first pic post

[surfcaster]

here goes my first pics
use a canon 400d xti with a 75-300mm f4-5.6
please critique and suggest things as am new to this.
thanks for all comments

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=3171592
http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=3171597
http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=3171596
http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=3171589

[sushigaijin]

hey,

looks like you have some great subjects there. Since you asked for the whip, I'll give you my suggestions. I'm not a great photographer with coffee table books and retrospectives, so please don't think I am judging your shots.


The first image looks like the exposure is good, but the dappled shade makes the flower itself look underexposed. in photoshop, layer>new adjustment layer>curves can change this really easily. If you want to get more complicated, you can mask off the rest of the image first, and just adjust the exposure on the flower. It won't need much adjustment, just a tweak.

The other captures are good. The bluebird could use a more natural perch, the egret would benefit from being higher in the frame and more to the right, and the kingfisher could benefit from being closer - good luck with THAT one, they are VERY hard to stalk. One other question I have is regarding sharpening; the photos look a little soft, have you sharpened them in post-processing at all? If not, I would recommend trying a TOUCH of sharpening as a RULE for digital images. The bluebird particularly would benefit from a high-pass sharpening layer, although photoshop's built-in "smart sharpen" might work well also. To get crisper images straight out of the camera, try a tripod, prone yourself against something like a tree, and don't breathe as you squeeze the shutter button.

Again, sorry if this sounds harsh. As you progress more into knowing your camera and your technique, you will realize that these are fine-tuning issues that will make good shots into great shots - that's intended as a compliment.

Erik.

[bob_r]

Surfcaster,

I'm not sure if you have the IS version of that lens or not, but either way, that lens is not known for producing sharp pictures, especially at the 300mm range.

The other problem with the lens, is that it really doesn't have the range for birds. Sometimes teleconverters can be added to increase the range of a lens, but because this one is already too soft at the long end, adding a teleconverter is really not an option.

The files you posted are pretty small for pictures, so it might be possible to shoot at a higher quality setting and then crop the pictures, but the pictures you referecenced are too soft to crop. I tried it on the bluebird pic, but the results weren't good.

Sorry to be so blunt Surfcaster, but there really isn't any nice way to put this. About your only option with that lens is to get closer where you don't have to use the 300mm range, but that's usually pretty difficult when your subjects are birds.

Bob R

One thing you might want to do, is take a look at bird photos taken by others. Normally with birds (and other wildlife), you want to fill most of the frame with the bird. Here's a link to some of the best bird photo's I've seen:
http://www.pbase.com/clinton62

[surfcaster]

thanks Bob_r and sushigaijin
for your replys and suggestions, i am new to this and need all the advice i can obtain to get better.

the 75-300mm is not IS, non of the lenses i have are (budget reasons).
thanks again for the comments

[sushigaijin]

based on Bob's post, try dialing back on the zoom to around the 225-250mm range - with your camera's crop ratio, thats still a super telephoto lens.

Erik.