Wildlife tutorial

Harryb

Hey Y'all,

You can check out the wildlife shooting tutorial I prepared at http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1958634

If you have any questions, comments, criticisms, etc I would love to hear them.

If you stop by check out the multitude of tutorials that I have been out up. Lots of good info to be found there.

bfjr

Fine idea and I'll chk it out in a bit.

JESTER

Thanks Harry. You the Man. Great Information. We appreciate the time and effort you put forth to do this.

Awais Yaqub

Great tutorial !!! that dinner shot is very cool

raptorcaptor

Great Idea Harry!

Stormdancing

Most excellent advice and greatly appreciated.

Zanotti

Great stuff, Harry.

When you get to chapter two, I think a tute on cropping and post processing is also important. I have learned a lot here on how to improve my already taken shots by skillful photochop work as well.

Maestro

I didn't realize it was new. I read that last week. I thought it had been up a while. That's why I never commented on it. It is well done and true what you say. There is one thing that you said with which I wholeheartedly agree and it has nothing to with photography so to speak. It is how a wildlife photographer uses his or her vision! I can't tell how truthful this is. You need your eyes to be able to spot the birds and set up the shot as you say. I might add that your hearing is important too. My ears can tell me when a cardinal is nearby or a mockingbird or a jay and certainly a woodpecker.

Thwack

Great stuff! I could've used it yesterday. Two very large birds were circling directly overhead and all of my shots came out a little fuzzy (70-300mm zoomed to the max). I was shooting handheld, straight up in the air and didn't think to drop to a knee or lean against something to try stablizing the lens (first time really trying 300mm).

For the section where you talk about the trick Ron taught to for better handheld shots, any chance the pic next to that blurb could show the pose that goes with that trick? It would really be handy!

Your "Reznick Flip" pic is amazing! Great catch!

Thanks for posting the tutorial.

ian408

You are my hero!

jwear

:ivar your advice has helped my shooting over the years now it's in print very well done Mr.H

BigAl

Need I say more? Very nicely put Mr B!

Osprey Whisperer

Nice work Harry. Good information...but I might disagree on a couple points. YOu need a Canon ..and only a 200mm lens. :ivar I must have missed the tip on shooting alligators. Always remember to take some A1 steak sauce..and a shooting partner that's older and slower than you are.

Harryb

JESTER wrote:

Thanks Harry. You the Man. Great Information. We appreciate the time and effort you put forth to do this.

Thank you very much.

Harryb

Zanotti wrote:

Great stuff, Harry.

When you get to chapter two, I think a tute on cropping and post processing is also important. I have learned a lot here on how to improve my already taken shots by skillful photochop work as well.

If you want post processing info check out the tutorials here especially DavidTo's tutorial on how to make your photo's pop.

ivar

Harry, nice job on the tute. Very well done.

Ric Grupe

When I grow up, I wanna be just like you.

Very good general tutorial. Maybe you could follow up with some others that relate to specific circumstances. I'd like that.

Harryb

Maestro wrote:

I didn't realize it was new. I read that last week. I thought it had been up a while. That's why I never commented on it. It is well done and true what you say. There is one thing that you said with which I wholeheartedly agree and it has nothing to with photography so to speak. It is how a wildlife photographer uses his or her vision! I can't tell how truthful this is. You need your eyes to be able to spot the birds and set up the shot as you say. I might add that your hearing is important too. My ears can tell me when a cardinal is nearby or a mockingbird or a jay and certainly a woodpecker.

You're right I've caught a number of flight shots by being able to recognize the bird's call as it comes in.

Harryb

Thwack wrote:

Great stuff! I could've used it yesterday. Two very large birds were circling directly overhead and all of my shots came out a little fuzzy (70-300mm zoomed to the max). I was shooting handheld, straight up in the air and didn't think to drop to a knee or lean against something to try stablizing the lens (first time really trying 300mm).

For the section where you talk about the trick Ron taught to for better handheld shots, any chance the pic next to that blurb could show the pose that goes with that trick? It would really be handy!

You can see it on a promotional video here http://www.sureshotsystem.com/testimonials.html

Its about 2 minutes and 40 seconds into the video.

Harryb

ian408 wrote:

You are my hero!

You could do worse. :ivar

Thwack

Harryb wrote:

You can see it on a promotional video here http://www.sureshotsystem.com/testimonials.html

Its about 2 minutes and 40 seconds into the video.

Thanks! I found the video (doesn't load on the main page for me so I had to hit the link for folks that couldn't see it) and the spot in the video (near the end) where he demonstrates the postion.

Now I get what your tutorial was saying. Thanks.

Pennsylvania

Hello

I am a beginner (at 71 years old) at Wildlife Photography (mostly birds) and I have found your tutorial very helpful.

My gear: Canon 30D, Canon 100-400L 5.6 lens, Bogen tripod, Canon Speedlite 420EX. Camera setting: Using Aperature Priority at f6.3 and hoping for the fastest speed. ISO 400. Depending on light +1/3 or +2/3 exposure compennsation. Evaluative metering using one square lit up in the viewfinder to focus with. (using all squares lit does not work well, to many limbs. cannot find a focus point.)

Question: If I use my flash might the shutter speed be to fast using aperature priority which would give me a high shutter speed in a bright sun lit subject? Would you recommend a "Better Beamer" or simular device? Some of my sujects are about 15 feet away. Living room window open and a tree close by.

Would you have a Tutorial or would you didrect me to a tutorial or book that I might study on wildlife - using flash fill-in. I need detailed instructions.

Thanks for considering my delima.

Richard Clemens, lcrs@cove.net Pennsylvania

Harryb

Ric Grupe wrote:

When I grow up, I wanna be just like you.

Doesn't everybody?

Very good general tutorial. Maybe you could follow up with some others that relate to specific circumstances. I'd like that.

I'll do my best if you and some others could come up with the special circumstances you would like covered.

Harryb

Pennsylvania wrote:

Hello

I am a beginner (at 71 years old) at Wildlife Photography (mostly birds) and I have found your tutorial very helpful.

My gear: Canon 30D, Canon 100-400L 5.6 lens, Bogen tripod, Canon Speedlite 420EX. Camera setting: Using Aperature Priority at f6.3 and hoping for the fastest speed. ISO 400. Depending on light +1/3 or +2/3 exposure compennsation. Evaluative metering using one square lit up in the viewfinder to focus with. (using all squares lit does not work well, to many limbs. cannot find a focus point.)

Question: If I use my flash might the shutter speed be to fast using aperature priority which would give me a high shutter speed in a bright sun lit subject? Would you recommend a "Better Beamer" or simular device? Some of my sujects are about 15 feet away. Living room window open and a tree close by.

Would you have a Tutorial or would you didrect me to a tutorial or book that I might study on wildlife - using flash fill-in. I need detailed instructions.
Thanks for considering my delima.

Hiya Richard,

A flash should not give you a too fast shutter speed. I have used the BB with mixed results but it can be helpful if you are shooting at 300mm or more.

If you check out the Tips and Resources sticky on the first page of Nature and Wildife there are some links there about the Better Beamer.

Welcome to Dgrin