From the bottom of my street
Because the forecast looked vaguely promising – for a little while at least – I decided that today would be a good day to spend a little time with my local Eiders ducks.
As I’ve mentioned before, I have a little spot on the River Blyth, not far from the town centre, where I can get low to the river’s surface. In good light, it’s possible to get eyeball-to-eyeball images that really “pop”; and if there’s a ship across the river at the Alcan bauxite silos, the colour of the vessel (and the silos themselves) get picked up in the reflection, making for some interesting and unusual colours for the ducks to swim around in.
So that was the plan – some colourful Eider images.
I also wanted some high dynamic range images (an Eider drake in bright sunshine is certainly that!) to give a good test to the latest incarnation of the brilliant (and getting better all the time) Raw Therapee.
Development is coming on apace since it went Open Source and some of the new demosaicing algorithms and new – unique – functions its developers have created recently have brought it right back to the top of my list of favourite converters.
So, with the contents of a large white sliced loaf I bought on the way to the river in hand – you’ve got to give ‘em a reason to pose! – I started shooting. I was so busy, I got through the loaf in less than thirty minutes, and then they were gone: but in that brief time I got what I wanted, and coincidentally the Sun went in a few minutes later, where it remained for the rest of the day.
Eider
Eider
Eider
Eider
Eider
Eider
Eider
Eider
Eider
Eider
Not a bad return for half an hour’s shooting and a £1.29 loaf of bread..!
Fantastic photos yet again . just got a cannon 500d to start playing with, any advice would be realy helpfull
£1.29. You have ducks with expensive taste.
Well worth it though. Nice pics Keith, like the low angle and the colour of the water.
Great stuff Keith – nice light and cracking subjects!
Thanks again Colin.
Sorry for the delay in replying – a problem with the “back end” of the website – but I’ll be happy to help. Just drop me an email any time you feel the need, and – ideally – we should hook up some time: that’s the easiest way to work through any questions.
Thanks Vince.
To be honest, these were just a bit of fun really: it’s a good way to keep the interest going, setting yourself a mission – a target image – and trying to crack it.
I’ve got about another fifty targets to go..!
Thanks again, Mark – it’s nice to have obliging(ish) subjects like these just a mile from the front door.
Mind you, I was there yesterday – loaf in hand – and there was no sign of the buggers!
These are nothing short of stellar!
I was wondering if you subscribe to this theory. I have heard that with the 1.6x multiplier effect of the 7d that it is necessary to have much higher shutter speeds to hand hold this combo. If you are using 400mm you would actually be hand holding something similar to 640mm. Which would mean for static subjects you would need a minimum 1/640th sec SS possibly more depending on how many pixels the subject is taking up in the frame.
So what do you think is a minimum shutter speed for hand holding and freezing fast movement (bird in a stiff breeze flying, Egret fishing)? 1/1600th sec SS?
Again fantastic shots!
Hi Nate,
thanks for the kind words – they’re deeply appreciated.
Logically, I guess it must be the case that the “crop factor” increases the likelihood that image blur caused by camera movement will be an issue: that’s why, as you suggest, a lot of resources suggest that the shutter speed formula should 1 x (fl x 1.6) rather than 1 x fl.
The increased pixel density of cameras like the 7D contributes to this as well – it’ll take less movement of the camera to register as blur across smaller photosites, simply because they are smaller. And I have no idea how to factor the pixel density into the calculation – I find even straightforward maths to be far from intiutive..!
I’ll be honest and say that I don’t give that much conscious thought to my shutter speeds, by and large. I’ve worked hard to develop an effective hand-holding technique, and as long as I’m on or about the focal length I seem to be pretty safe: but because my technique is reasonably good, I don’t actively pursue a specific minimum shutter speed, as I’m quite confident that (as long as I concentrate and don’t get lazy!) I’ll get by nicely at lower shutter speeds too.
As with these ducks, I’ll sit down if I can, and rest my elbows on my knees – I become my own tripod, if you like.
Image stabilisation helps immensely too.
If I had to pick a consistently safe shutter speed to aim for and recommend, I’d look for something between 1/400 and 1/640 (higher if it’s doable, of course) but I’d try harder to recommend that the photographer work at their handholding skills, so that shutter speed becomes less of a critical issue from one shot to the next.
Of course, handholding technique and IS don't help much when the bird is moving quickly.
I’ve just had a look at some of my recent BIFs (“only” Black-headed gulls, but they’re quick enough in a strong wind), and – at 400mm – they’re routinely nice and sharp from 1/640 upwards: below that they’re more marginal.
I’ve had some success with Fulmars in good winds at 1/1000 upwards, but part of the trick with those birds is being able to pan: they’re fast, but generally predictable.
Got to admit, Nate – I’m not really the guy to ask about BIFs!
I’ve got no first-hand experience of capturing say, an Egret mid-stab, so yeah, 1/1600 or higher would be the starting point – and I’d hope my reflexes were up to the job!
Thanks again for dropping by, Nate.
Hi Keith,
Cracking shots my friend, love your eye level approach to those willing Eiders.
Your right about the water and the colours they add.
Very striking, keep up the great work.
Will look for your future posting onn BF. :t:
Regards
Bob