Wildlife pics turns photography hobby

LAC65

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I am so new to the photography hobby! . I was using a very old camcorder to get pictures of the wildlife on my property. BF says "you need new equipment". Oh my! I ended up first buying a Canon Rebel T7. Of course, it came with kit lens and a 70-300mm lens. Thought I was moving up in the world. Needless to say, I can't use the 70-300mm lens without a tripod or the pictures are completely blurry. I shake horribly.
So, I rented a EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6l is usm to get better pics. That's what better pictures look like?! I just purchased a EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L series. Much easier to use for me and so far I am happy.
While all this is going on, I watch LOTS of YouTube videos learning the basics. All to get pictures of deer walking up in my yard. Very addictive!
 

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Ah, yes if you have the shakes you need to learn techniques to reduce it ... just using your body is one way ... or using other solid objects like a deck railing.
Back in the olden days we did not have inbody/inlens stabalizers, and we were able to take good pictures.
Having a lens that has better optics helps a lot.
 
One tip ... be patient with wildlife.
Be one with nature ... being invisible is a key to getting a great shot.
Most of my shots are from inside my living room looking out into the yard. Big windows help lol!
 
Elbows on the window cill help, too. If you are free standing, pull your elbows into your body; don't let them fly away. This will help create stabilization. I once used my my elbows on the top of my grill to take a picture of the moon with my Nikkor 300mm f/2.8. Sometimes having something to rest on is all you need to get a decent shot.

Be wary of taking pics through windows. I did this in the past with some good results but sometimes the camera will focus on the glass and not the animal in the yard. I got some great birds in flight (BIF) pictures one day sitting on the back patio drinking coffee in the morning. I noticed a couple of doves building a nest in one of my trees. I ran in and got my camera, sat there and waited. It took me 45 minutes and over 80 capture to get just a few keepers. Just be willing to wait it out.
 
Elbows on the window cill help, too. If you are free standing, pull your elbows into your body; don't let them fly away. This will help create stabilization. I once used my my elbows on the top of my grill to take a picture of the moon with my Nikkor 300mm f/2.8. Sometimes having something to rest on is all you need to get a decent shot.

Be wary of taking pics through windows. I did this in the past with some good results but sometimes the camera will focus on the glass and not the animal in the yard. I got some great birds in flight (BIF) pictures one day sitting on the back patio drinking coffee in the morning. I noticed a couple of doves building a nest in one of my trees. I ran in and got my camera, sat there and waited. It took me 45 minutes and over 80 to get just a few keepers. Just be willing to wait it out.
That makes sense. Explains why I hear the autofocus running a bit from time to time. I take a lot of pictures also just to find a good one. Thanks for the advice!
 
I have essential tremors (the shakes) also and there are a few things that help but if you are like me, if you are touching the camera, it is going to shake. If you have to hold the camera, brace it against something stable and shoot at high shutter speeds, at least 1.5 times the effective focal length. If you are shooting at 300 mm on a Canon crop sensor that would be 300 x 1.6 x 1.5, or a shutter speed of 1/720. If you can, shoot from a tripod. I would try to avoid shooting through a glass window, if possible.
 
I took this hummingbird pic with a tripod.
 

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It looks like you are on your way there. As you learn and get better pictures you will have lots of fun.

Welcome and enjoy.
 
It looks like you are on your way there. As you learn and get better pictures you will have lots of fun.

Welcome and enjoy.
Thank you!
 

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