Close Encounters of a Roseate Spoonbill--and One Photography Question

PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
edited May 7, 2011 in Wildlife
Roseate Spoonbills roost occasionally in our egret rookeries, but this one did not get the friendliest welcome! Here is my question: Are the wings in the last photo slightly OOF because my shutter speed was too slow, or because my DOF was too narrow--or some other reason? Shot with 7D, 1/1250 second, f/5.6, ISO 200, 400mm lens. :dunno
Many thanks, Pam

1. This Roseate Spoonbill found a perch and hoped to roost for the evening:

1235922726_xAhNn-L-1.jpg

2. It enjoyed the warmth of the late afternoon sun for a while:

1236561231_okbp5-L-1.jpg

3. Then, a crow flew by so fast and so close that the Spoonbill almost lost its balance, and complained as it tried to right itself:

1236510308_QY66y-L-1.jpg

4. Still complaining about the rough treatment, the bird used its wings to regain its balance:

1235922423_b5fcw-L-4.jpg

5. Shortly thereafter, the Roseate Spoonbill made a command decision to seek a friendlier neighborhood--only to have an egret, like a fighter jet, chase behind it, escorting it off the property. Now is that any way to treat a visitor?

1236532420_mEBz4-L-1.jpg

Comments

  • Don KondraDon Kondra Registered Users Posts: 630 Major grins
    edited April 10, 2011
    Nice series with tough light Pam.

    I'm not familiar with your system but would have to go with aperture :)

    Did you shoot in raw and what are you doing for processing ?

    Cheers, Don
    Don Kondra - Furniture Designer/Maker
    Product Photography
    My Acreage Bird Photographs
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited April 10, 2011
    Don Kondra wrote: »
    Nice series with tough light Pam.

    I'm not familiar with your system but would have to go with aperture :)

    Did you shoot in raw and what are you doing for processing ?

    Cheers, Don
    Thanks, Don. I did shoot in raw, and process in Lightroom and Photoshop elements 9.0. I toned the highlights down as much as I could without the white turning that dull grey, but still not perfect. I shot at -1 exposure compensation, I think. Best, Pam
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited April 10, 2011
    Don Kondra wrote: »
    Nice series with tough light Pam.

    I'm not familiar with your system but would have to go with aperture :)

    Did you shoot in raw and what are you doing for processing ?

    Cheers, Don

    You know, Don, I was looking at these photos again on a different monitor than the one I processed them on, and I can reduce the exposure further and the whites don't look blown out, nor too gray. Thanks for getting my attention, as Harry has done more than once! Best, Pam
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited April 12, 2011
    That's a good set of an excellent subject. The exposure is pretty good, the exif shows a two thirds adjustment. I think you should have gone down another third. I'm leaning towards the aperture as the cause of the blur on the last capture but I would be interested as to way the camera's focuc point was for the shot. The right wing seems to be sharper than the head.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • LindiweLindiwe Registered Users Posts: 606 Major grins
    edited April 12, 2011
    An interesting and very beautiful series, Pam. The colours are just gorgeous, and I particularly love the fourth image. Those wings are magnificent!
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited April 13, 2011
    Harryb wrote: »
    That's a good set of an excellent subject. The exposure is pretty good, the exif shows a two thirds adjustment. I think you should have gone down another third. I'm leaning towards the aperture as the cause of the blur on the last capture but I would be interested as to way the camera's focuc point was for the shot. The right wing seems to be sharper than the head.

    As always, thank you, Harry. I see what you mean--this is definitely a right wing spoonbill. I was sitting in my car, resting the camera on a beanbag, and the focus mode was "one shot," rather than focus tracking. Usually I try to focus on the bird's shoulder unless it is close enough that its head fills my focus point, but this bird was moving around, so I bet I did end up with the right wing focus instead. I'm going to remember to keep exposure comp to -1 in that rookery, even for the pink birds.

    Best, Pam
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited April 13, 2011
    Lindiwe wrote: »
    An interesting and very beautiful series, Pam. The colours are just gorgeous, and I particularly love the fourth image. Those wings are magnificent!

    Thank you, Lindiwe! These birds are increasingly in our area--it seems like I see one or two a year--wish we had more! Best, Pam
  • Dennis KaczorDennis Kaczor Registered Users Posts: 2,413 Major grins
    edited April 13, 2011
    Hi Pam, I really like the last image in this series. I would say that this is an aperture issue for the wing blur here, maybe bring that down to about f/8 and to get more speed up the ISO to about 400. Also I agree with Harry about the exposure compensation another one third would be good here. You mentioned that the next time you will set the camera up to minus 1 in that spot. I would take a test shot with the camera setting at zero or -1/3 first, and have a quick look at the image, and then adjust it from what you see in the display.

