tshore
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 p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Mediocracy....what do I need to concentrate on??? | |
Hi rxgolf. All of us here are still learning. It is a journey not a destination.
You have gotten some great advice on post-processing already. These will help turn a "5" into a "6", or maybe a "7", but not into a "10". For that, you need to capture stronger images.
Here are a few of my thoughts, things that I am working on too:
* Watch your backgrounds. Only your shot #2 has what I would consider a reasonably good background. You typically want nice mushy blur, with a some variation, but not enough to be distracting. To get that molten look, try to increase the distance between the bird and the BG. Some foreground content (perch, etc) is fine, and can add to the shot, but you don't want clutter. To do this, you will need to choose your vantage point and shot angle with an eye toward achieving separation between subject and background and avoid including distracting elements. Shooting with the widest possible aperture setting will help create background blur, but is not as important as shooting the subject against a distant background.
* Shoot in better light. The last shot, for example, looks like it was shot in overcast conditions, and as a result the image looks a bit flat and gray. Try to shoot later or earlier in the day, with a clear sun lower in the sky, behind you. The light will be warmer, and will illuminate the subject with fewer shadows and less glare. Highlights will have more detail. This won't always be possible, but it will help your shots a lot when you can shoot in those conditions.
* Your shots do not appear as sharp as they might be. In part, this may be due to the light (see above). In my experience, razor-sharp shots are harder to get when the sun is overhead and there is glare, or when the sky is overcast. In any event, take multiple shots to maximize your chance of getting some really sharp ones. No AF system is perfect.
*Other things: a fast shutter speed helps sharpness. Try to get 1/2000 if you can. 1/1200 is a minimum in my experience for decent BIF sharpness, but if the subject is flying fast, you will want faster. For still birds, if you have image stabilization, you can sometimes go as low as 1/250, but 1/500 will typically produce better results. Microadjust your lens/camera combo if you have the capability of doing so.
* Keep practicing! And check out the threads on this board, very many of which display amazingly fine work. See how the posters handle backgrounds, look where the light is coming from, what shutter speeds and apertures are used, how the shot is framed, etc.
Cheers!
Tim
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