It’s another cool dull day but after a shower or two in the night it’s dry.
I’ve been thinking about the birds. they are tame here so I popped a 50mm lens on the camera, the camera on a tripod with a cable release. I set the shutter speed to 1/250s which is flash sync on this camera. I then mounted a flash on a monopod and attached it to the van wing mirror, the flash was set to quarter power and zoomed at 24mm.
This has possibilities, I’ll try moving the flash nearer and dropping it to 1/8th power. It’s a bit hit and miss as I’m throwing bread with one hand and firing the camera with the other.
I think I may end up in a loony bin.
Have fun.
It looks like the birds say hello to you .. very nice Adrian...
ReplyDeleteMichelle, the light is a bit bright now. I'll have another go and speed the flash up to twice whatever it is at 1/4 power.
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ReplyDeleteI like the experiment, Adrian. I have been perfect :))
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend.
A hug
Laura, thanks for translating but I understood the Spanish. It needs adjusting but it has possibilities.
DeleteHi Adrian Great experiment and you got some good shots. I don't understand all the tech but looking forward to more of your experimenting. Have a great weekend with the dogs and birds. Margaret
ReplyDeleteMargaret, I struggle but the more I use the radio trigger the better I like it. It amazed me how little blur there was at 1/250s. It shouldn't have as I know the flash is your exposure time if you dial ambient light down a couple of stops or three. I'll try full manual on the camera next time.
DeleteYou enjoy whatever you are up to. I feel a bit guilty about not joining Google+ but I hate social media. Blogging is as near as I get.
No worries about the loony bin. You can take comfort in your pictures and besides that they will probably let you keep your camera.
ReplyDeleteI love the first picture although the expression on the bird's face (sorry I didn't have any other words to describe it) is intriguing. He looks like he's pouting. Did you run out of bread crumbs?
David, those unfortunates who have met me would probably be prepared to disagree or the kinder ones would at the very least debate the matter of my sanity with you.
DeleteThe system works, I have to wear a hat though as the birds get a bit close for comfort at times. No I had a whole crust. I should break it up first. They try and grab it from my hand and have very sharp beaks. Covered in Elastoplast is my left hand.
When you said they were tame, I didn't realize they were THAT tame. I can relate to those beaks being sharp. I never cut my cat's claws because he needs them sharp when outside and I have to be careful handling him. Just a touch and he'll bring blood.
DeleteDavid, tame is perhaps pushing things. They have no fear.
DeleteThere are over a dozen Black Headed Gulls which become white headed with a black spot in winter. The second shot is a Common Gull. They stay much the same. Focus was at four or five feet They are close. There is a Herring Gull in the mix but despite it being twice the size doesn't get a look in.
I like cats and have even met folk travelling with them. The dogs know how sharp their claws are.
An experiment in progress Adrian, not bad results for the first attempt though! I'm sure things will get better!
ReplyDeleteWith your imminent incarceration perhaps you should have titled the post 'One flew over the Black(brown!)-headed Gull's nest'..then again maybe not, it doesn't really work does it?...[;o)
Trevor, I got muddled up with the days. Again! I paid this campsite for three days then paid for another two weeks. Then the owner forgot to write it down. I got pissed and couldn't work out what day I was starting from or, to be honest, where I was. I am away to Altnaharra on Monday. I'm coming back here as he owes me a couple of days....All sorted...I'm still waiting for the certificate. I applied to my GP on-line.
DeleteWash your mouth out with soap. These are brilliant but a work in progress. It's hard being a lunatic!
These are middling, the birds take no notice of the flash. It is to the left and behind them in these shots. Who needs a Bertha. I'll speed up the strobe for the next go.
I still can't bring myself to machine gun the camera, these were four of five usable out of twenty four. I limit myself to an old roll of film a day. Medium format and the camera would last for ever at six 120 exposures per day. I do like what you and Keith publish but just couldn't face binning that many.
Trevor, I just remembered Folk like me get care in the community...It's cheaper but not safer.
Delete⊱✿✿°
ReplyDeleteOlá, amigo!
