Fall Colours.
- This topic has 12 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated Oct 23, 2008 at 4:23 am by
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Been waiting for this day for awhile. Leaves aren’t the only changing colour this time of year.
Love the look on the dog here 😀
if you want to see more or full screen, more are located here
http://jben.zenfolio.com/p468487807Those shots are really great, particularly like the mid-flight (second last) shot!
How do you do it? (maintain focus on the subject while moving the camera)Still catching my breath. John, I had not even read your comment on that last shot and was zooming in on the dog’s face. Thanks for that. I miss having a dog. I miss my boy, Asher, a great mutt. The look on that dogs face tells the story for me. A dog chasing joy itself. ;D ;D ;D
Thanks guys.
Waiting for this day had been killing me. Now that I’ve got one Pheasant hunt under my belt I’m looking forward to the next where I can try to concentrate on getting some specific types of images, vs this day where I just went for broke :). Really hoping something from these sells but if not I’ve got another stunning 19×13 to hang on the wall.Those shots are really great, particularly like the mid-flight (second last) shot!
How do you do it? (maintain focus on the subject while moving the camera)It depends on a few variables Dizzy. Without getting into long drawn out explantions of what seems to work best for me, I’ll try a cndensed version.
All bodies and lenses have their limits. Even the best of the best, something like a 1DMKIII paired with a 300 f2.8 and relying on “AI servo” (which is predictive focus) can only focus on and track a target thats moving up 60mph (or there abouts). Generally those specs are based on larger subjects like cars etc.
So tracking+burst vs “sniping” ( focus+fire, release shutter, re-acquire focus+fire) is largely dependant on a few things.
1) Size of target
2) Its speed
3) Directionality.Take something the size of duck at full speed. Some camera bodies can track them and record a high success rate of sharp images quite well when the subject is moving laterally.
Take the same Duck at the same speed but its flying at you. Thats quite another matter and is a serious test of any bodies capabilties.
So theres no set answer.
A Hawk (medium size bird) thats cruising at moderate speed from my left to right I’ll likely track and record a series of images.A smaller or faster moving subject (say a Swallow) I’ll snipe and by that mean acquire focus and the moment I do record 1 to 3 frames. Then I “pump” the shutter release to “reacquire’ focus again and snap fire another 1 to 3 frames, as something like that is beyond my bodies/lenses limits to “track”.
Knowing when to do either/or is mostly a matter of learning your bodies/lenses limitations. Practise, practise, practise.
And then practise some more
Putting a long lens on target with center point focus only (speeds up focus acquisition) and keeping it there requires alot of practise. Its like snap shooting a long gun with a powerfull scope, your angle of view is pretty narrow.Nice Work John! Beautiful. I really like the one of the hunter shooting at the flushing pheasant (#4)! The hen flying is a beautiful one as well, and the #1 & #3 rooster. I can see those in magazines.
I wish we had pheasants down here. About an 11 hour drive for me to pheasant country.
Lens I don’t really have preference between the 24-70 or 400mm. That depends on the range Im going to need.
Focusing speed (initial focus acquisition) is important for those quick shots where you only have a second or less to get the image. Say something (bird/coyote/whatever) jumps out of the brush and dissapears or turns it butt so you end up with an arse shot in a matter of a second or two…..You need fast focus acquisition for that type of shot.
Predictive focus (ai servo/continous focus) is important when your ‘tracking” a subject. Say a surfer riding a wave…you want to track him preferably so your ready to catch the wipeout.
Two different kinds of images dependant largely on
a) subject size..its easier to snap to a human than a small animal
b) the subjects speed… A slow mover like Geese most cameras cantrack…a speeding bullit like a hawk on prey isnt
c) directionality. Things moving laterally are easier to track. Something coming right at you, while it can be tracked breifly the body will lose focus (its predictive) and you might be better off sniping
d) Range to target.Any camera/lens can stay on a dog running at you, say when its 75feet away. See how it does when the dogs 15feet away and still coming.
All camera bodies and all lenses have their limits. Some focus faster than others and some bodies have better “tracking” abilities than others.
If you stay within your camera/lenses limits and not ask it to do too much you’ll get more keepers. The only real way to find out is to practise……………….alot. Most if not all are capable of sniping
Youve seen me post some images of small fast movers say that Blue Jay diving shot.
I didn’t get the action shots but we had 4 days last week where we limited by 11:00am. Maybe next year I will put down the gun and pick up the camera.
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