| December 2009 Newsletter This newsletter includes information on handheld flight photography and photos from our recently finished workshops in Arizona and Bosque del Apache, New Mexico |
For about 90% of my flight photography I handhold the lens. This makes it much easier to track birds in flight
than trying to wield around a tripod head, whether it's a gimbal head such as a wimberly or a traditional ball
head. Most of the time I use the Canon 500mm F4 which weighs about 8 pounds, when combined with my
camera the 1D Mark III, it's a total weight of 12 pounds. When I first started shooting handheld, it was fairly
difficult and my keeper rate wasn't very high but after a few months of practice it began to become second
nature. My right hand is on the camera, with my right index finger on the trigger button, I also use my index
finger to focus. Some photographers use the AF/AE button on the back of the camera for focusing. My left
hand is on the barrel of the lens about half way down. I have a large arca-style quick release plate attached
to the lens foot which extends toward the end of the lens past the foot. The right side of my left palm
cradles the end of this quick release plate, while my left hand's fingers and thumb extend up the side of the
left hand side of the lens barrel while I'm shooting. I know of at least one top flight photographer who grips
the lens plate with his left hand from the bottom and doesn't put his left hand on the barrel. Other top
photographers turn the foot out to the right side to get it out of the way and then grip the barrel with their
left hand on the left side of the lens. I'm partial to my method of course but as with all photography try out a
few different methods and see what works best for you.
than trying to wield around a tripod head, whether it's a gimbal head such as a wimberly or a traditional ball
head. Most of the time I use the Canon 500mm F4 which weighs about 8 pounds, when combined with my
camera the 1D Mark III, it's a total weight of 12 pounds. When I first started shooting handheld, it was fairly
difficult and my keeper rate wasn't very high but after a few months of practice it began to become second
nature. My right hand is on the camera, with my right index finger on the trigger button, I also use my index
finger to focus. Some photographers use the AF/AE button on the back of the camera for focusing. My left
hand is on the barrel of the lens about half way down. I have a large arca-style quick release plate attached
to the lens foot which extends toward the end of the lens past the foot. The right side of my left palm
cradles the end of this quick release plate, while my left hand's fingers and thumb extend up the side of the
left hand side of the lens barrel while I'm shooting. I know of at least one top flight photographer who grips
the lens plate with his left hand from the bottom and doesn't put his left hand on the barrel. Other top
photographers turn the foot out to the right side to get it out of the way and then grip the barrel with their
left hand on the left side of the lens. I'm partial to my method of course but as with all photography try out a
few different methods and see what works best for you.
HARRIS'S HAWK photographed November 2009 at Sweetwater Wetlands, Arizona. Canon 1D Mark III 500mm F4
lens, 1/1600 F6.3 iso 640, evaluative metering -0.3. This image was a little bit tight on the top so I cloned some
more canvas in there to give it a little more room. We were treated to 2 very tame young Harris's Hawks
which perched on the fence line across from Sweetwater Wetlands on Roger Road. After posing for us for a
time, they both took off toward us. This was my favorite image from the encounter.
CAMERA/LENS SETTINGS FOR HANDHELD FLIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY - If you are using an IS lens and have the IS
turned on the stabilization mode should be set to 2, for panning. As for ISO I typically use the highest iso
which will produce little or no noise in the image, the higher the iso, the faster the shutter speed which helps
sharpness (reducing lens shake) and helps to freeze the action or wings of your subject. For the 1dMkIII I
usually use isos from 500 to 800, when using the Canon 50D I use 320 to 400 as noise is more of a problem
with that camera body. I shoot in either aperture priority or manual mode, most often about 1 stop down from
wide open. For example if I'm shooting a 500mm F4 then I'd normally set my aperture to F5.6 or so. The larger
the bird is, the closer it is to me then I'm more likely to increase my depth of field to say F8, assuming there's
enough light to keep my iso where I want it. The Autofocus mode that you use for flights shots is AI Servo for
Canon and AF-C (Continuous) for Nikon.
lens, 1/1600 F6.3 iso 640, evaluative metering -0.3. This image was a little bit tight on the top so I cloned some
more canvas in there to give it a little more room. We were treated to 2 very tame young Harris's Hawks
which perched on the fence line across from Sweetwater Wetlands on Roger Road. After posing for us for a
time, they both took off toward us. This was my favorite image from the encounter.
