Bird In Flight

[Davekyn]

I really enjoyed getting to know my cameras manual settings for the first time over the Christmas weekend. I enjoyed shooting with my sister in-laws canon 55-250mm IS USM lens, but have decided to put up this one I took with my 18-55Kit lens. I could of perhaps framed it better, but to tell you the truth, it was not easy as a pure beginner in manual mode, to capture many sharp images like this. I have cropped in mabe once on an ISO of 200 and a shutter speed of 1/1000 @ F5.6 with 55mm lens. I think this was one of my better shot not only because of settings and light, but also given the background and palm like leaves that are shaped like the wing that stands out....perhaps getting a bit finicky there, but that's what I see in this pic...no doubt room for improvement as always and why its posted in here...Thanks also for the advice I have already received as it is helping to keep my thinking of what matters.
Cheers!

Blue Faced Honey Sucker


A Minor Bird in flight. by L_Plate_Dave, on Flickr

[Davekyn]

Shot to pieces. Deleted! LOL

[BravoGolfTango]

Incredible photo, great job! I'm so new with DSLRs I have nothing to critique.

[Anbesol]

The placement of hte subject in the frame looks accidental, the invading plants in the foreground of the composition detract from the overall scene, the image lacks anything to ground it, so the angle the bird seems to be making this weird move has no point of reference to give us a perception of gravity in the image. The angle we see the bird is sort of from his backside, as if hes leaving the image. What hte bird is doing isn't clear, it looks bizarre, for sure, but the image doesn't provide us with enough detail about the subject.

[Davekyn]

Thanks for the encouragement, BravoGolfTango !
Hey Anbesol ... Have you ever heard of the sandwich method? I learn it at Toastmasters. Basically when you give a Critique to someones speech, you start with something positive ... encouraging, then you get to your point of criticism, hopefully with some tact, then finish again with some other encouraging point and advice to go with it. The little guys were very friendly to say the least...I got many more other shots, "but not as Good as this one."

I don't mind a bit of criticism, but you might want to weigh it up with something to balance it out. Regardless of the "warning" giving to this criticism...your was a bit over the top. Just consider the implications to a lot of the new comers? (if you reread what you said...you'll find nothing other than the obvious negative you have pointed out with nothing else.) Other than that ... I'll disagree with a lot of what you have said ... bust tactfully so:

I took my time to get this shot ... two days ... LOL ... none the less I thought a lot about my cameras manual settings as the learner I am ... I stopped using the Live view mode and practiced hard to train my eye on an even path of travel whilst keeping the Bird is a fairly good focus as pictured...that I was pleased with as it seem to be a problem with my little kit lens of a massive 55mm. The foreground has two plants in it and far from what I would call invading...in fact as I have said the shape of the plant compliments the wing structure and had there not been any scrub in the background I doubt the exposure would of come out as good. Is he going up or is he going down??? Take your pick ... next time, I'll throw a little arrow in for everyone...lol...just kidding.

Mate...if this place if for professional photographers only...then I will be the first to go...In fact...I think I will...Yes I am very offended and if that is the way most of your critiques hand out "advice" (re-read yours) then I am defineatley to soft to be in here.

I should of asked the little critter to relax a little while I went and got the studio gear ready for the shot...

Back to Flickr for a whiles...sobs...
Cya's ...

[Davekyn]

Thought I would throw this one in. Perhaps you could add some constructive comments with your critique this time? I hope its not as terrible as the last one: :mad2:

Duck Landing by L_Plate_Dave, on Flickr

[Davekyn]

OK...Last one...Maybe this one has something to offer? I'm sorry for being offended dude ... To be fair, you did make a lot of sense...just consider a little bit more tact with us Newbies and perhaps a adding some more advice with such a long list of what's wrong with em ... Peace Bro: :thumbsup:

This guy is just looking out for the Santa ... He looks good hey ... I swear it was the same fella pecking at my Toe Nails moments before

Minor Lookout by L_Plate_Dave, on Flickr

[n8]

Mate...if this place if for professional photographers only...then I will be the first to go...In fact...I think I will...Yes I am very offended and if that is the way most of your critiques hand out "advice" (re-read yours) then I am defineatley to soft to be in here.

I should of asked the little critter to relax a little while I went and got the studio gear ready for the shot...

Back to Flickr for a whiles...sobs...
Cya's ...

