Squirrel season 2012

Railphotog · May 4, 2012

Got out in the backyard yesterday, and my friendly local squirrel was very accommodating, coming right up on the patio table to get some peanuts. Glad to see she hasn't forgotten since last year. Here are a few shots I took:

My setup: Using a Canon SX30 superzoom at 24mm, aperture priority @ f/8, ISO 400, close up mode and pop up flash in use. Tried my DSLR in the past, but its noisy shutter would startle the critter, resulting in reaction shots. The quiet electronic shutter on the SX30 works better.

The shooting season has begun!

Joel_W · May 4, 2012

Nice set, but you need to control the DOF as the background is very distracting in all 3 pictures. Picture #1 is kind of distorted. Picture #2 is near perfect except for the background. Same for Picture #3

Railphotog · May 4, 2012

Joel_W said:
Nice set, but you need to control the DOF as the background is very distracting in all 3 pictures. Picture #1 is kind of distorted. Picture #2 is near perfect except for the background. Same for Picture #3

Thanks for the comments, but with the small sensor in the SX30, the lens at f/8 to get all of the squirrel in focus, and the lens at 24mm, the depth of field is just too great to do anything with the background. it doesn't bother me, I'm just out enjoying the sun and playing around with the camera! To get the background less in focus, I'd need to be quite far back, have the lens zoomed out, and then all of the squirrel would not be in focus.

Audible_Chocolate · May 4, 2012

hahaha thats awesome! I wanna try it.

cgipson1 · May 4, 2012

I feel that the wide angle distortion in #1 adds a comical aspect.. really makes the shot for me! I like it! I agree with Joel that the background is distracting in them.. but with that type of camera, one is limited in creative options.

nicely done!

mommy-medic · May 4, 2012

I love it! I think cloning out the power lines would do a lot for the first one. Your little critter looks like he sure does like peanuts.

Some of the best threads are the ones where people are just having fun with their gear and trying diffrent things. Life is too short to be too serious. Shoot on!

Joel_W · May 4, 2012

I understand your limitations, and therefore your decisions. Enjoying what you're doing and what you did is after all the essence of any hobby. I was just commenting from the point of view of what I and others consider basic compositional standards.