I took some photos of a Kingfisher on a post near The Cottage a few days ago. They were taken at full lends magnification and the light wasn't as good as it could have been but at ISO100 and a stop of F5.6 the speed was between 1/80 and 1/160 sec. That's really too slow for a hand-held photo with a 30X magnification (approximately the equivalent of an 800mm lens). It's all part of the compromise of using a bridge camera. What was more unfortunate was that the bird had decided to sit with the light behind it so that I got a rim of light on some of the subject edges (particularly the post). Anyway I thought I'd show a few of the pics and hope for something better next time. I'm sort of doing an Adrian at the moment (only on a much much cheaper scale) and thinking of a camera with a larger sensor and RAW capability.
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He is a Bobby Dazzler. You can get rid of the fringing by selecting a new layer and filling it with 50% grey. if you use the paint brush with black at around 5% flow. to paint round the edges. alter layer opacity so you can see where you are painting. pop opacity back to 100% then change blend mode to Soft Light. That should help.
ReplyDeleteSwitch to a Leica or a less posh camera and you will spending a fortune on lenses with twenty blades to get this background effect. Rip off it is this snapping hobby.
DeleteI am so ashamed Adrian. I still haven't got into the habit of using Photoshop on a regular basis nor explored even a small percentage of its capabilities. Every time I go and do something is almost like starting from scratch. I keep saying that when I get a few wet days (or when I next have a Scottish winter) but at this rate...... I can stitch photos now though! Until I stop my roving life my camera is always likely to be a compromise but I do sometimes yearn for something better. A better bridge camera is my next step. They are improving all the time.
DeleteNowt wrong with those pictures, as far as I am concerned - it looks natural to me, because that is how the light fell at that time and place where the kingfisher decided to sit.
ReplyDeleteThanks Meike. I have taken slightly better ones in the past but these are showing more interesting and typical poses.
DeleteBeautiful bird and I enjoyed these photos.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment Denise.
DeletePoor me, I can't see a thing wrong with any of them....far better than any I'm ever going to get with my camera.
ReplyDeleteHe looks kinda lost, and is wondering why the post doesn't have a sign for directions....smile.
You are so funny Virginia! You'll never guess but he was on a post above the cattle water trough and dived in a few times as well as finding a few things of interest in the paddock.
DeleteOh, he's a fine looking fellow! Have only seen them in my bird books. He stand a little like the Geico Lizard, doesn't he?
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa. I hadn't thought about it before but he does stand up like a Geico now you mention it.
DeleteI like the second shot the best and I'm impressed with your knowledge :) Go get'em, Graham!!! Get that b-dazzler camera and shoot some RAW, but be prepared for having to process every image through software - it's worth it, absolutely.
ReplyDeleteHeather my knowledge of cameras stems back from my infanthood when Dad had a Zeis Ikon and I had a Kodak VPK. I've been interested in photography and using cameras ever since. Until the digital age and I started travelling so much I always had an SLR (I bought my first - a Pentax - when I was around 20) and a pretty good range of lenses. Now weight is a major factor. The bridge camera will always be a compromise but one that I will have to make whilst I have my present lifestyle. It is useful being able to go from wide-angle to 800mm in three seconds. Shooting RAW would get me into processing properly though - a discipline I need to develop.
DeleteHe's a beauty! And I think the photos are great. Have fun on your new camera adventure.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pauline. They are beautiful birds.
DeleteThey look rather smug, trim little birds. I can imagine them going to the office every day :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful description Jenny. I'll never be able to look at one again without thinking of you!
DeleteWhat a great description! We must think of some ideas for other birds. There's a blog posting in there somewhere GB...
DeleteThat's a project for next summer on Lewis CJ
DeleteCute bird whatever the camera details... I'm laughing at Jennys comment!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Monica. I am still smiling at her comment too.
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