hairy in high key

[Steve Foss]

I don't often try for high-key (fancy photo speak for lightly-colored) backgrounds, but when all you've got is a birch forest and a dark bird, well . . .

Canon 1D MarkII, Canon 400L f2.8, Canon 1.4 teleconverter, iso200, 1/640, f4 (and one DARN strong tripod and ball head!)

[bullyfish]

Looks like that new lens is treating you right!

Nice picture Steve!

[Tom Wilson]

Did I read that correctly--A 400mm 2.8L--looks like the camera gods shined on you too!

Tom W

[Steve Foss]

Tom, you read it right. But it's Canon Professional Services smiling on me. And, well, CPS is the poor pro shooter's version of the camera gods.

I have the lens and the 1D MarkII through Sunday, shipping it back Monday. I got them for the wolf/eagle shoot last weekend, and the free CPS loan program allows me to keep them 10 to 14 days per loan. Only cost to me is return shipping.

I wanted the 600L f4, but the Olympics were still going on when I made the request, so they were out of 600s. But the 400L f2.8 with 1.4 TC works out to 560mm at f4, basically the same thing. And I'll tell you, the first spare $7,000 that comes my way I'm picking up the 600 f4 or 400 f2.8. Yeah, right! I've also grown addicted to the water- and dust-sealed quality build of the 1 series bodies. And the 8.5 fps really allowed me to capture the moment with those eagles dive bombing in. Gonna be hard to say goodbye to that combo on Monday.

Meanwhile, I'll be doing a LOT of shooting today, tomorrow and Sunday, filling card after card. Even subjects I've shot repeatedly will be re-shot if opportunity knocks, because the primes are so much sharper than the zooms, regardless of brand, and because I'm building a stock nature portfolio of all the species I can get for sale to publications.

Ahhh, shooting, shooting, shooting!

And I see, Tom, that your new gear is treating you well as well.

[Tom Wilson]

Yes sir, But I am not getting much of an opportunity to use it. I had plans to go out today, but alas, my son is still sick, so daddy got to stay home again. I will definitely be out tomorrow. Who knows, it may even cloud up on me when I finally do get out.

[Steve Foss]

Isn't that just how it goes? Have fun tomorrow.

[Tom Wilson]

Well, when you can't leave home, you do the next best thing... You shoot the birds on the deck through the patio sliding door.

Steve I was inspired by your high key idea, so I tried one early this morning while I had the right light for it...

I like it, but boy does it play he** with the metering.