How could I have done better?

[PJM]

Agree with the comments made. A few more suggestions.
I'm sure ISO 1600 would have still been ok with the D5600, so you probably could have increased it a little, or even 3200.
Use the full 300mm of the lens. You only zoomed to 220mm, would have reduced the amount of cropping afterwards.
Use a single focus point, and place it on the closest dear's head.

As Derrel mentiond, make sure VR is 'on' if your lens offers this feature.

Good start!

I took 7 shots while they stayed. Most were at the full 300mm. I think I was experimenting a little with field of view and it so happened that the 220 was the one that came out the sharpest.
Thanks,
Pete

 

[PJM]

Sometimes you hit the limits and there isn't much more you can do.

1) At 1/400sec you're fast enough to hand hold and get a steady shot, plus you've got some speed to account for motion of the subject. Whilst they are at a fairly sedate moment, there can still be fair bit of motion going on. Ears moving, whiskers, fur, legs twitching and mouths chewing. All of which require a faster shutter speed even if your camera is set on a tripod and thus totally stable (thus letting you avoid handshake).
In fact for general wildlife I'd consider 1/400sec to be a risky slower speed and would be happier with 1/640sec at least. However in darker conditions I might risk going slower and crossing my fingers that a quick burst of shots would capture one moment of total stillness of the subjects. I'd typically burst in small groups of 3 shots. Controlled bursts are nothing to be shameful about, sometimes using that digital memory card and large storage space can get you those split seconds that are super hard to predict or even see.

2) Your aperture is wide open for that lens, not ideal in terms of sharpness (you'd want to be stopped down at least one stop from wide open on most lower end zooms when at the long end); but, again, its dark and you're setting your settings for a decent exposure and light capture. Again its a dark situation and you've done what is practical and sensible for that situation in weighting overall exposure over overall sharpness.

3) ISO 12800 is high and that is going to harm the image quality. But again you're at the limits. You might have got an extra stop or two if you'd slowed the shutter speed, but then you'd introduce more potential handshake and subject motion as possible issues.

In the end you've honestly done well and what you've hit is simply the limits of your equipment in a challenging lighting and subject situation. This is fantastic experience for you as its teaching you the limits of your gear. It's getting you to work at the hard end of things and to make those choices on what is important to you in the moment. I find it can also help teach you better editing methods since you are now forced to work on your noise reduction method and sharpening somewhat; whilst good light and easy subjects can oftne let you be really casual about such things.

First bit of advice I was given that helped me the most when I posted a photo "alike" this.
First thing, get closer or a longer lens.

Ahh but you have to remember the inverse wildlife rule. No matter how long a lens you get the wildlife always moves a proportionally further distance away from you to make you want an even longer lens

I wish I'd thought of doing some bursts, especially when they decided they had enough of me and headed back into the woods.

And I like that inverse wildlife rule. I'm going to remember that.

Thanks,
Pete

 

[PJM]

Where do you guys see ISO 12800, the shot was taken at ISO 1280, or did I miss something?

Its in the attached files, second image, where the OP shows the settings they've used direct from the camera (they've just left one 0 off the end of their written ISO value

Yup, my bad. I dropped a zero on the ISO. I'll try to proofread better next time.

 

[PJM]

I want to thank everyone for your encouragement and suggestions. There are quite a few here that I can take with me as I go out a practice.

Thanks again!
Pete

 

[Overread]

Sounds like you've a good positive attitude!

And yes I tend to find that most times I take a burst of shots its perhaps 3 or 4 or so shots and then pause. Often as not if you don't get it in those few you won't get the moment and dragging it out isn't always of benefit. OF course there are times you will drag it out further, so its never a hard rule.

 

[LK_Nature_Photography]

My advice would be:
1. Go out as more as you can, every day, every other day, 1-2 hours shooting. Get familiar with your camera, with the settings, buttons... Practice as much as you can.
2. Chose the time when it is sunny, in the morning or late afternoon when the sun is shining at a subject sideways. You can go at noon when it is cloudy, then you have no harsh light and the subject won't have strong shadows.
3. Lower ISO = less noise, higher shutter speed = sharper image, bigger aperture = more light. Learn these things and try to make harmony between them. About these 3 things I made a video on my YouTube channel, you can watch it by clicking on the link below.

I´m using my camera always on manual, the camera can miscalculate. I almost never go above 1600 ISO, because I don´t want to ruin a photo with a ton of noise. I have a crop sensor camera 7D Mark II and it can handle higher ISO-s quite well, but it is far from a full frame sensor camera.

 

[PJM]

My advice would be:
1. Go out as more as you can, every day, every other day, 1-2 hours shooting. Get familiar with your camera, with the settings, buttons... Practice as much as you can.
2. Chose the time when it is sunny, in the morning or late afternoon when the sun is shining at a subject sideways. You can go at noon when it is cloudy, then you have no harsh light and the subject won't have strong shadows.
3. Lower ISO = less noise, higher shutter speed = sharper image, bigger aperture = more light. Learn these things and try to make harmony between them. About these 3 things I made a video on my YouTube channel, you can watch it by clicking on the link below.

I´m using my camera always on manual, the camera can miscalculate. I almost never go above 1600 ISO, because I don´t want to ruin a photo with a ton of noise. I have a crop sensor camera 7D Mark II and it can handle higher ISO-s quite well, but it is far from a full frame sensor camera.

Thanks. I appreciate the suggestions.