    You mentioned that you used one shot mode, here is a little tip that may help you. Use the tap, tap method, and by this I mean press the shutter half way down to lock on, but as the subject moves you tap, tap, tap till you are ready and press all the way down. This will keep the sensor on the bird as it moves, if you tap and hold as the bird moves there is a chance that you could get a soft image or a blurry capture. Or the best way is focus tracking on and you won't need to use the tap, tap method

    Nice series of images and I like the last one and even though there is a blur in the wing, to me it shows motion here, and I like the pose in the third image.
    Regards - Dennis

    Dennis Kaczor Photography
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited April 13, 2011
    Dennis Kaczor wrote: »
    Hi Pam, I really like the last image in this series. I would say that this is an aperture issue for the wing blur here, maybe bring that down to about f/8 and to get more speed up the ISO to about 400. Also I agree with Harry about the exposure compensation another one third would be good here. You mentioned that the next time you will set the camera up to minus 1 in that spot. I would take a test shot with the camera setting at zero or -1/3 first, and have a quick look at the image, and then adjust it from what you see in the display.

    You mentioned that you used one shot mode, here is a little tip that may help you. Use the tap, tap method, and by this I mean press the shutter half way down to lock on, but as the subject moves you tap, tap, tap till you are ready and press all the way down. This will keep the sensor on the bird as it moves, if you tap and hold as the bird moves there is a chance that you could get a soft image or a blurry capture. Or the best way is focus tracking on and you won't need to use the tap, tap method

    Nice series of images and I like the last one and even though there is a blur in the wing, to me it shows motion here, and I like the pose in the third image.

    Dennis, thank you for taking time to share your tips and observations. Those of you more experienced photographer in this forum are mighty generous! Best, Pam
  • AllenAllen Registered Users Posts: 10,013 Major grins
    edited April 13, 2011
    That is a very wide bird with his wings spread. Huge DOF.
    Depending on how close you were I think the DOF was not enough or too far
    back. That's the problem with large teles. I'd raise the ISO as much as
    needed with the 7D to allow a greater f/DOF and keep the speed up. I think
    the true focus plane is about 1/3 into the DOF and that bird has a long wing
    pointing towards you. The back wing is in the back 2/3 apparent focus range.

    Btw, he looks lonely, his buddy wandered about 600 miles north.:D
    Al - Just a volunteer here having fun
    My Website index | My Blog
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited April 13, 2011
    Allen wrote: »
    That is a very wide bird with his wings spread. Huge DOF.
    Depending on how close you were I think the DOF was not enough or too far
    back. That's the problem with large teles. I'd raise the ISO as much as
    needed with the 7D to allow a greater f/DOF and keep the speed up. I think
    the true focus plane is about 1/3 into the DOF and that bird has a long wing
    pointing towards you. The back wing is in the back 2/3 apparent focus range.

    Btw, he looks lonely, his buddy wandered about 600 miles north.:D

    Al, maybe that's partly why he left so soon (aside from our unfriendly birds)--he missed his buddy! These roseate spoonbills are one bird worth that drive you took! Maybe you will see more of them. I know several years ago, when I saw the first one, they were totally rare here, and now there are at least a few more. And THANK YOU for analyzing the shot for me. Good point about the ISO.

    Best, Pam
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited April 14, 2011
    For shooting in "one shot" mode these are really good! Your shutter speed is fine. You could easily go down to 1/800th with your 400mm. Shooting wide open at F5.6 is fine too, but your focus points really need to be accurate. If you are close to your subject then close down a bit, but if you are further back leave it open.

    Nice color on that spoonbill! thumb.gif
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited April 14, 2011
    raptorcaptor wrote: »
    For shooting in "one shot" mode these are really good! Your shutter speed is fine. You could easily go down to 1/800th with your 400mm. Shooting wide open at F5.6 is fine too, but your focus points really need to be accurate. If you are close to your subject then close down a bit, but if you are further back leave it open.

    Nice color on that spoonbill! thumb.gif

    Thanks, Glen. That afternoon I wasn't really looking for wildlife shots--my husband, Edmund and I were driving home when we spotted the bird. I had to go back to our house, grab my camera, and try to hurry back to the rookery before it left. I got that camera trained on the spoonbill as fast as I could--and . . . I could have done better! Next time maybe (hopefully) I will think about focus tracking! (Also maybe I will remember my own rule: always keep that camera in the car!) Thanks very much for the coaching. Best, Pam
  • Osprey WhispererOsprey Whisperer Registered Users Posts: 3,803 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    Nice series Pam. These spoonies can be almost as bright as a white bird in the right light. Often a bit difficultto figure that exposure out quickly. Nice job.
    Mike McCarthy

    "Osprey Whisperer"

    OspreyWhisperer.com
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited April 18, 2011
    Osprey Whisperer wrote: »
    Nice series Pam. These spoonies can be almost as bright as a white bird in the right light. Often a bit difficultto figure that exposure out quickly. Nice job.

    Thanks, Mike! I sure didn't guess that my pink bird would be as bright as the egrets, but you are clearly right! Best, Pam
  • RustyJBRustyJB Registered Users Posts: 69 Big grins
    edited April 22, 2011
    Great shots, especially in the hurry you were in, i would imagine aperture reduced you dof also, well done!
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited April 23, 2011
    Thanks, Rusty, and welcome to the forum! Best, Pam
  • RustyJBRustyJB Registered Users Posts: 69 Big grins
    edited May 7, 2011
    PGM wrote: »
    Thanks, Rusty, and welcome to the forum! Best, Pam

    thanks, looked at these again, Great shots, as of yet i have not gotten that close to a spoonbill
    love the shots & colors with their wings open like that!clap.gif
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