CAMERA/LENS SETTINGS FOR HANDHELD FLIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY - If you are using an IS lens and have the IS
turned on the stabilization mode should be set to 2, for panning. As for ISO I typically use the highest iso
which will produce little or no noise in the image, the higher the iso, the faster the shutter speed which helps
sharpness (reducing lens shake) and helps to freeze the action or wings of your subject. For the 1dMkIII I
usually use isos from 500 to 800, when using the Canon 50D I use 320 to 400 as noise is more of a problem
with that camera body. I shoot in either aperture priority or manual mode, most often about 1 stop down from
wide open. For example if I'm shooting a 500mm F4 then I'd normally set my aperture to F5.6 or so. The larger
the bird is, the closer it is to me then I'm more likely to increase my depth of field to say F8, assuming there's
enough light to keep my iso where I want it. The Autofocus mode that you use for flights shots is AI Servo for
Canon and AF-C (Continuous) for Nikon.
BLACK PHOEBE photographed November 2009 at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, Arizona. Canon 1D Mark III
500F4 1/2500 F6.3 iso 640, evaluative metering +0.3, handheld, IS turned off. One thing that surprises many
photographers that I meet and workshop participants is that I often turn off the IS when taking handheld flight
shots. The reason for this is the the IS or VR (for Nikon users) slows down the autofocus acquisition. Rapid
AF acquisition is the most important variable to getting good flight shots. Some photographers have
disagreed with me that it affects the AF function. However, I recently called both Canon and Nikon support to
check. Canon said it slows it down a "hair" and Nikon said it slows it down without any qualifiers. From my
own extensive experience photographing birds with the Nikon system I would say this: the smaller the bird,
the more difficult it is for the AF sensor to pick it up and the more having the IS turned on will hurt you. You
will probably end up with just a bunch of blur if shooting small passerines or peep sandpipers. If you are
shooting Sandhill Cranes or Great Blue Herons it doesn't make much of a difference and it's fine to leave your
IS on. The other variable as to whether I will turn my IS on is what shutter speed am I shooting at. If there is
plenty of available light and I'm at 1/1500 or faster there's not much need for the IS anyway. If I'm shooting at
less than 1/1000 shutter speed, it's likely that I will have the IS turned on.
500F4 1/2500 F6.3 iso 640, evaluative metering +0.3, handheld, IS turned off. One thing that surprises many
photographers that I meet and workshop participants is that I often turn off the IS when taking handheld flight
shots. The reason for this is the the IS or VR (for Nikon users) slows down the autofocus acquisition. Rapid
AF acquisition is the most important variable to getting good flight shots. Some photographers have
disagreed with me that it affects the AF function. However, I recently called both Canon and Nikon support to
check. Canon said it slows it down a "hair" and Nikon said it slows it down without any qualifiers. From my
own extensive experience photographing birds with the Nikon system I would say this: the smaller the bird,
the more difficult it is for the AF sensor to pick it up and the more having the IS turned on will hurt you. You
will probably end up with just a bunch of blur if shooting small passerines or peep sandpipers. If you are
shooting Sandhill Cranes or Great Blue Herons it doesn't make much of a difference and it's fine to leave your
IS on. The other variable as to whether I will turn my IS on is what shutter speed am I shooting at. If there is
plenty of available light and I'm at 1/1500 or faster there's not much need for the IS anyway. If I'm shooting at
less than 1/1000 shutter speed, it's likely that I will have the IS turned on.
Cooper's Hawk photographed November 2009 at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, Arizona. Canon 1D Mark III
500F4 lens, 1/1250 F7.1, iso 640, evaluative metering +0.3. We had nice opportunities with this Cooper's Hawk at
Whitewater Draw, it allowed quite a close approach and posed for quite a while before taking off toward us right
at sunset.
The shutter speed that you use for birds in flight is very important. Generally I want to have a shutter speed of
at least 1/1000 but ideally around 1/2000 or more. The faster shutter speed the more likely you are to freeze the
wings and flight of the bird and to have a sharp image while handholding. One topic I haven't seen discussed
much is the speed of flight of the bird and how this affects what shutter speed to use. Passerines like the Black
Phoebe above or a Northern Cardinal fly extremely fast and you need a faster shutter speed to freeze them and
get sharp images. The Black Phoebe above was flying into the wind which allowed for the relatively slow speed
for a passerine of 1/2500 but I often shoot at 1/5000 or so for small birds and kingfishers. Some larger birds like
Sandhill Cranes and Herons at times you can get away with speeds as slow as 1/250. I wouldn't recommend that
slow of a speed but it just goes to show you how much slower these birds fly. For larger birds such as herons
and hawks I recommend shooting at 1/1000 or faster.
500F4 lens, 1/1250 F7.1, iso 640, evaluative metering +0.3. We had nice opportunities with this Cooper's Hawk at
Whitewater Draw, it allowed quite a close approach and posed for quite a while before taking off toward us right
at sunset.
