Festival of Nations, Albany, NY

These shots had to be in color!  Beautiful native clothing and wonderful to see the children of so many nations side by side.  Shot with a Nikon D7200, 600B Speedlight with a Lumiquest Ultrasoft soft box.  Settings were generally ISO 800, F5.6, 1/50-1200 sec with AWB using a Nikon 18-140 VR lens.  Enjoy, Jeff

Best Bird Shot!!

Really lucky this afternoon.  Able to time this shot of the Chickadee coming in for a landing!  Equipment: Nikon D7200, Sigma 150-600mm VR lens at 600mm, ISO 2000, F8, 1/340sec.  Nikon 600B Speedlight fired with remote transmitter at 1/8 power.  Aluminum covered cardboard reflector to bird's left. Small LED light bank over bird's head.  Enjoy, Jeff

 

Refining Backyard Bird Photography

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I was working to get some more inflight images.  Quite challenging.  Gear setup the same as with recent posts but because the light was better I was able to use 1/8 flash power which actually gives you a quicker burst of light than full or half power.  The duration is shorter so with a fast shutter speed of 1/320 sec, greater ability to capture spread wings.  Timing the shot is the challenge!  I am learning to anticipate behavior unique to each type of bird to help me fire the shutter at the right moment.  Enjoy, Jeff

 

A New Approach

INFLIGHT

 

pre editing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concerned that my first approach was not getting enough light as the perch was at the edge of the woods, I placed a stand in the open, created a branch to the feeder as a perch, set up the flash and added a reflector to the pole throwing and bouncing ambient and flash burst on to the subject.  Much more pleased with the results on this overcast day.  I loved the flying bird but of course had to get rid of the feeder on the left.  That is why G-d made Photoshop.  Enjoy, Jeff