Wildlife & Nature FAQ

[Miaow]

I'm hoping someone can help with this question I have - Its horrible and overcast at pres - I was attempting to get a GOOD pic of a rosella (bird) that was out in a tree - At 300mm (handheld) it still wasnt overly close but I found that all I was getting was a dark shape rather than the colours (bright red) that was at ISO 400 - anyway I bumped up the EV which mainly succeeded in blowing out the sky/branches but still the dark shape of the bird.
So I upped the ISO to 1600 and still it was too dark? I then bumped up the EV to 2 which helped actually bring out a bit more of the colour but overall the birdwas still too dark and had blown out sky again
Apart from using a tripod (moving subject as it was eating so couldnt i think really use too long an exposure) are there any ways to get a nicely exposed pic of a bird up in a tree on an overcast day.

 

[Overread]

sounds like the light is behind the subject and facing you - so you need to really open up the apature and boost the ISO to get the details on the dark bird - and then as you found out the sky ends up way to bright.
You could try using your flash to fill in the light - flash can travel a good distance though at a risk of spooking the subject you have to get it right first time

 

[Overread]

decided that a link to this site is worth adding to the thread:

Wildwood Survival - Wilderness Survival

contains wilderness surival skills, but also sections on wild animal tracking. Defintly the other side of the skill set that a good wildlife photographer needs to have in order to capture images.

 

[woodsac]

I have found pointing my camera towards the wildlife usually gets my best shots...

OK, seriously though, for most of you that shoot macro of bugs, specifically TB2 and woodsac, are they handheld shots and if they are how do you get such sharp shots? Do you use a flash mount that goes on the end of the lens?

LP, do you use a tripod at all or are all of yours handheld? All of you get tack sharp shots and I'm jealous. Does it help to have your own site to upload shots to that doesn't compress them farther?

Hey Buddy...long time

I haven't done in any macro work in quite a while. But...all of my macro work is hand held. I use a Manfrotto flash bracket manfrotto macro | B&H Photo Video and Lumiquest Softbox LumiQuest | Mini SoftBox - for Shoe-Mount Flashes | LQ-108 | B&H.

Just takes a lot of patience. Also, I always try to get low or support my hands/arms. I rest my elbows and forearms on my knee a lot.

Sometimes I shoot wide open for the effect. And of course, it adds a little speed. Not the sharpest, but a cool little critter

 

[Tsanand]

Wildlife especially in the wild mostly give you very short time to get your act together and you have to get it right the first time around else the opportunity's gone. Take this Tiger for instance, it gave me just 9 seconds.

Thomas
http://walkthewilderness.net

 

[Slo_Mo_Dove]

Is it just my camera, or is there a setting I'm forgetting that will help me take clearer animal photos at a (short) distance? I can get quite close to say, a squirrel, and the photo's still not very sharp at full size. It's in focus, just ... smudgy. Very close shots, like insects and flowers, turn out fine.
It's a fairly cheap little digital camera, but there must be *something* I can do.

 

[Big]

Is it just my camera, or is there a setting I'm forgetting that will help me take clearer animal photos at a (short) distance? I can get quite close to say, a squirrel, and the photo's still not very sharp at full size. It's in focus, just ... smudgy. Very close shots, like insects and flowers, turn out fine.
It's a fairly cheap little digital camera, but there must be *something* I can do.

Maybe use a faster shutter speed? That's usually my first go at someone's complaint about blurry photos.

I have a question... What or who determines who a "pro" is as far as wild life photography? Is it a matter of doing it for a living and selling photos? Why can't a "pro" be a pro at wild life photography without doing it for a living? I'm not calling myself a pro but I was just wondering.

 

[Slo_Mo_Dove]

Maybe use a faster shutter speed? That's usually my first go at someone's complaint about blurry photos.

It doesn't seem like motion blur - but I'll experiment and see if the Auto option is just doing a bad job with the settings. It may have been focusing a bit too close.

Example:

 

[Big]

but I'll experiment and see if the Auto option is just doing a bad job with the settings.

Geeeeeezzz!!!! careful saying that word around here!

 

[Slo_Mo_Dove]

but I'll experiment and see if the Auto option is just doing a bad job with the settings.

Geeeeeezzz!!!! careful saying that word around here!

Yeah, I know. But there's a lot of stuff this camera just won't let you do on your own. And I'm still not experienced enough with shots of live things that aren't tiny (bugs, flowers) that I think it's wisest to use Auto outside of my "experimenting," until I've learned.

 

[Big]

I don't think it looks too terrible. If you think it may be focusing too close, your camera might have a "macro" mode or close up mode that tells the camera to focus at a closer than normal distance. As far as auto goes, I was just messin with ya. Many people shoot manual or other creative functions but if your camera is limited to those than I guess you gotta start somewhere right!
btw: I assume you're using a basic point and shoot right? What camera is it?

 

[Slo_Mo_Dove]

I don't think it looks too terrible. If you think it may be focusing too close, your camera might have a "macro" mode or close up mode that tells the camera to focus at a closer than normal distance. As far as auto goes, I was just messin with ya. Many people shoot manual or other creative functions but if your camera is limited to those than I guess you gotta start somewhere right!
btw: I assume you're using a basic point and shoot right? What camera is it?

It has two different "close-up" modes, but I do at least know not to use those. There are a bunch of different "Scene" modes of dubious usefulness, but clicking all the buttons required to get to them generally takes too long when I run into a critter unexpectedly. Landscape and Auto settings both seem to get me fairly similar results at distance.

It's a Kodak EasyShare C913, if that helps. You can certainly alter some settings (like I said, I'm a lot better at doing this with closer shots), but it's auto-focus.

 

[Overread]

mark carwardine - zoologist : writer : wildlife photographer : tv & radio presenter

Well worth a look for anyone into wildlife photography! Good articles and resources in there

 

[HikinMike]

I'm new to the forum, so I figured I'd post my backyard blind and my recipe. I've moved a few thing since I photographed this last year, but it's pretty much the same thing...

An old Christmas Tree inside of a clay pot for mobility. Drilled a few holes in the tree and filled it with 'suet'. Clay pot for water, but I'm going to change it to a waterfall when I get some motivation!

Photography Blind

Peanut Butter Suet for Birds

 

[Hardrock]

I'm new to the forum, so I figured I'd post my backyard blind and my recipe. I've moved a few thing since I photographed this last year, but it's pretty much the same thing...

An old Christmas Tree inside of a clay pot for mobility. Drilled a few holes in the tree and filled it with 'suet'. Clay pot for water, but I'm going to change it to a waterfall when I get some motivation!

Photography Blind

Peanut Butter Suet for Birds

That is awesome!!!