Pictures from my outing C&C welcomed

[klotzishere20]

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

 

[Natalie]

Photos 1-3: Yay, White-breasted Nuthatches! They are interesting little birds, but pretty hard to photograph because they are so high-strung. It looks like all three of these photos are slightly out of focus - try to aim at the bird's eye for the best results. Also for the first photo, I would suggest cropping out the overexposed area and the far right tree, since they don't really add anything to the photo. Creating a photo with the bird and the tree it just took off from will have much more of an impact. You might try sharpening these photos a bit as well as increasing the contrast.

Photo 4: The sharpness looks pretty good on this one, maybe use a slightly faster shutter speed for ducks that are swimming quickly. The shadows on the bird's head are a bit harsh, though, and the bird is located an unflattering position in the frame (some cropping could fix that).

Photo 5: Same as for Photo 4, but the lighting is a bit better than that one. It's best to try and get on the sunny side of your subjects (which can be difficult with birds).

Photo 6: I really like the composition of this one, it's a shame the bird is so dark in it! This would be a great shot if we could see more details on the bird (that might be something you can fix somewhat on Photoshop).

Photo 7: Interesting scenery, but there is no distinct subject in the photo, and the focusing seems slightly off. I think it would be cool if you could get closer to the birds and from a slightly different angle so you could get all three of the Mallards with their heads tucked into their wings in the frame, and use a large aperture to emphasize the one in front.

 

[HikinMike]

You have the 400mm f/2.8L?

 

[klotzishere20]

Photos 1-3: Yay, White-breasted Nuthatches! They are interesting little birds, but pretty hard to photograph because they are so high-strung. It looks like all three of these photos are slightly out of focus - try to aim at the bird's eye for the best results. Also for the first photo, I would suggest cropping out the overexposed area and the far right tree, since they don't really add anything to the photo. Creating a photo with the bird and the tree it just took off from will have much more of an impact. You might try sharpening these photos a bit as well as increasing the contrast.

Photo 4: The sharpness looks pretty good on this one, maybe use a slightly faster shutter speed for ducks that are swimming quickly. The shadows on the bird's head are a bit harsh, though, and the bird is located an unflattering position in the frame (some cropping could fix that).

Photo 5: Same as for Photo 4, but the lighting is a bit better than that one. It's best to try and get on the sunny side of your subjects (which can be difficult with birds).

Photo 6: I really like the composition of this one, it's a shame the bird is so dark in it! This would be a great shot if we could see more details on the bird (that might be something you can fix somewhat on Photoshop).

Photo 7: Interesting scenery, but there is no distinct subject in the photo, and the focusing seems slightly off. I think it would be cool if you could get closer to the birds and from a slightly different angle so you could get all three of the Mallards with their heads tucked into their wings in the frame, and use a large aperture to emphasize the one in front.

Thank you for the advice on the Nuthatches. I'm always left with a few empty pictures at the end of the day wondering what I was trying to take a picture of. I did'nt notice they were out of focus until I looked at em on my computer.

You have the 400mm f/2.8L?

My granny gave me a loan just got an older one off of ebay... first time out with it

 

[HikinMike]

...
My granny gave me a loan just got an older one off of ebay... first time out with it

Cool!

I think f/2.8 is too much. I'd go up to around f/8 if you can, most of those look kind of soft and I suspect that's why. When your shooting things like ducks, I'd try and get as low as you can, even if you have to lay down.