Take a breath buddy, we're pretty nice here. This is a critique forum, and criticism is what you'll get, and while it may not always be what you want to hear, it will make you a better photographer if you're open to it. I certainly know the feeling of getting the new camera, being amazed by what it can do, then finding out my technical ability has a long way to go...and it still does. Anbesol has a lot of knowledge...don't take the critique personally if you can. I think we're a good mix of pro's, enthusiasts, and beginners.

That first one is damn sharp and well exposed, but it is a bit odd. I'd say you're third post was the strongest of the bunch, although I do wish his belly were lit better. This is where you'll learn that using a speed lite for fill flash outside is ok...or waiting for him to get in better light. Or...if you shot this in raw, you can go into your software and play with the fill light.

[hminx]

Have you ever heard of the sandwich method? I learn it at Toastmasters. Basically when you give a Critique to someones speech, you start with something positive ... encouraging, then you get to your point of criticism, hopefully with some tact, then finish again with some other encouraging point and advice to go on with


Hokay here goes

1. The BIF is nicely tack sharp and against the softer background gives a wonderful almost 3d effect.

2. Charlie may be right in what he says in his critique.

3. Dave we are a friendly group here and a forthright and honest opinion on your work shouldn't be construed as a personal attack.

[Neous]

I would crop the image to take out the palm trees and the flower on the bottom because they're distracting
and place the bird on lower left of the frame (keeping it off center and ascending )

nice catch btw

[jetrim]

IMHO You've got a fine shot in #1 if you crop 1/3 off the left and 1/3 off the bottom. Interesting subject in an unusual pose, and I see what you're saying about the palm on the lower left, but because of the motion blur it's not a strong enough correlation to warrant leaving it in the composition. Your number 2 shot has a host of problems that could be corrected, but I'm not sure the time involved is worth making the effort. Easier to go out and reshoot this one - ducks landing on water aren't that hard to find. Things to keep in mind next time:
1. rule of thirds
2. white balance
3. horizon should be dead level or tilted so far that there is no question it was an artistic decision
4. oversharpening will not save a blurred image

#3 Love this shot - best of the bunch! you could bring out a little more detail in the chest with a dodge brush at low opacity, curves adjustment, or highlight shadow adjustment, but not a deal breaker as it is.

Keep practicing and don't let critiques discourage you - feed off them! I look back at the first shots I posted here 3 years ago and wince :lol: The folks here will help you get good FAST though it may not always be what you want to hear. The more time you spend here, you'll start to develop a self-critique in your mind as you edit, you'll also start to get a sense for which members offer the most valuable advice for you and which aren't as relevant. I couldn't shoot a bird in flight to save my life, but I'm doing OK in other areas

[Adamo]

Neous,

You forgot to sandwich your response

[OldClicker]

Learn to love good, harsh criticism. It is the fastest way to learn and very hard to find. - Terry

[armando_m]

Shooting birds in flight is one of the hardest things you can do

the 1st photo is sharp
yes the position of the bird is odd
keep on trying

flickr is a lot of commments but it is not often that you get a critique, people just don't comment on your bad or so so photos, rather than saying why they do not like it.

[AgingEyes]

Good thing about the first pic is: the bird is sharp with good wing position.

The worst thing about the first pic is: the bird is heading away from you.

Some would find the background distracting as in it's not a simple background like a sky.

In general, you want the bird to be flying across in front of you or angling towards you/the camera. A pic with the bird flying that way has more impact than one that is flying away. If the bird is heading the wrong way but looking back at you, it's fine with me.

Wing position of the bird should be either up or down. If the wings are just spread out to the sides, the bird better be banking.

Nobody (pros or not) who shoots bird-in-flight gets a sharp, in focus picture 100% of the time. Framing bird-in-flight sometimes include cropping in post-processing because out in the field, things could happen fast and you have no choice but to shoot first and fine-tune the framing later.

The second pic looks to be under-exposed and has a strong color cast.

The light in the third pic was too harsh (shooting under bright sunlight is not the best thing to do all the time). The bird is also looking at the wrong angle. You want it to be looking more or less towards the camera.

Shooting bird-in-flight is quite easy these days given the technologies we have. Besides, not all the birds fly very fast.

[Loupey]

Regarding the first image, I think you did rather well. With such subjects you take what is given to you and make the best of it.

To me, the most distracting things are the background and the wing position of the near wing. The background is due to the use of a short focal length lens so it is what it is. It is clearly evident to me that you were tracking the subject properly and accurately.

You seem to have caught "the bug" so the most important thing is to keep up the enthusiasm and shoot, shoot, shoot. Anything and everything. Every once in a while you will see, and hopefully capture, something truly spectacular.