Cape May Warbler - Magee Marsh

Posted by LHays on Thu May 20, 2004 4:17 am

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This was one of the last shots that I took before I headed home Sunday and shot in the same area as the Baltimore Oriole. Since the birds were few and far between I shot the location without any birds but tried different settings and the flash to see what it would look like IF a bird were to land in a particular spot. (I'm sure the photographers around me thought I must be nuts shooting when there were no birds perched.) I got a little overzealous with the flash on this one and had to bring it down in the RAW converter.

Canon 1D MKII, 500mmL IS, 1.4XTC, 550EX, tripod
ISO 400, ss 1/250, f/5.6, flash +1 (-0.5 EV in RAW conversion)
Photoshop: cropped all around, USM, levels, cloned out a stray branch,etc.

Lana Hays
NSN 0040
[url]http://www.lanahays.com/[/url]

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by Carol Clarke on Thu May 20, 2004 4:29 am

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Your shots are always a joy to see Lana! This is a little beauty once more and perfect composition.

Others might have thought you nuts to practice on nothing - but I bet they would love to have this in their files!!

Carol Clarke
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the world will know peace"....Jimi Hendrix.

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by Jim Urbach on Thu May 20, 2004 5:57 am

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Lana,

This is wonderful. Just about "murphyesque" with it's clean BG.

Jim

Enjoy viewing

Jim Urbach

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by AlexC on Thu May 20, 2004 6:11 am

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Your friends know that you are "Nuts" but that aside, this is a wonderful capture indeed, even the leafs of the perch are growing in the right direction!!, You are on your way to mastering that flash in a big way, I wish the image was mine, It is that sweet!!, Congrats!!

[b]Alex Calzadilla[/b]
[b]Miami, Florida[/b]
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"At the feast of ego everyone leaves hungry." - Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, Tucson, AZ

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by Greg Downing on Thu May 20, 2004 6:48 am

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Lana,

This is excellent! I do wish there was less flash and more ambient as it has that flashed look especially with the very dark background. Why +1 on the flash?

I think I would have shot this at 1/100th to 1/160th of a second with flash at -2/3 or -1. This would have lightened the background and still would have given you enough flash to ensure a sharp well-lit subject.

Still an excellent shot as is!

Greg Downing
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Last edited by Greg Downing on Thu May 20, 2004 7:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

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by E.J. Peiker on Thu May 20, 2004 7:07 am

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An excellent shot. It looks a little hot on the flash but something that could easily be burned in. The bird, pose, composition, and perch are great.

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by LHays on Thu May 20, 2004 7:15 am

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Greg Downing wrote:Lana,

This is excellent! I do wish there was less flash and more ambient as it has that flashed look especially with the very dark background. Why +1 on the flash?

I think I would have shot this at 1/100th of a second with flash at -2/3 or -1. This would have lightened the background by 1 1/3 of a stop and still would have given you enough flash to ensure a sharp well-lit subject.

Still an excellent shot as is!

Greg
I was just trying different settings. It was a little hard to judge how much was too much until I had a bird to shoot. Earlier attempts at less flash didn't look like it would have been enough. I was trying the new Cfn #14 with a setting of 1.

As to ss 1/100......I don't have a lot of confidence shooting at the low ss with the 500mmL IS. I'll have to experiment just a little more.

Lana Hays
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[url]http://www.lanahays.com/[/url]

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by Bill Whala on Thu May 20, 2004 7:24 am

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Minor nits aside, this is a wonderful image of a very sweet looking bird.

Bill Whala

"Aves of similar plumage tend to converge with one another"

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by Greg Downing on Thu May 20, 2004 7:30 am

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Hi Lana,

Don't be afraid to go as low as 1/60th of a second when using that much flash. The fast duration of the flash will help freeze motion as much (or more) as a faster shutter speed.

Hope this helps.

P.S. I haven't messed with CF 14-1 yet (that explains the plus comp on the flash)

Greg Downing
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by Alan Murphy on Thu May 20, 2004 7:48 am

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Lana, I think your planning paid off. I agree that it has a little too much flash, but the comp, detail and setting are fantastic.

Alan Murphy
NSN 0014
www.alanmurphyphotography.com

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by joseph motto on Thu May 20, 2004 8:02 am

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Lana,
Just add me to the long list of admirers.

joseph motto
NSN 0091

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by Dick Ginkowski on Thu May 20, 2004 8:19 am

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Carol C wrote:Your shots are always a joy to see Lana! This is a little beauty once more and perfect composition.

Others might have thought you nuts to practice on nothing - but I bet they would love to have this in their files!!

I agree. Looks great to me!

Dick Ginkowski
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"When America runs out of characters, it will have lost its character."--Charles Kuralt
Farewell, dear Alex.
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by Sandy Mossberg on Thu May 20, 2004 8:28 am

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Wonderful shot, Lana. Contrary to the flash critics, I like it as is.

Shooting at nothing, eh? You're picking up more and more of Alex's eccentricities.

Sandy Mossberg
Boynton Beach, Florida, USA
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by Laura Stiefel on Thu May 20, 2004 8:48 am

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I love this Lana. The bird's pose is perfect and you have such a nice clean BG.

Oddly enough, I ran out to Metzger after work last night and only managed to turn up one Warbler!

Laura Stiefel
[b]NSN 0229[/b]

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by Alan Melle on Thu May 20, 2004 8:59 am

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Very nice! It may look over slightly flashed to experienced bird photographers but it looks mighty nice as is. A little more ambient and a little less flash would have been just perfect. You caught this little warbler beautifully.

Alan Melle
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by AForns on Thu May 20, 2004 9:37 am

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Beautiful capture Lana... just a bit less flash!!!! The bird stands out real well with that setting, personally I find it very attractive!!!

Congratulations!!!

btw I hope you will refrain from shooting phantoms when you come down and I am in the vicinity

Alfred Forns
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In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.
Yogi Berra

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by Jill on Thu May 20, 2004 10:14 am

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Sandy Mossberg wrote:Wonderful shot, Lana. Contrary to the flash critics, I like it as is.

Shooting at nothing, eh? You're picking up more and more of Alex's eccentricities.

Lana, Just between us, isn't it grand having Sandy back? I love this Cape May!!! She's wonderfully placed with an excellent BG !!!

Jill Rosenfield

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by Bruce DiVaccaro on Thu May 20, 2004 1:30 pm

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Lana,

Very nice shot with an excellent perch and background. It's amazing that you got this clean of a shot in the area you were working. Well done.

Bruce DiVaccaro
Sheffield Village, Ohio
NSN 135

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by Mike Wilson on Thu May 20, 2004 1:54 pm

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Lovely Lana. I am impressed to hear you say you are practicing your exposures with no birds. Sounds like an artist and someone well on their way to successful results. It does look overflashed but others have covered some valuable suggestions. Keep up the great work!

Mike Wilson
San Diego, Ca
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by Daniel M. on Thu May 20, 2004 2:33 pm

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I like it

Daniel Mendez
"Nature and Revelation alike testify of God's love"
-E.G. White

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