What’s Up?
This blog was written from scratch on Sunday, December 14, 2014 in the lobby of the Albatross Hotel.
Along with the rest of my shipmates I boarded the Ortelius on the afternoon of 15 DEC. We get back to dock on the the morning of 9 JAN. There is no wifi on the ship. That means that I will effectively and absolutely be without internet at least from 14 DEC through 9 JAN. At present I am further behind with answering e-mails than at any time since I have began answering folks’ photography-related questions about 25 years ago.
Please therefore refrain from e-mailing me at the usual samandmayasgrandpa e-mail address until I get back home on 13 JAN. You can reach my right-hand man Jim Litzenburg by e-mail here or reach Jennifer here as usual.
Important Blog Notice
I have been preparing a few new blog posts today to be published during my absence with the help of either Jim or the invaluable Peter Kes, the BAA webmaster. In addition, my plan is to resurrect a collection of older but important educational blog posts (like today’s) and have them re-published during my absence. Please enjoy. Please consider signing up for an IPT. And please continue to do a great job of using my B&H and other affiliate links while I am gone.
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This image was created on the cloudy bright morning of 6 DEC, this one at 7:48am with the hand held Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens , the <Canon Extender EF 2X III (at 400mm), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering + 2/3 stop with the geese on the ground before the blast off: 1/13 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. With the 3-stop Singh_ray ND Two sensors below the central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version. your text and adds |
Lucky Thirteenth
While 1/13 sec. is not a long way from 1/15 sec. I have done quite well on occasion going with the lucky thirteenth, inspired by Denise Ippolito who often makes magic with a shutter speed of 1/13 sec.
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This image was also created on the cloudy bright morning of 6 DEC, this one at 8:06am with the hand held Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens , the <Canon Extender EF 2X III (at 400mm), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering + 2/3 stop with the geese on the ground before the blast off: 1/13 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. With the 3-stop Singh_ray ND Two sensors below the central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version. |
Use a variety of techniques to spice up your blurs
It pays to use a variety of techniques to spice up your blurs. When you are in an obviously good situation change things up. Pan a bit faster than the birds. Pan a bit slower than the birds. Jiggle the camera a bit. Turn the zoom ring a bit. Raise the lens a bit. Jerk the lens every now and then. There is no telling what you might come up with. But one thing is for sure, creating pleasing blurs is way fun. And remember, for every hundred that look great on the back of the camera there will usually be only one or two that stand up to close scrutiny. I believe that the image immediately above was zoomed just a bit.
I am often asked exactly what makes a dramatic pleasing blur. The best I can come up with is the one that stops you in your tracks when you are editing and does the exact same thing to everyone else.
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This image was also created on the cloudy bright morning of 6 DEC, this one at 9:15am with the hand held Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens , the <Canon Extender EF 2X III (at 400mm), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering + 2/3 stop with the geese on the ground before the blast off: 1/13 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. With the 3-stop Singh_ray ND Two sensors below the central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version. |
The best blastoff images…
The best blastoff images are often made in the first three seconds of the blast when the geese are most tightly packed. Does this one cut the mustard for you?
Your Favorite?
Which of today’s featured images is the strongest. Please let us know why.
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Typos
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