Besides your input on the comp, processing, etc, for those of you who use FM's frames, what do you think about the framing choice? Would you pick a different one?
Thanks Bob.
A big part of the workshop had me doing things I knew little about. So a good learning/practice experience.
I avoid flash like the plague. Just got the Better Beamer and had to learn how to try to dial in/out various amounts of exposure compensation in camera and in flash with rapidly changing light and going from bright to dark subjects, bright to dark backgrounds and back. And I did most shooting in manual. Which I have never touched before.
Yes to flash. No way to know Beamer/external flash settings from EXIF as provided by camera.
Background desat I liked and captured the foggy mood. Background structure is one of several towers. One provides multiple levels to view the water, rookeries, trees, birds and gators. Several other taller towers provide access to ziplines but not to photographers.
Scott, great job with the backround and the overall image. Sharp with lots of detail, not sure about the frame, it works nicely with the colors in the image though. I might like to see more white mat to give more separation between frame and bird.
Question: does the flash ever disturb the subjects? Hate for a one-and-done scenario
Bob
+1
I'm thinking about setting up a mini-sanctuary (very mini) like I saw @ Asa Wright in Trinidad. I was only shooting with the built in flash on my D70s back then, and I didn't seem to have any problems with "one-and-done" ... but that could have been because:
A) Fairly weak flash
B) The resident birds were conditioned to the paparazzi.
Have you found anything that would suggest how much is "too much" ... triggering the "one-and-done" syndrome, or can you pretty much use as much light as you want?
Good questions.
You will see more images from the two day workshop. I will indicate which are done with flash and try to recall where the Better Beamer was added. I would have to guess what in flash exposure comp settings were chosen, usually -2 to -2/3.
Flash was never primary light source. Anything more than a bit of fill looks unnatural and/or shows light fall-off at a distance.
Most images were taken with - flash exposure adjustment on flash (Canon 550EX).
Better Beamer only used with focal length 250 mm +. Guideline I was given was 300 mm +. For super far captures dialed up exposure comp +2-3 in flash to have some reach of flash out at 100+ feet or more.
All taken with high speed sync on.
Most useful to me was in camera exposure comp of up to +2 to shoot white birds with or without flash against a relatively light sky background.
Image above taken without Beamer, with -0.7 EV in camera, fill flash from 550EX. I am guessing -2/3 EV flash settings, but not sure.
