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| This image was create with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, a 25mm Extension tube, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/60 sec. at f/5.6 with fill flash at -2 stops and the Better Beamer. Working in AI Servo AF I have my MIV set up as recommended by Jim Neiger so that I can use the star button to lock focus and thus place the bird off-center for a pleasing composition. This is especially helpful when working with a 1.4TC with this set-up as you are limited to the central sensor only. Though that was not the case here and I could have selected an off-center AF sensor Jim’s method is becoming second nature. |
The eight of us who journeyed to Tandayapa Bird Lodge by bus yesterday had a grand time. It was sunny bright in the morning and thus difficult to create pleasing images in the harsh light but we were blessed by a cloudy afternoon. And unlike on my last visit, the food was excellent. The bus got stuck in the mud halfway up the entry road so we had to make the climb up to the lodge with all or our gear. We did get some help from the staff guys led by the always smiling Richard.
As the fog in the cloud forest thickened and light levels dropped I opted to create some pleasing flash blurs and those in the group were eager to follow.
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| This image was create with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/60 sec. at f/5.6 with flash at -1 stop and the Better Beamer. Here I opted to stay in Av mode and adjusted the ISO so that my shutter speed fell in a range of from 1/30 to 1/60 sec. so that I could make sharp images of the perched birds and intentionally blurred images of the birds hovering in front of the feeders. The feeder was removed from this image with a series of Quick Masks. |
It is 6:15am here in Quito as I type. At 8:00am we leave for the airport for our 10:00am flight to Baltra and the start of our killer two week Photo-Cruise of lifetime of the Galapagos Archipelago. I will not have internet access until the evening of July 21. Till then, breathe deeply and have fun. And great picture making. artie
ps: You will soon be able to learn more about creating flash blurs in “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” by Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito. We hope to have it completed some time in August.
Hey Artie, welcome on coming over to the “star” side of life. We’re glad to have join us! Hope you and Denise have a blast on the Beagle. With Juan as your guide, I know you will have some fantastic image opportunities!
Jim
Hi Artie, I have used lock-focus method with my MKIV and it works well. Nice photos.