Love the swans, they are always so cool. They are also on a list of birds hard not to blow out the details in a high sun . Nice shots.
Thanks for that and you, Frank.
You're dead right about Exposure and white birds. I had to hurry on the first shot. I'd been taking a seagull in flight and hadn't noticed the big feller getting angry. I was in retreat when he had second thoughts and legged it after the female. I took a meter reading off the muddy water, locked it, recomposed and took the shot; fortunately it was OK. If I'd paused to select exp.compensation and bracketing the shot would have gone.
The second was +1.7EV; I started at +2 and dialled back a tad for a second shot. (Yes, I've discovered chimping thanks to someone here)
The beady eye shot came in at +0.7EV. The muddy neck and wet feathers toned things down and added contrast.
Of course, the other side of the coin, is that the white of the Swan gives good separation from the background. You had the opposite problem with the Squirrel, he could easily have got lost in the background, but didn't. I'm certain you didn't have much time for the shot but you nailed the focus anyway, nice job all round. BTW which of the 70-200's were you using?
This is my approach when I have time. If it matters. A camera (all cameras) when setting exposure internally sets it for 18% gray. So if the the entire setting is darker I compensate up, such as the squirrel. If it is a brighter shot I try to compensate down. I also try to shoot a little under on the brighter shots. If it is a little darker than it should be I can work that out in PP. It is too bright and I blow out the details, there is no fixing that they are gone.
EOS 5D - Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM, EF 35 f/2, EF 50mm f/1.8 Mk II, EF 70-210 f/3.5-4.5 USM, EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Helios 44-2 58mm f/2 (with EOS adapter), 430EX, Canon S90 Nikon FE - Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI'd, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AI, Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 AI, F to EF adapter, 2xVivitar 285, other lighting stuff Mamiya C220 - 80mm f/2.8 Gear Listflickr
Sony A77
Sony A580
Sony A 100
Maxxum 400si.
Sony 18-70 Kit Lens
Minolta AF 35-70
Minolta AF 50 f/1.7
Tamron 70-300 f/4-5.6 Di LD
Tamron 60mm Macro
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8
Tamron 2x Converter
Sony HVL-F42AM
Quantaray 70-300 4.5-5.6 Macro
Slingshot 200 Bag
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Originally Posted by dbatapbr
