Steve'sDigicams

photosbyvito · Feb 27, 2004, 1:15 PM

finally!!! some success!!! yay! lol

here is my first half decent picture of a great blue heron.....
it is flying away.....but you can still see it's face.....the composition isn't bad
i had to do some sharpening....but
enjoy

ISO 50
Shutter Speed 1/500
Arperture f4.5
white balance-sunny

here is the original without the sharpening
(the modified looks terrible....)

PeterP · Feb 27, 2004, 2:22 PM

You must have got very close to get an image that large with a G2

Good shooting.

bcoultry · Feb 27, 2004, 2:34 PM

And look at that composition! Way to go!

Mr_Saginaw · Feb 27, 2004, 2:51 PM

yes, good job!

photosbyvito · Feb 27, 2004, 3:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterP

You must have got very close to get an image that large with a G2

Good shooting.

well i have a Canon 1.75x teleconverter.......so i wasn't THAT close lol

i do like the composition but something doesn't look right......the colors are so bland......and it isn't sharp at all....lol
i was at the park with my sister and she got a bit to close so it flew away.....so it was definetly a rushed shot lol....the original is more focused on the left hand wing instead of the head......it seems to be getting used to me being around though

finally......i think i am gonna bring some hotdogs next trip

eric s · Feb 27, 2004, 5:16 PM

Having shot many blue herons (I just love those birds) I have some experience here. Let me look at your statement.

The lack of sharpness is the 1/500 of a second for a moving target. You'd think that was fast enough, but it isn't. You really need double that (basically, 1 ISO setting higher will do and then remove the noise with neatimage.) I think you did a fairly good job on sharpness with what you had (a G2 + a TC.)

I don't know if post processing for contrast would have helped give the bird's color some punch. The goal (for me) is to get feather detail and good color representation. A little bit of contrast can emphasise the patter and the sharpening can bring out the feather detail. You got some on the left wing, so that is good. I bet others will have some good ideas too.

Keep at it, they are well worth the effort.

Eric

Widowmaker · Feb 27, 2004, 8:12 PM

Nice inflight. I have yet to get a heron. I second Eric on his statement. You want 1/1000 or higher. The teleconverter and 1/500 probably both contributed to the lack of sharpness.

photosbyvito · Feb 27, 2004, 8:55 PM

well thanks

that is good to hear that it is something i can fix next time

(aack my camera doesn't go past 1/1000

)
a smaller arperture would be better here right? to get the whole bird in focus? (tough to find a day bright enough to do that lol)

thanks for all your help guys

eric s · Feb 27, 2004, 10:35 PM

The smaller aperture would certainly help with getting more in focus, you are right. But you'll loose more light (and therefor shutter speed.) I think that will be worse than more DOF.

I don't know how much noise the G2 produces when you increase the ISO... but that is really your only choice. The bird might be too far for a flash & better beamer, and probably too big (the concentrated nature of the flash extender might be visible. But I don't own one, so I don't know for sure.) If you tried shooting at f8, then you'll have to use 200ISO. That is an old enough camera that it might not be an option (too much noise.) If so, just live with the smaller DOF (f5.6) and concentrate on getting the head in focus.

It looks like you had a great idea for a shot, and just got a little unlucky that it decided to fly. But keep at it, you'll get more. I love Great Blue Herons, so going back is easy for me.

Another thing to do is to take pictures as you approach. Then you'll have something to show for the effort, and the bird will get used to the noise of the shutter (assuming its loud.) I do that with my camera and it seems to help.

Eric

photosbyvito · Feb 28, 2004, 10:41 AM

thanks A LOT for your help!!! i'm not sure if the higher ISOs create a lot of noise.....because i've only really used 50 and 100 lol (don't really remember if 100 was bad)
i can go to 400 so i don't think 200 would be THAT bad lol
is there a way to fix noise in PS? without blurring the whole picture?

ok thanks again

btw.......newer digital cameras.......auto mode is kinda like a light meter right?
like i can go into Auto mode and press it halfway down and see wat exposure settings it uses then use them right? or it that and a light meter different? (i don't know if auto mode changes the ISO speed.....haven't noticed)

ok now i'm done lol
thanks!

