Swanning.....

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Archive 2012 · Swanning.....

arbitrage
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p.1 #1 · Swanning.....

Spent the morning out watching the local swan migration. Current count just over 300 and all Trumpeters right now but Tundra should arrive soon. I wanted to try some slow shutter speed panning shots and these were the best of the bunch. Not quite what I wanted to achieve but will keep trying over the next few weeks while the swans are here. Last one is at normal shutter speeds.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 400 mm f/18.0 1/60 sec 100 ISO 0.0 EV

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 400 mm f/14.0 1/40 sec 50 ISO 0.0 EV

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 400 mm f/5.6 1/2000 sec 400 ISO 0.0 EV

Apr 09, 2012 at 10:22 PM

douter
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p.1 #2 · Swanning.....

Geoff:
The background was not your friend for these captures. I might try turning down the exposures for the these, if you have raw files and see what you can do from that point.
Douglas

Apr 09, 2012 at 10:39 PM

arbitrage
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p.1 #3 · Swanning.....

Thanks for the comments Douglas.

Is it the trees in the first image or just the snow in both that you are referring to? I prefer just the white snow like in the 2nd image as when I'm panning it makes a mess out of the background anyways. I mean both were shot at 1/40 or 1/60th of a second so not sure what the point is in turning down the exposure would be because there is no detail in the snow on a panned shot. Also if you look at the histogram the bird is perfectly exposed to the right with only one small patch of blown highlights on the back of it. I could bring it down a bit but don't see how that would help with the background?
Let me know what you think. I'll repost with a lowering of the exposure for the first 2 as I assume those are the ones you were mainly critiquing.

Cheers
Geoff

Apr 09, 2012 at 11:11 PM

arbitrage
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p.1 #4 · Swanning.....

Here are the first 2 again with a bit more contrast and lowered exposure.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 400 mm f/14.0 1/40 sec 50 ISO 0.0 EV

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 400 mm f/18.0 1/60 sec 100 ISO 0.0 EV

Apr 09, 2012 at 11:18 PM

DonGut
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p.1 #5 · Swanning.....

I like the 2nd #2 more than the first #2 if that makes sense. The tundra swans have all departed S. Ont. for Winnipeg and then up your way. Check out my post from yesterday. Don

Apr 10, 2012 at 12:32 AM

Conrad Tan
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p.1 #6 · Swanning.....

Awesome slow shutter work

Apr 10, 2012 at 02:19 AM

arbitrage
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p.1 #7 · Swanning.....

Thanks Conrad.

I'm not 100% happy with the results but I do like the effect I was getting with the streaking water. As Douglas pointed out the background is probably not helping. Next time I'll try to get a bit closer and have mostly water. Only risk of getting much closer is going through the ice

I was out on the ice in the middle of the lake to get close to the open channel of water where the swans are.

Apr 10, 2012 at 02:37 AM

thedutt
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p.1 #8 · Swanning.....

I like the #1 as is in the first post. Very nice captures, It must be hard to get exposure right with these guys, thank you for sharing.

Apr 10, 2012 at 04:36 AM

UgashikBob
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p.1 #9 · Swanning.....

arbitrage:
Well done. The whites in the last shot of the first bunch is outstanding. I have also tried everything with the tundra swans against a snow ice background and the only thing worse is doing it in a snowstorm. When the sun is bright like your shots I shoot manual with the meter zero'd and usually end up with the histogram to the right then adjust in LR. Most of my shots are overcast against light gray/white background. The shots always look better against a darker background but my keeper rate because of AF is very low.
Our first tundra swans arrived on March 22nd and we have over 200 in front of the house now. We are having a late breakup and they have been through several blizzards since there arrival. Just posted a shot of a banded one I took a few days ago.

Apr 10, 2012 at 06:19 AM

morganb4
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p.1 #10 · Swanning.....

Awesome, thanks for sharing.
I have no clue about BIFing.

Apr 10, 2012 at 06:23 AM

kmunroe
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p.1 #11 · Swanning.....

nicely done Geoff .. i like the second set best

Apr 10, 2012 at 07:16 AM

arbitrage
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p.1 #12 · Swanning.....

UgashikBob wrote:
arbitrage:
Well done. The whites in the last shot of the first bunch is outstanding. I have also tried everything with the tundra swans against a snow ice background and the only thing worse is doing it in a snowstorm. When the sun is bright like your shots I shoot manual with the meter zero'd and usually end up with the histogram to the right then adjust in LR. Most of my shots are overcast against light gray/white background. The shots always look better against a darker background but my keeper rate because of AF is very low.
Our first tundra swans arrived on March 22nd and we have over 200 in front of the house now. We are having a late breakup and they have been through several blizzards since there arrival. Just posted a shot of a banded one I took a few days ago.

Thanks for the comments. I was shooting in M mode and at first was sitting right at neutral on the meter. I then took it up to +2/3 EV which was just blowing out small patches on the backs of the swans exposed to the sun. I have other shots with the swans just against the trees but the problem is their beaks get lost even though their bodies and necks stand out better.

Thanks everyone else for the comments also. I will try again on Wed and then this coming weekend. By then they should be in the 1000s. Right now they are at about 350.

Apr 10, 2012 at 01:32 PM

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