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An epic photographic failure by me.
Aug 5, 2020 10:05:41 #
These guys are extremely difficult to even get in the viewfinder with a 500mm lens and then have the lens and camera auto focus in a tenth of a second. I know it can be done as I've seen tack sharp images of this type of image. Gotta keep trying. Someday!
Aug 5, 2020 10:16:11 #
Aug 5, 2020 10:16:16 #
tcthome
Loc: NJ
What type of bird is this. Keep practicing. Set your shutter speed to at least 1/1000 or higher. Aperture at around f8, with what ever iso you need. Or auto iso. Try for spot focus & place it on the eye. Or small group area focus. The more you shoot , the better you will get, hopefully. Remember to have fun. Also put your camera in contuious high shutter release & take small burst(5-7) shots at a time.
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Aug 5, 2020 10:20:20 #
Toment wrote:
Keep trying, use a gimbal on a tripod!
Thanks Toment. I've done both, gimbal and free hand. The gimbal is tougher with these quick erratic movers. vz
Aug 5, 2020 10:22:37 #
tcthome wrote:
What type of bird is this. Keep practicing. Set your shutter speed to at least 1/1000 or higher. Aperture at around f8, with what ever iso you need. Or auto iso. Try for spot focus & place it on the eye. Or small group area focus. The more you shoot , the better you will get, hopefully. Remember to have fun. Also put your camera in contuious high shutter release & take small burst(5-7) shots at a time.
Thanks tcthome. I do all of these things. Swallows (a barn swallow in this case) are extremely quick and erratic. vz
Aug 5, 2020 10:23:20 #
Aug 5, 2020 10:26:58 #
machia wrote:
Animals in general are tough to photograph.
A valid point. Thanks machia for weighing in. vz
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Aug 5, 2020 10:29:00 #
Aug 5, 2020 10:30:42 #
A small red dot gun sight mounted on your hotshoe, and a gimbal will greatly enhance your success. The gun sight greatly enlarges your field of view (allows both eyes to be above the viewfinder and thus quickens focusing) and a gimbal, with both axis loosened provides quick and effortless action.
Aug 5, 2020 10:30:48 #
No, no, no! You didn't fail. That bird was attempting to break the sound barrier. You must always invent a good story to go with every so-called failure. 
Aug 5, 2020 10:33:55 #
JRiepe wrote:
A barn swallow would have to be one of the toughest.
And why to I even try? Because I can? Thanks JR for dropping by. vz
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Aug 5, 2020 10:35:04 #
Floyd wrote:
A small red dot gun sight mounted on your hotshoe, and a gimbal will greatly enhance your success. The gun sight greatly enlarges your field of view (allows both eyes to be above the viewfinder and thus quickens focusing) and a gimbal, with both axis loosened provides quick and effortless action.
Thanks Floyd for your input. vz
Aug 5, 2020 10:36:01 #
jerryc41 wrote:
No, no, no! You didn't fail. That bird was attempting to break the sound barrier. You must always invent a good story to go with every so-called failure.
Thanks jerry. Sound advice. vz
Aug 5, 2020 10:51:23 #
I try to think of my abundant failures as learning opportunities...especially when nothing is hurt or lost in the process.
Aug 5, 2020 10:58:01 #
jerryc41 wrote:
No, no, no! You didn't fail. That bird was attempting to break the sound barrier. You must always invent a good story to go with every so-called failure.
What was it that Thomas Edison said about failure? "I didn't fail. I just found 10,000 ways that did not work."
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