Sometimes only getting half of the story can still produce some very interesting, action-oriented photographs. In the springtime birds are vying for mates, or protecting the partner that they already have. This can lead to some dramatic action, especially if large birds like geese or swans are involved.
Category Archives: Pro Capture
Osprey at a Distance
During a couple of recent visits to Hendrie Valley I’ve had the chance to photograph an osprey at a distance, flying around the pond area.
These were ideal, real-life opportunities to see how the M.Zuiko 150-600 mm f/5-6.3 IS zoom would perform capturing a medium sized bird in flight at distances of at least 50 metres (~164 feet) from my shooting position.
Cedar Waxwings Taking Flight
This article features a selection of handheld images of Cedar Waxwings taking flight… captured at Hendrie Valley during a visit last week. This was the first time that I’ve been able to capture a good number of images of this particular bird species in flight.
Timing and Technology
Regardless of the camera gear that we may own, timing and technology both play important roles when we’re out in the field with our equipment.
For us to get the most out of our camera gear we need to understand how to best use the technology we’re holding in our hands. And, just as importantly… when to use specific features and capabilities based on our own shooting style and the subject matter before us.
This article shares some new handheld images of gulls at Forty Mile Creek and discusses how these images were captured.
Goose Aggression with 150-600
Goose aggression is quite common during most times of the year and can be heightened during the mating season. Last week I was out getting in some practice with my M.Zuiko 150-600 mm f/5-6.3 IS at Forty Mile Creek, when an unexpected burst of goose aggression occurred.
Practicing BIF with Mallards
During the past few days I’ve been practicing my BIF handheld technique with mallards at Forty Mile Creek in Grimsby. The spring birding season is fast approaching, so getting in some practice sessions in advance is absolutely critical.
BIF Shooting Style Adjustment
I went out today to experiment with a BIF shooting style adjustment so I could evaluate the feasibility of using a heavier lens for my bird photography. Like a number of other Olympus/OM System camera equipment users the new M.Zuiko 150-600mm f/5-6.3 IS super zoom has piqued my interest.
Pigeons with Lasso Tool
This article features some handheld images of pigeons taking flight which have been adjusted with the Lasso Tool in PhotoShop. Folks who enjoy photographing birds-in-flight often have opportunities where birds are perched on human-made objects. These can sometimes detract from an image.
This article discusses some considerations on how to compose these types of images, and remove the distracting elements with the Lasso Tool in PhotoShop. All of the images featured in this article were captured handheld in my backyard in less than 25 minutes.
Butterflies with 100-400
This article features some handheld test images of butterflies with the M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS zoom. The butterflies in-flight in all of the photographs in this article were about 6.8 to 8.1 metres (~22.3 to 26.6 feet) away from my shooting position.
Skills Tune-Up
I can’t speak for other photographers, but I’ve found that a periodic skills tune-up can be beneficial to support a wide range of photographic competencies. This article shares a number of recent test/practice photographs. I would normally show finished images in my articles, including any cropping that needed to be done.
All of the photographs in this posting were processed in post from RAW files. The images are shown without any cropping as I felt it may be more beneficial for readers to see the full frame captures of these practice images.