A few recent ones

[JWellman]

And one more that I took last year. As long as I'm a few feet away everything is splendid. Looking for the data on this one. Will post it in a bit. Edited to say: I can't find the image data! Uugh!

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Jess, this is the best series you have posted. Don't be discouraged, you seem to be progressing well. I think the 365 is doing you well.I like the train track image a lot. Little things bother me. One is it seems an awkward crop. It needs some more on the top, a little off the bottom. It just not quite balanced to me. I, personally would clone out the white sign on the left that is on the edge (not the 255). Last thing, for my tastes, the right semiphor is a bit close to the edge. The image has a soft quiet feel overall, then there is this big bold thing poorly placed.The books I suggest, are: "Mastering Canon EOS Flash Photography" and "Canon Speedlite System: Digital Field Guide".I tend to read several books on th same subject, because one author may explain something better than another, and because I am an information hound. I like reading about things, rather than stories of fiction. "light, science, magic" should be on your list of reads, eventually. While it's geared towards product photography, the information is applicable to many uses.

 

[WesternGuy]

JWellman, I am curious why you say that "you are not getting it" with your 100-400 images. You are shooting with a 50D (a very good camera in my opinion) which will give you a field of view equivalent to shooting with a 160-640 on a FF...so, a couple of questions, are you shooting raw or jpg? and which part of the 100 to 400 are you not happy with? I have a 100-400 that I use for wildlife on my 5D and I never cease to be amazed at the sharpeness of the images it produces, even after some cropping - although I do get the odd OOF image - my fault! As well, it does not seem to matter at what part of the lens I shoot - the 100 end, the 400 end or somewhere in between, I always seem to be able to get sharp images, although I do get a small amount of vignetting at the 400 end from time to time. I do shoot raw and after initial processing in Lightroom, I always sharpen my images for display or printing, depending on the final "output". More questions...do you use the IS on the lens? Do you shoot mostly hand-held or from a tripod? What type of post-processing do you do? Often, it is not necessarily the lens that is the "ultimate" problem, but some other part of the whole "image-capturing/processing" process that contributes to the problem. Maybe some answers to these will help us to help you, because, quite honestly, I don't see the that the problem is as serious as you make it out to be. :mrgreen:

Regards,

WesternGuy

 

[JWellman]

Thanks Bitter! Oh boy, more books to buy. :mrgreen: And I agree with the 365. It has helped but some days I just can't find anything to make me happy.

Redo on the train track. And it's funny you said that the left side was bothering you. I also felt like it was unbalanced. Sadly I cannot add more to the right. Well I could, but there is a butt-ugly gas tank sitting there so I cropped it out.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

#4

Quick and dirty for spacial comparison.

I know I am playing armchair photographer here, and you probably got the best you could with what you were working with (gas tank).
I do it as a way to help people understand visual balance and stuff, so that if you may not be happy with it and aren't sure why...this could be a reason. (from my aesthetic standpoint, that is)

 

[JWellman]

JWellman, I am curious why you say that "you are not getting it" with your 100-400 images. You are shooting with a 50D (a very good camera in my opinion) which will give you a field of view equivalent to shooting with a 160-640 on a FF...so, a couple of questions, are you shooting raw or jpg? and which part of the 100 to 400 are you not happy with? I have a 100-400 that I use for wildlife on my 5D and I never cease to be amazed at the sharpeness of the images it produces, even after some cropping - although I do get the odd OOF image - my fault! As well, it does not seem to matter at what part of the lens I shoot - the 100 end, the 400 end or somewhere in between, I always seem to be able to get sharp images, although I do get a small amount of vignetting at the 400 end from time to time. I do shoot raw and after initial processing in Lightroom, I always sharpen my images for display or printing, depending on the final "output". More questions...do you use the IS on the lens? Do you shoot mostly hand-held or from a tripod? What type of post-processing do you do? Often, it is not necessarily the lens that is the "ultimate" problem, but some other part of the whole "image-capturing/processing" process that contributes to the problem. Maybe some answers to these will help us to help you, because, quite honestly, I don't see the that the problem is as serious as you make it out to be. :mrgreen:

Regards,

WesternGuy

Thanks for trying to help WesternGuy. I joined a bird forum after buying this lens because I was having so much trouble. They have a section dedicated to Canon L series lenses. I think the post went to 7 or 8 pages. I was happy to see it wasn't just me that was struggling. A few of the pros helped me quite a bit and the female cardinal photo above was taken after receiving their advice.

I guess my biggest issue is looking at their 100x400 images and then mine. I just want to puke. There is absolutely no comparison. I don't know if they are just getting closer to the subject than me ?? Or using a tripod 100% of the time... I'm just not sure.

To answer your questions, I do mostly handheld with this lens and it's clearly obvious that I cannot hold the stupid thing still enough at anything past 200mm. Unlike you, I'm still waiting for that amazement factor with this lens. I have yet to take a photo at 400mm, crop it, and be happy with it. I have seriously thought about handing it over to a pro for a few days. My husband's friend has the same lens but he lives in California. One of these days I'm going to pick his brain for answers!

I shoot RAW, processing is done in Lightroom, and I have the Image Stabilizer turned on. Heaven help me if that was off...:mrgreen:

 

[JWellman]

Thanks Bitter, I can clearly see that more on the right brings additional balance. Maybe I can clone out the ugly tank.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Well, I looked at your bird porn image EXIF info, and it was shot at 1/250 @400mm, f/9, ISO 400.
I say its camera shake, and the IS didn't save you. Try shooting at or above 1/400 @400mm with the IS both on and off.
If you are concerned about noise at higher ISO's, to a degree you can overexpose and bring it back in post for a bit less noise.

 

[JWellman]

Well, I looked at your bird porn image EXIF info, and it was shot at 1/250 @400mm, f/9, ISO 400.
I say its camera shake, and the IS didn't save you. Try shooting at or above 1/400 @400mm with the IS both on and off.
If you are concerned about noise at higher ISO's, to a degree you can overexpose and bring it back in post for a bit less noise.

LMAO...what? you don't like avian pornography? :mrgreen:
Thanks, I posted the data from the ones shot today. I just can't find the cardinal in the snow from last year. And thanks for the suggestions!

AND, it might not be so much my movement as the porno birds dancing around. The least they could have done was taken it inside. I guess they wanted to try out the sun room.

 

[ToniMckinney924]

love the first one!

 

[Chlosse]

I love lovelove #4, atmospheric shots win me!
I've only just seen that one portait you posted, but as far as shooting people here's my random input..it may be a bit easier for you to shoot plants/landscapes because you don't have to communicate with it to make the shot. Portraits are a collaboration, so try connecting with/involving the person you're photographing. The woman in shot #2 doesn't seem at ease, reading just her body language.
Good luck with the rest of your 365, awesome job so far

 

[JWellman]

I love lovelove #4, atmospheric shots win me!
I've only just seen that one portait you posted, but as far as shooting people here's my random input..it may be a bit easier for you to shoot plants/landscapes because you don't have to communicate with it to make the shot. Portraits are a collaboration, so try connecting with/involving the person you're photographing. The woman in shot #2 doesn't seem at ease, reading just her body language.
Good luck with the rest of your 365, awesome job so far

Thanks Cholsse...I'm currently reading Bryan Peterson's book, Beyond Portraiture and he says the exact same thing. Just like me he took nature and wildlife photos for years before finally branching out and learning to feel comfortable with people. I enjoy the outdoors a great deal and you are right, the birds don't talk back. I'm a loner...always have been. Hence why my people pictures bite the big one! I'd rather be sitting in the mountains by myself than at a party. Weird, I know.