More Birds in Flight (5 images)

[WifeKidsandDog]

I've been going through my pics and here's a few I liked.

How does everyone else shoot BIF? I generally put the camera in servo mode, machine gun and hope for the best. If you take enough, one will turn out :-)

Cheryl

[mmeyer]

Great shots Cheryl. I especially like the first drake mallard and the geese on the water. I typically do what you do. Take a couple test shots of the background and when the birds come I just keep gunning until they're gone.

Thanks for sharing

[Dbl]

You guys sound like sports shooters to me, anyone looking for extra work! Cheryl I'm with Mike the first drake and the reflected geese are just top-notch!

AI Servo, single point focus and occasionally a burst, but I usually make my own burst, rather quick shots fired off every second or so. At times I turn the big gun loose and let 8.5fps fill the buffer. I do have a burst shot from recently if you don't mind me posting it showing a mallard landing.

[WifeKidsandDog]

Please do post, Dan ... would love to see the shots.

What camera do you have with 8.5 fps? As it happens, I got into photography in 2004 so I could take nice pics of flowers and my kids. I found out I loved trying to shoot anything that moved.

I do wonder to myself, however, how photographers got those kinds of shots before servo mode and auto focus.

[Steve Foss]

Cheryl, the first and fourth images are tops for me. Very nice work!

[Dbl]

I have BIF shots in slide film from over 25 years ago. I didn't use auto focus until about 5 years ago! Practice, practice, practice. No cameras that could shoot high fps either. That may explain why I just shoot my own burst, once learned.... I have a 20D, 30D and Mark IIN to answer your fps question.

[WifeKidsandDog]

 Originally Posted By: Dbl

I have BIF shots in slide film from over 25 years ago. I didn't use auto focus until about 5 years ago! Practice, practice, practice. No cameras that could shoot high fps either. That may explain why I just shoot my own burst, once learned....

WOW, I don't think I'd have coped well without the "modern conveniences". I remember when I bought my refurbished Digital Rebel from National Camera, which I got because I heard people say it was a 'good camera'. I got home after driving to Golden Valley and was saying to Rick, "Why does the lens come off?" and "OMG, I've spent all this money on a camera that can't take movies."

Then I was silly enough to go asking questions on dpreview. LOL

[Dbl]

Here is a fast burst that I shot a month or so back, not good shots because I was on the wrong side of the lighting and the backgrounds but the Mark IIN can fire a quick burst if needed. If I would have been to the left of the bird the lighting and background clutter would have given me decent results.

[Dbl]

 Quote:

I got home after driving to Golden Valley and was saying to Rick, "Why does the lens come off?" and "OMG, I've spent all this money on a camera that can't take movies."

What.....they have cameras that take movies! That is funny.

[WifeKidsandDog]

Aah great series. Especially with the bird coming towards you. I really love the third one!

[fishinchicks]

Looks kinda like an airplane with the landing gear coming down. Great series Dbl.

Cheryl, I really like the reflected geese. The one landing in the back makes it look like they are all walking on water.

[finnbay]

Very nice Cheryl! Love 'em all but I like the hen mallard the best!

Dan, the gattlin' gun must have really been chatterin' on that series of shots!