globetrekker Loc: Bend, OR

First two taken in Big Sur, the last one taken in Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (just a bit north of Big Sur) All shot with my 250 mm, my longest lens.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Thank you

birdpix Loc: South East Pennsylvania

All of your birds are a little underexposed. Whenever we use the average, matrix or evaluative metering setting we are in danger of this when we have a bright sky. The meter reads the sky as bright and since it is a large part of the photo, it adjusts yur exposure down which underexposes the bird. Exposure compensation is called for of 1/2 to 1 1/2 stops depending on just how bright the sky is and the color of the bird....dark birds needing the greatest amount of compensation.

Having said that, these are fine examples of BIFs. You might be able to rescue some of the shadow details in post processing.

Thanks for posting!

globetrekker Loc: Bend, OR

Superb feedback. Well-explained, and easy to understand and implement. So thank you!

I think my thought process was Av, wide open to get fast shutter speed, knowing that DOF didn't matter much. But you have added another important layer of knowledge.

I’m aware of the limits of the camera’s meter, e.g., the need to increase exposure for beach scenes. I read a helpful tip: LADS as a pneumonic device for Light, Add; Dark, Subtract. But here, with dark birds and evaluative metering, I guess the DS part of that is not only irrelevant, but must be reversed.

Thanks again for taking the time to help me improve.

oldmalky Loc: West Midlands,England.

Really enjoyed the downloads of the first two, number three looks just like a pterodactyl very good.

globetrekker Loc: Bend, OR

Thanks, oldmalky! And yes, the pelican would not have looked out of place flying around in the time of the dinosaurs.