Home › Forums › Photo Critique › Great Gray Owl
- This topic has 18 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 10 months ago by
Josiah Waldner.
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March 12, 2018 at 7:48 am #29834
Austin Vinar
ParticipantMarch 12, 2018 at 10:49 am #29837Ryan Madaris
ParticipantWonderful job! I would like to see the second image in black and white. The main thing I would do is adjust the composition in the second photo. Maybe have the owl in the middle of the image? When it’s at the top, you kind of have to look around for the owl’s head, which should be the main subject.
I really love the bright yellow eyes!
March 13, 2018 at 8:12 pm #29887Caitlin Compton
ParticipantWow! I really love these pictures, @austinvinar They look so crisp & clean and look at those yellow eyes. What an amazing Creator we serve! 🙂
There’s only one thing that I could think of. You’re so close to using the rule of thirds in the first image. The head is almost spot on on the 2 intersecting lines in the top right corner of the grid. I thought that if you cropped it just a bit to get it exactly in the right spot it would look more balanced. Also, with the second image the owl is almost in the middle, but again it’s just a tad off. If you could just centre it, then I think they’d be perfect! Amazing shots! 🙂
March 13, 2018 at 8:47 pm #29889Austin Vinar
ParticipantI don’t always use the rule of thirds. I see it more as a suggestion than a rule. But thanks for the thoughts, It helps me think through my compositions.
March 14, 2018 at 6:36 am #29895Daniel Hancock
ParticipantNice job Austin! I have not done much bird photography but know it can be a real challenge getting a clear view without any sticks in the way!
March 21, 2018 at 4:36 pm #30034James Staddon
KeymasterI really like these shots @austinvinar
July 10, 2018 at 2:10 pm #31957Silas Woodward
ParticipantWOW!! @austinvinar those pictures are sharp
what lens did you use?July 11, 2018 at 5:59 pm #32017Austin Vinar
ParticipantSigma 150-600mm C.
July 12, 2018 at 12:19 pm #32028Josiah Waldner
ParticipantI don’t have a very good sense for composition, but you did a great job with the technical side of things! Very sharp, well exposed, and it looks like you somehow got a really nice catchlight in the eyes. If I am correct, it looks like it was was backlight. Did you use a flash for that? I have the Tamron 150-600, and I am not really impressed with its sharpness. I picked it over the sigma because I had heard that sigma has a plastic camera mount. Is that true? It seems to get slightly better sharpness at shutter speeds of 1/500 or more and f/10, but you have to run your iso uncomfortably high. Any advice?
July 12, 2018 at 2:12 pm #32033Austin Vinar
ParticipantVery sharp wide open. Metal mount. Sharp at 1/100 handheld and 1/30 on tripod. Often slower.
July 12, 2018 at 8:58 pm #32035Josiah Waldner
ParticipantWow. Here is a crop of a blackbird I took today.
iso 500
f/10
1/160 shutter speed
=
Nowhere near as sharp! Could the lens need micro adjustment, or what?
I have a 70d, not the greatest, but it can do much better with my 85mm f/1.8.
The focus speed of this lens is quite slow too- maybe I should look at a sigma.July 12, 2018 at 10:22 pm #32037Austin Vinar
ParticipantHmmm. Not sure why it isn’t real sharp. You have your stabilization on right?
Try microadjusting, it won’t hurt anything.
I’m using the 7D, so it shouldn’t be the camera’s problem.
I have had this lenses af keep up with grouse flying straight at me. In cold temps.
July 12, 2018 at 10:24 pm #32038Ryan Madaris
Participant@josiahw, Interesting! I would suggest using a lower ISO. There’s a lot of noise in the image. Also, use a faster shutter speed. 1/160 is a bit slow for handholding the camera when shooting wildlife unless you have image stabilization. That may solve the problem with that photo. I don’t have very much experience with Canon, though, as I’ve always been a Nikon user.
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
July 12, 2018 at 10:52 pm #32041Austin Vinar
ParticipantI guess it depends on what your definition of a lot of noise is. I shoot iso 800 most of the time with the older 7D and have not had any problems. But then I have seen someone take a picture that I thought was very acceptable and call it too noisy.
Honestly, I took a shot with my 7D at ISO 3200 pushed it a full stop in Lightroom, and sold it as the beginning shot for an article. I likely worked a bit with noise reduction but I would call ISO 500 a low ISO.
July 13, 2018 at 8:28 am #32048Josiah Waldner
ParticipantThanks for the input! Yes, I do have image stabilization on.
There is no way this lens will lock onto a flying bird, unless it is in a clear sky. If there is any background, forget it.
The picture does seem a little noisy, but it is a 6x crop. I usually go much higher with my iso. -
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