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.
NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.
There are some basic considerations when composing a photograph in anticipation of a bird taking flight. As we can see in the above full frame capture, it is important to allow some free space in the composition into which our subject bird is anticipated to fly.
We also need to observe the perch and study how birds using that perch launch into flight. For example, the pergola in the back corner of my backyard is about 3.5 metres wide (~11.5 feet). Birds perched on the left hand side (like the pigeons featured in this article) tend to fly from right to left. Birds perched in the centre of the pergola tend to fly in a downward direction towards some nearby bird feeders. And, birds perched on the right hand side of the pergola tend to fly from left to right.
Wind direction can also be an important consideration when planning to photograph birds taking flight, as they tend to launch into the prevailing wind. Birds also tend to fly towards an open area that provides more safety in terms of a bird not getting ambushed by a ground based predator.
As is the case with any composition, we also need to consider the background. We can see in the above image, the trees in my neighbour’s backyard are far enough away from the pergola to be reasonably out of focus… lessening the potential visual distraction from those trees.
As we can see in all of the images that appear after the lead photograph, the pergola structure has been removed with the Lasso Tool in PhotoShop. I find it helpful to make any necessary crops before using the Lasso Tool.
Removing distractions like portions of the pergola is easy to do by using the Lasso Tool to draw a free form shape around the distracting element. Then using the ‘Fill’ command with ‘Content Aware’ to replace the distracting element. This command is found under the Edit heading. There are plenty of YouTube videos and articles on the internet on how to use the Lasso Tool, so I won’t go into any more detail here.
Removing the human-made pergola from the bottom right-hand corner of the photographs helps make each of them more focused and visually pleasing. The image above, and the next five that follow, are all from the same Pro Capture H run.
As you can see with the previous six images, using a fast frame rate of 60 frames-per-second often generates a multitude of useable images from the same photographic run.
In a recent article we discussed some of the potential benefits of using a single, small auto-focus point along with Single AF when photographing subjects taking flight or landing. All of the images in this article are more examples of using that technique.
We appreciate that some readers may be concerned with using Single AF when photographing birds-in-flight since this mode locks focus and exposure based on the first frame. Then it applies the locked focus and exposure to the balance of the photographs in the run.
All of the images featured in this article were photographed using focal lengths that varied from 218 mm to 276 mm, and with an aperture of f/6.3. The distance to subject was about 14.5 feet for many of the images These combinations of shooting parameters create depth-of-field values ranging from 54.5 cm (~1.8 feet) to about 83 cm (~2.7 feet).
This range of depth-of-field is sufficient to keep birds the size of pigeons in focus if the flight direction is correctly anticipated.
Learning to use the Lasso Tool (or similar features in other software programs) is a quick and easy way to remove distracting elements in a photograph. This can extend the number of image opportunities for a photographer for a wide range of genres… including birds taking flight from human-made objects.
Planning our image captures of birds taking flight are easy to execute if we follow some basic guidelines as outlined in this article.
Technical Note
Photographs were captured handheld using camera gear noted in the EXIF data. Images were produced from RAW files using my standard process. My standard Pro Capture H settings were used for all of the images featured in this article. Pre-Shutter Frames and Frame Limiter were both set to 15. Single AF with a single, small AF point was used, along with a frame rate of 60 frames-per-second. using Single AF. This is the 1,349 article published on this website since its original inception in 2015.
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Thank you for the article. With regard to Mr Foucart problems I would add a comment. Long lenses perform best in cool/cold weather. Today here it will be 37deg C with very high humidity. I would not expect to get anything like the image quality today that my OM -1 and Olympus 100-400 does achieve on a cool dry day. Even on that kind of day shooting over water can be a problem in sunny conditions. YouTubers will tell you of problems caused by shooting over warm cars /dark cars/down close water etc in cold conditions at length. Mr Stirr, you bring an admirable degree of discipline to this process that we ‘run-n’-gunners’ can only aspire to in the field. Great information to assimilate into our practices. Thank you.
Hi Peter,
Thanks for adding to the discussion… it is always appreciated! I’ve been a ‘run-n-gunner’ for many years as well 🙂
Tom
A very big thank you Tom for your advice that I will put in place.
Dominique
I’m glad the ideas were helpful Dominique.
Tom
HI Thomas,
Have you ever had any sharpness problems with the the Zuiko 100-400mm lens? I would like to ask you this question, because mine mounted on the OM-1 case does not give me satisfaction.
Indeed, I find it very difficult to have sharp photos of big egret and heron, even if these birds are laid, and even with the selected bird detection.
I tried to act on different settings at the levels of AF target mode, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, AF tracking. Nothing better.
What do ou think?
Thank you and have a good day.
Hi Dominique,
I’ve been very pleased with the results from my M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS zoom. Since acquiring the lens in late November 2020 I’ve captured hundreds of thousands of images with it and have had no issues. I use it quite regularly with the M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter, and to a lesser extent the MC-20.
Virtually all of my bird images have been produced from RAW files. I have successfully used the M.Zuiko 100-400 with handheld in-camera focus stacking and got good, useable jpeg images… with shutter speeds as low as 1/60 with the lens fully extended. When shooting, my physical body was well stabilized, sitting on a short stool at the time.
During all the time that I’ve owned the M.Zuiko 100-400 I’ve never had the need to stop the lens down to increase sharpness, and I shoot it wide open all the time. So, the lens is capable of very good results… but likely not quite at the same level as the PRO 300 mm f/4 or the PRO 150-400 f/4.5.
I can sense the frustration you are feeling in your comment, and realize that me replying to you by saying that the M.Zuiko 100-400 works well for me is not particularly helpful.
Here are some actions that you may want to take to help diagnose the results you are achieving.
1) Photograph a highly detailed static object using a tripod. Take notes and take a range of images using various focal lengths and auto-focusing arrays. Assess your results to see if there is any difference between the images, and if you get better results when your camera and lens are tripod mounted versus when you were shooting with it handheld. If you get better results with the tripod, the issue likely is not your lens.
2) Turn off the IS on the M.Zuiko 100-400. I discovered early on that I got better results with my E-M1X and M.Zuiko 100-400 when I turned off the IS on the lens. For the past couple of years, I have never engaged the IS on the 100-400 lens.
3) Shoot at much higher shutter speeds that you typically would, and this includes when photographing perched or static birds. Even with static herons and egrets use a shutter speed of at least 1/1600 to see if this makes a difference with your results. If you get better results with these faster shutter speeds, your handheld technique probably needs some work.
4) Regardless of the auto-focusing mode, use the smallest number of AF points possible. Regardless of the subject matter, focusing mode, and lens that I may be using, I only use a single, small AF point for all of my photography with my E-M1X. This includes technology like Pro Capture H or L, Handheld Hi Res, in-camera focus stacking, etc.
5) Use the M.Zuiko 100-400 with a different Olympus/OM System body to see if your results improve. If they do, you may need to study the use of the OM-1’s auto-focusing system to see if revised settings may improve your results.
6) Adjust your AF sensitivity settings to see if that improves your results. Then adjust your IS settings to see if that makes a difference when photographing static subjects at slower shutter speeds.
7) Don’t pixel peep. Many photographers drive themselves crazy looking at their images blown up to ridiculous levels that are irrelevant for regular, normal viewing.
Since I’ve never used the OM-1 I have no practical knowledge base from which to draw. I understand that the OM-1’s AF system is different than the one on my E-M1X so there are likely many nuances that need to be considered with the OM-1.
I hope this reply has been helpful for you.
Tom