Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

Night before last this guy was just behind my bedroom deck. The sun was down, but still some daylight. I never got much into shooting animals, so I am not great at it, but this was pretty easy. I had the Canon kit lens 300mm zoom already on the camera (650D)--not their finest glass, but quite handy. It is full frame and the camera is APS-C crop, so wide open (F5.6 here) was not bad, since the outer corners are already cropped in the camera. I had to brace against the door frame and hand-hold using aperture priority. I used ISO 1600 in the twilight from one side--maybe the first time I ever used 1600. (I don't even much like ISO 400.) The high ISO shows, I think--but not as badly as I feared.

The fellow looks a bit scrawny, yes? Well, the season is young, so maybe he will bulk up. The woods behind him is at least 50 acres of deep woods. and adjacent to about 100 more.

We are in a small country town, and the woods have raccoons, woodchucks, armadillos, and possums too. The cardinal is our state bird, and they stay here all year, so I have also attached a winter shot of one. Not razor sharp--it was on the front porch and I think I shivered.

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DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

do I see antlers in velvet already?

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Very nice set! The cardinal's color in contrast to the rest makes the picture well worth sharing.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Not camera shake/shiver. Looks like focus is a little off, and they is a little noise, but iso 1600 should be good. They still are good shots.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Most unfortunate that you didn't compose better, but otherwise a good shot.

Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

rmm0605 Loc: Atlanta GA

Nice shooting!

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Very nice, animal shots are almost always fleeting, it's not often that they will pose while we fiddle with our gear!

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

Yes, baby antlers.

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

Frank, I did rely on autofocus--to me, manual focus on DSLR is hard work--no quick and easy focusing aids--and in this case the subject was not bright or close. At F5.6, I relied on some depth of field as even a 300mm lens has some at 40 or 50 feet. Normally I would never shoot wide open with 300mm unless it is possible to set the shot up carefully on a tripod. It may be that the autofocus aimed at the deer's body--the hairs on the back are quite sharp.

On the bird, I also used autofocus, and in that case I was closer and no doubt you are right--the autofocus was looking at the average of the bird and surrounding branches. That is a redbud tree, and if I put a bird feeder in it in winter, the cardinals decorate it like a Christmas tree. Next year I may work on that idea. The problem with this shot was the background--I did not want a house behind it, so I shot from down low, wide open. I think I used a remote because they fly away if I come outside, so that is part of the problem.

No, wait--there is the problem! I think I shot that one through a glass storm door. For the deer, I cracked the storm door and braced on the frame. He saw me and probably heard me, but did not seem to grasp the danger of distant creatures yet.

rabbitslayer Loc: NW Iowa

Not really scrawny, has summer coat on. He will bulk up in the fall before the rut.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Very good set, Charles.