Canadian BIF: So this is my second attempt at BIF. This guy cooperated by buzzing me as I walked across a field. With nothing to relate to, is this composition ok or just so so. Any...

jteee Loc: Montana

So this is my second attempt at BIF. This guy cooperated by buzzing me as I walked across a field. With nothing to relate to, is this composition ok or just so so. Any other critique also welcome. 6D, 70-200 f2.8L @ 200, 1/4000, f4.5, ISO 200.

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Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Composition is fine. Subject has enough space in front to fly into and the horizontal format is proper. In addition, the position of the wing tips add interest to the image. Exposure and focus are good and I like the detail in the wings. Nice photograph. 8-)

jteee Loc: Montana

Bmac wrote:

Composition is fine. Subject has enough space in front to fly into and the horizontal format is proper. In addition, the position of the wing tips add interest to the image. Exposure and focus are good and I like the detail in the wings. Nice photograph. 8-)

Thanks for the feedback, greatly appreciated.

Nightski

jteee wrote:

So this is my second attempt at BIF. This guy cooperated by buzzing me as I walked across a field. With nothing to relate to, is this composition ok or just so so. Any other critique also welcome. 6D, 70-200 f2.8L @ 200, 1/4000, f4.5, ISO 200.

Oh my! I had settled on the Sigma 150 - 500 and now I'm going to change my mind! Tack sharp, great color, nice detail ... at 200mm? Wow! Wow! Wow! You gotta love those Canon "L" lenses!

You nailed it, Jtee! Congrats on the great BIF. I'm so jealous.

jteee Loc: Montana

Nightski wrote:

Oh my! I had settled on the Sigma 150 - 500 and now I'm going to change my mind! Tack sharp, great color, nice detail ... at 200mm? Wow! Wow! Wow! You gotta love those Canon "L" lenses!

You nailed it, Jtee! Congrats on the great BIF. I'm so jealous.

Hey thanks. I wound up getting about 10 keepers from this pair. For some odd reason they circled me twice (quite the site some yahoo spinning around in a circle with camera in hand). This L lens takes great photos when I manage to get it set properly.LOL

Nightski

Were you in AI Servo Jtee? I often use that on water fowl. The only trouble I have is when I am shooting a pair swimming. The servo works best with the center focal point. But if you use the center focal point, it's hard to get the pair in the frame, and you can't recompose in servo.

LOL ... I just got back from a week in the Badlands ... so I said to myself as I headed out for my run yesterday, "Sandra, leave your camera at home..you've had enough." So I am going past the lake ... hundreds of pelicans ... did a U-Turn and went back to get my camera. I had to use my 75-300. Haven't uploaded them to my computer yet. Wish I had had that 200 ....

jteee Loc: Montana

Nightski wrote:

Were you in AI Servo Jtee? I often use that on wat... (show quote)

Yes I was in AIServo, with backbutton focus. Would like to say that I set everythinig just right to achieve decent focus and exposure on this, but the truth is, it happened so fast, that the camera was already set to AV and f4.5 from a previous shot. With the lighting right, the camera did the work, I just kept hitting the focus point (center focus point) and the shutter. Good luck is a handy tool.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Nightski wrote:

Oh my! I had settled on the Sigma 150 - 500 and now I'm going to change my mind!....

Do not change your mind so quickly. Perhaps change your focal length. I have the Sigma 70-200 and it is very sharp. If you read enough reviews, you will see that the Sigma and Canon 70-200 are comparable in quality. From what I have read, this seems to be the case overall but you actually have to compare specific lenses when buying.

Nightski

I change my mind every day, ABC. That's how I know I'm not ready to buy a long lens yet. LOL :-)

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

jteee wrote:

Yes I was in AIServo, with backbutton focus. Would like to say that I set everythinig just right to achieve decent focus and exposure on this, but the truth is, it happened so fast, that the camera was already set to AV and f4.5 from a previous shot. With the lighting right, the camera did the work, I just kept hitting the focus point (center focus point) and the shutter. Good luck is a handy tool.

A few questions. Did you really need the back button focus for this shot? If so, why?

Could you not have dropped down to 1/500 and picked up some depth of field? I would think that if you are panning, then you might be able to slow down your shutter.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Nightski wrote:

I change my mind every day, ABC. That's how I know I'm not ready to buy a long lens yet. LOL :-)

You are funny. I see another problem. Quality versus zoom. Based upon what I have seen of your work, quality is more important. Consequently, you will want a better lens that has a shorter zoom. Consequently again, you will need or want more than one long zoom lens. In any event, I would recommend that you look carefully at other brands such as Sigma and Tamron. They are giving Canon a run for the money. However, if you want a sealed, weather-resistant lens, you might have to stick with Canon.

While my 70-200 is fine for sports, you will need 400 to 600 for BIF.

jteee Loc: Montana

abc1234 wrote:

A few questions. Did you really need the back button focus for this shot? If so, why?

Could you not have dropped down to 1/500 and picked up some depth of field? I would think that if you are panning, then you might be able to slow down your shutter.

I started using back button focus a few months ago, and really like it, particularly for fast action. I'm not savvy enough to switch back and forth. As for shutter speed, from my past failures I wouldn't have dropped below 1/1000; but the fact of the matter is that this happened so fast that I didn't even look at the shutter speed. I was set at 4.5 in AV, and let 'er rip. I got lucky. This was actually a pair, and some of the shots show exactly what you are suggesting. The second goose is not as sharp as the first due to the shallow DOF. I need more experience to be able to be more in charge of the situation.LOL

Bram boy Loc: Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

jteee wrote:

So this is my second attempt at BIF. This guy cooperated by buzzing me as I walked across a field. With nothing to relate to, is this composition ok or just so so. Any other critique also welcome. 6D, 70-200 f2.8L @ 200, 1/4000, f4.5, ISO 200.

nice shot Jteee but just a bit to blue for me . other wise it's ok .
it's wing tips could be mistaken for landing feet . I don't perticuler care for that look other wise it's ok

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Bram boy wrote:

nice shot Jteee but just a bit to blue for me . other wise it's ok .
it's wing tips could be mistaken for landing feet . I don't perticuler care for that look other wise it's ok

I've been through the thread and was about to bring up tne dread "Woah! Not here" wing posture of this bird, but Bram boy beat me to it! Now that it has been mentioned, just try NOT to see that humorous interpretation on every subsequent viewing of this image! You get that effect with many BIF images of long-winged, larger birds from this perspective at at this stage of the down-and-foreward wing stroke. Most experienced BIF photographers edit these out on the first go-through ( unless there's a Funny Caption" contest coming up at the Camera Club!)
Otherwise, well done.

Dave in SD