birds. If you hang out with a group of serious bird photographers on a walking shoot, it can sound like a machine shop with all the shutters firing continuously.

With long lenses it takes some skill to follow a flying bird. Practice. Dogs playing in a park are a good subject for that.

Hand holding long lenses is possible if you follow good technique. It's worth googling the subject.

A gimbal mount greatly eases tracking with a tripod. They're heavy and expensive but very smooth and fast.

If you're shooting through lots of branches, you'll often have to manually focus. Even spot focusing can get confused in heavy brush. Practice.

Learn to adjust EV by touch, and pay attention to your setting. Being able to guestimate exposure compensation for your situation will increase the number of keepers. You'll have to adjust higher for flying birds and often lower for dark backgrounds like conifers. Even spot metering can get confused.

Cultivate patience. Finches, sparrows, chickadees, gulls, pigeons and crows easily get used to people. Once you get past that low hanging fruit, quiet and patience are essential.

michael mckee
My Port Townsend – A City in Photographs – 365