Black-necked Stilt - S.W. Florida

Maxis GamezMaxis Gamez Registered Users Posts: 89 Big grins
edited June 9, 2011 in Wildlife
_MG_0802.jpg
Black-necked Stilt - S.W. Florida

This one from few days ago. I wish I had my flash with me for some fill but I hope to get a second opportunity.

Hope you like it.

Canon 7D, Canon 800mm L @ f/8, 1/1000 sec, ISO 200, Manual exposure, Blind, Tripod.

Thanks!
Maxis Gamez
New Bird Photography Blog
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Comments

  • vaudvaud Registered Users Posts: 46 Big grins
    edited June 7, 2011
    Great shot Maxis of an interesting bird. I have never manged to have one stay still long enough to get a decent pic
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 8, 2011
    Why do you think fill flash would improve this shot? Wouldn't it just flatten the light?
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • Maxis GamezMaxis Gamez Registered Users Posts: 89 Big grins
    edited June 8, 2011
    Icebear wrote: »
    Why do you think fill flash would improve this shot? Wouldn't it just flatten the light?

    Fill flash should NOT be confused with flash as main source of light. Fill flash will allow you to FILL the shadows...

    It seems a lot of folks don't understand the concept of fill flash nor how to apply it.

    Thanks!
    Maxis Gamez
    New Bird Photography Blog
    Spoonbills Boat Workshop | Owls | Nesting Birds | Bosque | Newsletter
    www.facebook.com/Maxis.Gamez
  • Hikin' MikeHikin' Mike Registered Users Posts: 5,467 Major grins
    edited June 8, 2011
    I love those noisy little buggers! Great capture!
    - Mike
    Images in the Backcountry

    My SmugMug Customizations | Adding CSS to Your Site | SEO for the Photographer | Locate Your Page/Widget Number | SmugMug Help Desk
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 8, 2011
    Maxis Gamez wrote: »
    Fill flash should NOT be confused with flash as main source of light. Fill flash will allow you to FILL the shadows...

    It seems a lot of folks don't understand the concept of fill flash nor how to apply it.

    Thanks!

    Umm . . . I know what fill flash is. I just see no application for it in this image. I thought my question was a reasonable one.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • Maxis GamezMaxis Gamez Registered Users Posts: 89 Big grins
    edited June 8, 2011
    John,

    Thank you for taking the time to comment and for your question. I’m glad you took the initiative to bring an excellent point.

    Here are my thoughts as to why fill flash would have helped the Black-necked Stilt image. However, because I didn’t use my flash for that subject, I decided to show you why fill flash would had helped a great deal using a different subject but under a similar environment.

    Fill_Flash_Bird_Photography.jpg

    Let’s concentrate on the Oystercatcher images. These images were untouched in CS5 besides sharpening for the web. Each image has a number with an arrow which I’ll try to explain below.

    1. If you look at #1 in the image WITHOUT fill flash, you can clearly see a shadow. This shadow may not be as deep/dark or important to some photographers but to me, it’s important enough especially when I talk about flash and fill flash during my workshops and seminars.

    If you compare that same area in the image WITH fill flash, you can clearly see the difference. Fill flash allowed me to bring more details out of the shadowed area. Would you agree?

    2. If you look now at #2 in the image WITHOUT fill flash, you can also notice how the eye doesn’t “pop” as much as the image WITH fill flash. You can probably relate this to your comment about “catch light”

    I would not consider this as important as #1 but certainly it helps the image.

    3. If you finally look at #3 in the image WITHOUT fill flash, you can also clearly see how the fill flash helped bring more details in the dark feathers.

    Overall, fill flash did the following for the Oystercatcher image:

    A. Bring more details in the white feathers (#1)
    B. Help pop the eye more (#2)
    C. Bring more details in the dark feathers (#3)

    Of course neither of these images I bother editing unless I use them for my workshops and seminars or as an example such as this.

    The winning image is bellow this text where everything came together out of the series. Of course this image is edited to my style.

    _MG_8116.jpg
    Maxis Gamez
    New Bird Photography Blog
    Spoonbills Boat Workshop | Owls | Nesting Birds | Bosque | Newsletter
    www.facebook.com/Maxis.Gamez
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 9, 2011
    What a thorough explanation. Thanks. thumb.gif To tell the truth though. I personally find the oyster-catcher image taken without ff more appealing overall. I think there is more impression of three-dimensionality and slightly richer color. I tend to think about using ff when my subject is backlit, or lit from above with a dark (non-reflective) surface under it.

    That being said, your use of ff in the oyster-catcher was certainly masterful.

    I am subscribed to your newsletter, and have bookmarked your website. Who knows when I might be able to take advantage of one of your programs?
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • Dennis KaczorDennis Kaczor Registered Users Posts: 2,413 Major grins
    edited June 9, 2011
    Very nice capture and I don't think that I would not use fill flash for that image as well.

    As for your explanation on the Oster Catcher which was in-depth and I see what you are saying, but for me as well I found the one without fill flash more appealing to me as well. You can fix areas 1 & 2 in PS these days and with that said, I think that this all comes down to preference for each of us. I used to use the flash for fill on birds and found that for me the results are better without it and yes there are times that one needs to use the flash for fill when there are heavy shadow areas.
    Regards - Dennis

    Dennis Kaczor Photography
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 9, 2011
    Dennis Kaczor wrote: »
    Very nice capture and I don't think that I would not use fill flash for that image as well.
    headscratch.gifscratchheadscratch.gifD
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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