Room Service

[mjs1973]

I got rained out yesterday, so tried it again this morning. This is the best one I got for today. Not exactly what I want, but I'm going to keep trying. It was very overcast and the lighting was very flat. Not very good conditions to be shooting in, but still worth the practice.

I like the wider perspective, but I think it makes the bird too small in the frame. This was shot at 12mm (19mm equiv). I had my flash mounted below the camera, pointing up at the box, and a little bit out to help light up the underside of the bird. I kind of like the effect, but I'm limited to a max shutter speed of 1/200. Most of the time, this isn't quite fast enough to freeze the wings. When the weather is better (no wind) I want to try to mount a small reflector under the camera to help with some fill.

Anybody have any suggestions? I kind of feel like I'm stuck in a rut and trying to take the same shot over and over again. I also included a photo of my setup so you can see the flash. And yes, I am using a $30 tripod for these.

[Frog]

Who says photography isn't work?
I like this shot as well or maybe better than that closer one.
You may want to crop from left to get rid of the smaller tree and from bottom for perspective.
Wing blur only shows action and isn't distracting. When are the chicks going to start sticking their heads out?

[paulnj]

Great idea, great effort, great job!!

Sorry, I can't think of anything to improve your setup.

[mjs1973]

Thanks Frog and Paul.

Frog, would you mind telling my wife that photography is work? For some reason she thinks all I do is go to the woods to play. Here is a version cropped with your suggestions.

[Frog]

Dear Mrs. MJ
To get good photographs MJ must plan, co-ordinate, adjust, and perform manual labor.
Without doing these things he is taking snapshots which may or may not turn out good.
Yours truly!
Mr. Frog

I like the crop and want to reiterate that I like the wing blur.

[mjs1973]

Thanks Frog. I don't mind a little wing blur either. In my OP I should have said that 1/200 second didn't always freeze the head/body.

[Loupey]

Does the DRebel support high speed flash sych?

If not, you may want to try with your newer camera.

[mjs1973]

Does the DRebel support high speed flash sych?

If not, you may want to try with your newer camera.

It's been a while since I looked at the manual for the DRebel so I will have to check when i get home. I would love to use the 40D, but I don't have a way of tripping the shutter from a distance. Any recommendations on an inexpensive remote shutter release? I can get an extension cable for my release, but it's $75. Not sure what Canon makes for an infrared shutter release.

[Loupey]

Good point about the IR/remote cable issue.

I'm 99% sure that they don't make an IR transmitter for the XXD-series bodies. I bought the $75 10-meter cable because of that.

But since the DRebel and the 10D came out at about the same time and the 10D did have the high speed sych ability, I'm thinking that the DRebel should have it also.

[OldClicker]

I have one of these radio transmitters and really like it. I have used both the Canon XTi and the Sony A-350 models. - TF

http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-Wireles...0847891&sr=8-8

[mjs1973]

I have one of these radio transmitters and really like it. I have used both the Canon XTi and the Sony A-350 models. - TF

http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-Wireles...0847891&sr=8-8

I have looked at something very similar to that last week. The review I read sounded like there was a noticeable delay from the time you press the button to the time it trips the shutter. Basically what they were saying is that you have to hold the button down for a second before it trips the shutter. Is this the case?

[OldClicker]

I have looked at something very similar to that last week. The review I read sounded like there was a noticeable delay from the time you press the button to the time it trips the shutter. Basically what they were saying is that you have to hold the button down for a second before it trips the shutter. Is this the case?

Not at all. I can not tell any difference between the remote and the shutter button. - TF

[mjs1973]

Does the DRebel support high speed flash sych?

Thanks again for bringing this up. I did some playing around last night, and I can set up the DRebel with high-speed synch! It's going to be a busy weekend, so I don't know if I will have time to test it out or not.