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Christopher Marek
11-06-2010, 05:27 PM
Camera Model: Canon EOS 30D
Date/Time: 2010:11:06 12:56:35
Shutter speed: 1/40 sec
Aperture: 8
Exposure mode: Manual
Flash: Off
Metering mode: Spot
Drive mode: Single frame shooting
ISO: 1600
Lens: EF180mm f/3.5L Macro USM +1.4x
Focal length: 252mm

Austin Texas

Ákos Lumnitzer
11-06-2010, 06:16 PM
Nice pose, maybe the image is a bit dark. The pose is nice and a little NR would not go astray. Would love to know how you get to shoot such little bird with a macro + TC. care to share? :)

Christopher Marek
11-06-2010, 06:24 PM
Nice pose, maybe the image is a bit dark. The pose is nice and a little NR would not go astray. Would love to know how you get to shoot such little bird with a macro + TC. care to share? :)
This is how I get close. It is easy this way.

Ákos Lumnitzer
11-06-2010, 06:33 PM
That's great man! Thanks for the info. :)

Craig Brelsford
11-07-2010, 01:01 AM
Backyard birding at its best. Nice shot of the chickadee, and a very instructive photo of your backyard world.

Jim Crosswell
11-07-2010, 09:04 AM
I like the pose and photo of your set-up situation. Can you get a darker BG?

Christopher Marek
11-07-2010, 10:42 AM
I like the pose and photo of your set-up situation. Can you get a darker BG?
This is in the back of the apartment I am in. It is in the shaded side. So I am working in shade on blue sky days. That is why I am using such extreme camera settings such as I posted. I have always had a problem trying to photograph these birds while trying to keep the black parts of their heads from being lost against the background (if the background is too dark). Its a real balancing act. I am living out of an apartment right now on a temp contract job in Austin Tx. I live in Dallas Texas so I have minimal control. There are all kinds of background problems (kid toys, potted plants, barbeques, dogs and cats running around etc of my neighbors.) But there is a nearby forested area and all kinds of cool birds that come to my backyard water drip. What a tease this is.

Daniel Cadieux
11-07-2010, 02:21 PM
Beautiful perch, great BG, and a cooperative bird...good mix! I realize your lighting predicament but find your bird and perch dark...some fill flash could be an option for you. I also find the subject a bit tight in the frame, I'd prefer it smaller with more room in front. Still, with what you have to work with this is pretty darn good:cool:

Christopher Marek
11-07-2010, 02:51 PM
Beautiful perch, great BG, and a cooperative bird...good mix! I realize your lighting predicament but find your bird and perch dark...some fill flash could be an option for you. I also find the subject a bit tight in the frame, I'd prefer it smaller with more room in front. Still, with what you have to work with this is pretty darn good:cool:

After I made the shot, I shot additional frames all around the bird so that I could stitch together the extra frames and create a less tight photo later. When I have time I will repost that result.

Christopher Marek
11-07-2010, 04:29 PM
After I made the shot, I shot additional frames all around the bird so that I could stitch together the extra frames and create a less tight photo later. When I have time I will repost that result.
Here I added some pieces from other photos I took immediately after the prime shot. (the corners are missing)

Christopher Marek
11-07-2010, 04:32 PM
Here I added some pieces from other photos I took immediately after the prime shot. (the corners are missing)
Then I tried filling in the missing corners. Then I tried to sharpen and lighten the image. But I am at the limit of my photoshop powers here. Wish I could have just made the shot in good light to begin with.