The shutter speed that you use for birds in flight is very important. Generally I want to have a shutter speed of
at least 1/1000 but ideally around 1/2000 or more. The faster shutter speed the more likely you are to freeze the
wings and flight of the bird and to have a sharp image while handholding. One topic I haven't seen discussed
much is the speed of flight of the bird and how this affects what shutter speed to use. Passerines like the Black
Phoebe above or a Northern Cardinal fly extremely fast and you need a faster shutter speed to freeze them and
get sharp images. The Black Phoebe above was flying into the wind which allowed for the relatively slow speed
for a passerine of 1/2500 but I often shoot at 1/5000 or so for small birds and kingfishers. Some larger birds like
Sandhill Cranes and Herons at times you can get away with speeds as slow as 1/250. I wouldn't recommend that
slow of a speed but it just goes to show you how much slower these birds fly. For larger birds such as herons
and hawks I recommend shooting at 1/1000 or faster.
SNOW GOOSE, JUVENILE photographed November 2009, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico. Canon 1D
Mark III 500F4 1/1000 F5, iso 1000, evaluative metering at 0, aperture priority. When there isn't as much light
as was the case here you either need to open up your aperture or increase your iso. I did both here and I
was happy with the image.
Mark III 500F4 1/1000 F5, iso 1000, evaluative metering at 0, aperture priority. When there isn't as much light
as was the case here you either need to open up your aperture or increase your iso. I did both here and I
was happy with the image.
SANDHILL CRANE photographed November 2009 at Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico. Canon 1D Mark
III 500F4 lens, 1/1600 F8 iso 800, manual exposure mode. When you are photographing a bird and there's a
good chance the background is going to change quite a bit, it's best to change from aperture priority to
manual priority, or to get to the point where you always work in manual mode when photographing birds in
flight. In this instance cranes were taking off from the crane pools against a brownish background and
flying up against a bright blue morning sky. If I had stayed in aperture priority as the crane got higher in
the sky against an all blue background it would have been underexposed had I let the camera do the
metering. Fire a few test shots in aperture priority with evaluative metering to read the light quality and
then set the correct exposure for the bird manually on your camera.
III 500F4 lens, 1/1600 F8 iso 800, manual exposure mode. When you are photographing a bird and there's a
good chance the background is going to change quite a bit, it's best to change from aperture priority to
manual priority, or to get to the point where you always work in manual mode when photographing birds in
flight. In this instance cranes were taking off from the crane pools against a brownish background and
flying up against a bright blue morning sky. If I had stayed in aperture priority as the crane got higher in
the sky against an all blue background it would have been underexposed had I let the camera do the
metering. Fire a few test shots in aperture priority with evaluative metering to read the light quality and
then set the correct exposure for the bird manually on your camera.
SANDHILL CRANE photographed at Bosque del Apache, New Mexico November 2009. Canon 1D Mark III
500F4 lens, 1.4 teleconverter, 1/1250 F6.3 iso 800, handheld. This is my favorite crane flight shot from our
workshop. I've certainly got plenty of sharp crane shots with the bird bigger in the frame but the golden
quality of the light sets this one apart for my tastes. We went to the main impoundment for the geese blast
off and then as soon as it was over drove back up the highway to the crane pools. This was my first flight
shot of a crane taking off from their night roost at the crane pools.
Thanks to the workshop participants, Ted, Mary, Giulio, Pamela and Carter I enjoyed meeting each of them
and working with them on their photography. Giulio came all the way from Bosnia, so if any of my other
European subscribers would like to come shoot for a week in the States let me know and we can set
something up. We can get the necessary permits to guide in any of the US National Parks or Wildlife
Refuges now. The strength of the euro makes such a trip attractive right now.
500F4 lens, 1.4 teleconverter, 1/1250 F6.3 iso 800, handheld. This is my favorite crane flight shot from our
workshop. I've certainly got plenty of sharp crane shots with the bird bigger in the frame but the golden
quality of the light sets this one apart for my tastes. We went to the main impoundment for the geese blast
off and then as soon as it was over drove back up the highway to the crane pools. This was my first flight
shot of a crane taking off from their night roost at the crane pools.
Thanks to the workshop participants, Ted, Mary, Giulio, Pamela and Carter I enjoyed meeting each of them
and working with them on their photography. Giulio came all the way from Bosnia, so if any of my other
European subscribers would like to come shoot for a week in the States let me know and we can set
something up. We can get the necessary permits to guide in any of the US National Parks or Wildlife
Refuges now. The strength of the euro makes such a trip attractive right now.
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