Harder than it looks
Randy| December 6, 2008 4:28 pmWOW! I’ve really been slacking off; I missed at least two months. In brief I: moved (just down the block from my old place), finished a huge work project (about 50 shooting days) and today remembered I was supposed to shooting and sharing something everyday. So let’s get sharing…
D3 AFS 200-400VR @200mm 1/1250 f/7.1
It has been a while since I’ve been really challenged in photography; I’m not saying I know all there is to know, it’s just that most of my work is commercial, controlled and “safe”. I know my lighting setups, the subjects aren’t moving or if they are it is in a very linear and predictable path. So when my friend Mark called and asked me to go ”birding” this morning I was excited and ready for something new and challenging. Apparently you have to get up EARLY for birding because for some reason I was in the car and headed down the freeway before sunrise (I know I know the “golden light” of pre-dawn; but you know what it’s pretty golden at 5PM too). Now I know shooting action isn’t easy but I figured I would be pretty good at this bird stuff. I’ve covered my share of sporting events (Soccer, Basketball, Football etc.) and I know the ins and outs of my AF system but this was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Birds are small, FAST and hard to track, did I mention FAST?
D3 AFS 200-400VR @200mm 1/800 f/5.6
Honestly, I took roughly 300 shots of these pelicans circling and diving and flopping around in the water before I got a handle on how to anticipate their dives. Then came figuring out how to track them… hmm single focus? What about AF-C Dynamic (51-3D or maybe 21), wait but what about the Lock-On value? Or should I just hit the “idiot box” (no offense if you use “Auto-Area”)? So after about an hour of fumbling with the different settings I finally figured it out and was able to get a keepers.
- D3 AFS 200-400VR @200mm 1/800 f/5.6
Aside from setting the camera correctly, the most important thing I learned is that you need the right equipment for this kind of shooting; probably more so than most other types. For most action sports I stick a big lens on a monopod and its pretty much all good. But with the birds you definitely need a gimbal head, Mark had a Wimberly Sidekick mounted to an RRS BH-55 on a solid tripod and when he let me try it out I realized I was struggling with things that the right equipment would have eliminated. (BTW- I was also using a BH-55 on similar legs; the Wimberly made all difference.) But even with the right gear this type of photography is much harder than it looks and I can’t wait to get back out there and try it again.
