New Arrivals

[WCS]

Saw my first Orioles and Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks today. Here are a few shots along with a gold finch. All taken with Canon 30D and Canon 100-400L. Fill flash used with 580 EX.

[mmeyer]

WCS, those are fantastic. I'm really hoping to get some images of orioles this year. I hope they're half as good as yours. All of these are really great.

Thanks for sharing

[finnbay]

great shots!

[buzzsaw]

OHHH baby!!! You are really improving!!

That first one has so many things going for it! The GREAT background (BG) and the vibrant colors of the BG and Oriole!

If you want some small nit picky stuff, I'd be happy to help tweak a few things... but only if you want them.

Once again, very impressive!

[huntnfishsd]

Amazing shots! Beautiful colors...

[Steve Foss]

Great stuff, WCS. The second one in particular is an excellent environmental portrait. Buds say spring! Your flash looks good, especially in that one. What were your flash settings?

[WCS]

Thanks for all the feedback.

All the shots posted were at a focal length of 400mm, ISO 400, shutter speed at 1/640, aperture at 5.6 shot in manual mode. High speed sync flash with -1/3 stop flash exposure compensation.

Buzz, you are always welcome to offer suggestions for improvement. Look forward to reading what you have to offer.

[dukhnt]

I really like the 2nd and last ones. Great work!

[MN Shutterbug]

My fave is the first one. What did you meter off for setting the manual exposure?

This morning I had a call from a lady down the street, informing there were a couple orioles in her backyard. She was so surprised because she didn't even have any oranges out yet. She never gets any at her feeders until she puts the fruit out. I asked her to call me back on a more pleasant day. It was dark and drizzling and windy - not an ideal day for shooting. If I would have had my flash, I may have given it a shot.

[WCS]

XT,

I set my camera to spot meter and found objects that are mid-tone. I took several test shots and based my settings off of what the histogram told me. Since it was a cloudy day, the light didn't change while I was shooting so I didn't have to change any settings.

[JayinMN]

Nice collection and great assortment of birds to brighten up a cloudy day!

[MARINERMAGNUM]

I think I need to buy a flash. Nice work!

[buzzsaw]

 Quote:

Buzz, you are always welcome to offer suggestions for improvement. Look forward to reading what you have to offer.

I only offer that up to help of course.

In your first image I would clone out the area on the stick where you cut off a branch... also, if you have more room in the original version of this shot try it in a horizontal crop leaving more room out in front of the Oriole for comp purposes. (if this is full frame as to how it was shot, I'd add canvas and make it horizontal in presentation.

#2 is beautiful, maybe move him off center a bit higher and to the right (but very little)

#3 centered a bit too much for my tastes.. move him around a bit and tweak that comp.

#4 I like it as presented, but again be sure and clone out the parts on the stick where you can see it has been hacked off... make that baby look natural.

Like I said, your really improving and I wouldn't think of offering up nit picky help if I didn't think it would help or be received in a positive manner. One more thought... you see how nice the BG is on the first Oriole image... keep doing your setups in areas like that and you'll be rewarded with more easy on the eye great shots!

[Dbl]

Beautiful work WCS. Excellent use of the flash! Backgrounds are perfection and nice isolated subjects!

[mcary]

Beautiful!

[WCS]

Thanks for the great advice Buzz. It is much appreciated.

[buzzsaw]

My pleasure, WCS!

[JR777]

Great stuff WCS That second one looks like a foggy background? I like them all and they look nice and sharp.

[DMN]

Very nice shots WCS, I like all the colors.

DMN