Yellow-nosed Albatross (South Africa)

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Dorian Anderson

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Joined
Feb 16, 2018
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Location
San Mateo, CA
Though large compared to most birds, the Yellow-nosed is the smallest of the world's albatrosses. The gleaming white head suggests this is the Indian Ocean subspecies.
The Atlantic subspecies has a grayer head and makes occasional appearances in the NE US, where it has been viewed from pelagic trips and shore.

This frame was captured on a pelagic trip out of Cape Town. The boat was very small -- 8 people -- and rough sees tossed the tiny craft way more they would the 30-50
person fishing boats we use for similar trips in the US. Shooting was difficult, if not dangerous, and I clipped more wings on this trip that I had in my life to this point.

All that's to say this is one of the few keepers I got in tough conditions. Light was a bit steep when we encountered this bird, but I'll take it.

I think the small droplets at the bottom of the frame are from a surfacing dolphin feeding below the bird.

Woulda liked a bit more head turn, but so be it......

Canon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 IS II on EOS R5
1/8000 at f/5.6, ISO 1000 - This is another frame where I was shooting very dark White-chinned Petrels a moment before this bird flew into view. Couldn't shift the ISO, but was able to drop the shutter.
Processed in LR CC and Topaz ND

yellow-nosed albatross 073122-Edit-DeNoiseAI-standard.jpg
 
Dorian a well exposed and sharp image. Regarding exposure why don't you use Auto ISO, you know the subject and circumstance so you will know the aperure and shutter speed you want with Auto ISO you can configure your camera any way you wish to alter exposure i.e. ISO - I use front finger wheel but equally if you prefer you could use the rear thumb wheel. I never have to consider ISO the main thing I have to think about is shutter speed which is usually predetermined- and adjusting EV up or down which you can do on the fly.
 
Dorian a well exposed and sharp image. Regarding exposure why don't you use Auto ISO, you know the subject and circumstance so you will know the aperure and shutter speed you want with Auto ISO you can configure your camera any way you wish to alter exposure i.e. ISO - I use front finger wheel but equally if you prefer you could use the rear thumb wheel. I never have to consider ISO the main thing I have to think about is shutter speed which is usually predetermined- and adjusting EV up or down which you can do on the fly.

Totally hear this, Jon. Auto ISO would be very helpful in situations where I'm not 100% sure what my next subject will be - like on a pelagic trip where different species are winging by at very high speed. I simply didn't/don't think to us Auto ISO because in 99% of instances I do know what my next subject will be since I'm seeking or stalking something specific. In those cases I want complete control of the camera, so I don't use Auto ISO. And yeah, I've got my R5 set up so that aperture, ISO, and shutter are each assigned to their own dial. I just can't turn two of them in the same instant as this situation required! But looking into Auto ISO for the free-for-all-type situations might be good. Cheers.
 
But looking into Auto ISO for the free-for-all-type situations might be good.

If you pre-set your Aperture/SS Dorian, then the back dial to do the EV, it's great, especially with the Histogram in view. Just be careful on the ISO as the R5 is good up to and around 6400, beyond that you need really to be spot on, it's not an R3, but pixel blur is an issue, hence going for a higher SS.
 

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