Feb 27, 2004, 1:15 PM	#1
photosbyvito Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 5,710	YAY! great blue heron!! YAY!! finally!!! some success!!! yay! lol here is my first half decent picture of a great blue heron..... it is flying away.....but you can still see it's face.....the composition isn't bad i had to do some sharpening....but enjoy ISO 50 Shutter Speed 1/500 Arperture f4.5 white balance-sunny here is the original without the sharpening (the modified looks terrible....)

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Feb 27, 2004, 2:22 PM	#2
PeterP Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,397	You must have got very close to get an image that large with a G2 Good shooting.

Feb 27, 2004, 2:34 PM	#3
bcoultry Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 3,652	And look at that composition! Way to go!

Feb 27, 2004, 2:51 PM	#4
Mr_Saginaw Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 552	yes, good job!

Feb 27, 2004, 5:16 PM	#6
eric s Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 5,803	Having shot many blue herons (I just love those birds) I have some experience here. Let me look at your statement. The lack of sharpness is the 1/500 of a second for a moving target. You'd think that was fast enough, but it isn't. You really need double that (basically, 1 ISO setting higher will do and then remove the noise with neatimage.) I think you did a fairly good job on sharpness with what you had (a G2 + a TC.) I don't know if post processing for contrast would have helped give the bird's color some punch. The goal (for me) is to get feather detail and good color representation. A little bit of contrast can emphasise the patter and the sharpening can bring out the feather detail. You got some on the left wing, so that is good. I bet others will have some good ideas too. Keep at it, they are well worth the effort. Eric

Feb 27, 2004, 8:12 PM	#7
Widowmaker Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bakersfield, CA Posts: 851	Nice inflight. I have yet to get a heron. I second Eric on his statement. You want 1/1000 or higher. The teleconverter and 1/500 probably both contributed to the lack of sharpness.

Feb 27, 2004, 8:55 PM	#8
photosbyvito Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 5,710	well thanks that is good to hear that it is something i can fix next time (aack my camera doesn't go past 1/1000 ) a smaller arperture would be better here right? to get the whole bird in focus? (tough to find a day bright enough to do that lol) thanks for all your help guys

Feb 27, 2004, 10:35 PM	#9
eric s Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 5,803	The smaller aperture would certainly help with getting more in focus, you are right. But you'll loose more light (and therefor shutter speed.) I think that will be worse than more DOF. I don't know how much noise the G2 produces when you increase the ISO... but that is really your only choice. The bird might be too far for a flash & better beamer, and probably too big (the concentrated nature of the flash extender might be visible. But I don't own one, so I don't know for sure.) If you tried shooting at f8, then you'll have to use 200ISO. That is an old enough camera that it might not be an option (too much noise.) If so, just live with the smaller DOF (f5.6) and concentrate on getting the head in focus. It looks like you had a great idea for a shot, and just got a little unlucky that it decided to fly. But keep at it, you'll get more. I love Great Blue Herons, so going back is easy for me. Another thing to do is to take pictures as you approach. Then you'll have something to show for the effort, and the bird will get used to the noise of the shutter (assuming its loud.) I do that with my camera and it seems to help. Eric

Feb 28, 2004, 10:41 AM	#10
photosbyvito Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 5,710	thanks A LOT for your help!!! i'm not sure if the higher ISOs create a lot of noise.....because i've only really used 50 and 100 lol (don't really remember if 100 was bad) i can go to 400 so i don't think 200 would be THAT bad lol is there a way to fix noise in PS? without blurring the whole picture? ok thanks again btw.......newer digital cameras.......auto mode is kinda like a light meter right? like i can go into Auto mode and press it halfway down and see wat exposure settings it uses then use them right? or it that and a light meter different? (i don't know if auto mode changes the ISO speed.....haven't noticed) ok now i'm done lol thanks!