Valkrider Loc: Woodbridge VA

I took these photos with my Nikon D50, Nikkor 70 - 300 lens, Exp 1/500, f/5.6, Auto White Balance, Matix Metering.
The Eastern Great Egret seems washed out. I took a lot of photographs, with most of the White Egrets and Herons getting washed out. I would appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Hoss Loc: Near Pittsburgh, Pa

I would spot meter the bird and shoot in manual. Your meter is giving you a average for the whole frame. It looks like the greens are good but the whites are a little light. You can also bracket from there.

rts2568

From rts2568

Firstly Valkrider,

Make sure you set the EV for the birds lighter plumage, not too over the top though because what you then want to do is as attached - some loving post processing to create your dream shot.
Otherwise you could get in closer and shoot less of the background.
The best method to adopt is to forget that you have matrix or other settings on your camera, other than a spot setting - only use SPOT for this kind of subject.
Always keep in mind that a light coloured object, the central subject for the photo, will always, in such scenes, require up to a two stop increase in the EV, often less, often more - experiment\practice!

Do some thinking on the attached and go out there and practice. One note though, as I'm assuming you used the 300 mm setting from the aperture setting you mention, increase your ISO to ensure you keep a high enough speed to keep the camera shake down.

See my comments on the attached.

You’ve got the right idea alright, so better success next time.

rts2568

Think on composition!


Use a tripod next time?


Use a tripod next time?

Valkrider Loc: Woodbridge VA

Thank you for the help. I will have to look up how to change those settings on my camera. I appreciate the comments and examples.

Charlie Lacombe

Try cranking down your ISO to 100 when shooting these
beautiful White Egrets & Herons . I too had that washed
out effect till I made that ONE adjustment

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

Try using your spot meter on the body of the bird. Overexpose by one stop and take three bracketed shots one stop apart. One of those should be right. If not take five bracketed shots. BTW your shots are not sharp which will also increase the illusion of being over exposed. Use a tripod and cable release.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

I find that if I stop down a whole stop that I am closer to getting the correct exposure. I use the blinky screen to check for blown out highlights when shooting. Also check your histogram.

Others are correct about the tripod. I use my tripod almost all the time unless a bird is close and flying over head.

user1437

sorry but I was trying to understand myself when you set the shot for spot and then focus on your subject you can change the ev and it will be on that spot not the whole picture?

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

You use the spot meter and take the reading off the bird. If you just take the shot the light meter will adjust your exposure so the bird comes out 18 % grey. To counteract this you have to open up the exposure by one or two stops (EVs). Because the exposure compensation is just an estimate its best to bracket the shot.

user1437

Thank you I will practice.

overthemoon Loc: Wisconsin

You don't need to have a tripod I shoot all kinds of birds tack sharp your shutterspeed is to low. with the kind of light you have you can easily get your shutter up to 1600 and aperture up to 7 pos 8 the ap will help with sharpness as well.

RodG

I recommend metering the bird, or if there wasn't time, simply bracket your exposures My guess is that the underexposed shot would be right on. The other issue I see here is one that befalls most of us from time to time, especially when we most want a picture to turn out perfectly - that is blur. I agree with an earlier post - faster shutter speed would probably have cured this problem.