·.¸.•♪♪
Parabéns pela sequência de fotos... muito lindaaaaaaaaaa!!!
É muito difícil fotografar pássaros, principalmente voando.
Bom fim de semana·..¸彡
♪♫° Beijinhos·..°♡♡
°❤❤ Brasil✿✿·..
Não aproblem com uma luz estroboscópica. Eu tenho que tentar novamente.
DeleteYou might end up in the loony bin but you did get some excellent photos. You caught these birds in some interesting poses in their flight. You will have to get a fancy blind to hide behind instead of sitting in your rig.
ReplyDeleteRed, I don't need a hide or blind with these. They were only three feet from the camera. I felt a bit as if I was in a Hitchcock movie.
Deletegrandioos wat is dit leuk.
ReplyDeleteDank Nic.
DeleteI still have to experiment this with hummingbirds which I've seen often fly me by when I take the flower shots. But for hummingbirds they recommend 1/16 power = 1/15,000 second or 1/32 power = 1/19,000 second. Seehere. Now I have to install what Mark recommended: "Grease Kit" for Safari. I'll get to it today. I like the first shot the best.
ReplyDeleteMaria, many thanks for this. I hadn't realised that power was not linear....It's like GN's or aperture values. I'll keep trying. The system is very hit and miss as I can't see through the camera. I didn't use auto focus as I couldn't be sure which bit of the birds it would lock on to.
DeleteAllow a couple of hours for Grease Kit.... It's all fun and what I enjoy most about blogging is the sharing of knowledge.
There is room for improvement here with the images but I am on the right tr
Maria GreaseKit no longer works with current Safari. Try NinjaKit. I've installed it and Mark's HTML for comments and it works.
DeleteLovely action played with the camera, b-h gulls are pleasant aren't they.
ReplyDeleteBob, it was good fun....these gulls are very tolerant.
ReplyDeletePASSING BOY Daddy what is that man doing over there?
ReplyDeleteFATHER You mean that man tossing bread in the air?... Oh my God! Don't look Jimmy! He's flashing at the seagulls! (takes out mobile phone)...Hello? Is that Wick Police Station?
THE END
Y.P. Excellent. A cautionary tale and that's if Wick police are feeling benevolent.
DeleteHi Adrian...no matter what you do you always make me chuckle!!
ReplyDeleteYour tales of your set up makes me think of a one man band!! : )
You sure got some wonderful shot's there just beautiful !
I really like the second one!!
Keep experimenting it will keep you from going to the loony bin!!
Grace
Thanks Grace, I'll have a go at improving the system if this wind drops a bit.
DeleteI tried the other day but twenty plus mph winds are no good it blows the birds away.
Your comments on lunacy remind me of Yossarian in Catch 22. He said he was a lunatic thus proving he was sane. I think I've remembered it correctly. I read it when it came out and that was before I lost my marbles. P D G captures by the way.
ReplyDeleteGraham, that's a book I'll have to read again.
DeleteThe system needs refining. I suspect that the flash is not powerful enough or the ambient light was too bright. No chance of trying today it's far too windy.
I wish our temps were cooler. With humidity factored in, it's a crispy 38C. and too dry.
ReplyDeleteI think you have a creative and more importantly effective method of capturing these winged beauties.
Daniel, I'll have another go. They are very close about a yard away. I'll try a bit longer lens and auto-focus. I'll Also get the flash closer to them and drop the power to an eighth.
ReplyDeleteThe weather is pretty grim up here but the rest of the UK appears to be basking in summer.
What I was trying for was a frame full of gulls.
Excelentes fotografias....
ReplyDeleteCumprimentos
Fernando obrigado.
DeleteI think these are amazing! Love the transparency effect on the tail-feathers.
ReplyDeleteMonica, the flash does make things look different. I'll keep working on it.
DeleteNot such a bad place to end up.. if you'd be the resident photographer. I'm like how these turned out.
ReplyDeleteHilary, how did you know? There are no end of poverty stricken painters, potters and photographists round here.
DeleteThey were shot through a 50mm prime so the birds were really too close.