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Hitting the Road


Hitting the Road
Photo Information
Copyright: Francine Malo (NinaM) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 0 N: 1623] (5300)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-11-19
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 40 D, Canon 100-400mm IS USM
Exposure: f/11, 1/90 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): CeltickRanger's favorite Anatidae photos [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-02-03 7:58
Viewed: 754
Favorites: 4 [view]
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Today I am proposing to you this picture of Canadian Geese in flight. I took this last November, when the geese had begun to leave for migration. In fact, most of the time, late in November they are all gone and this year was special because we had such beautiful weather. We were surprised to see those geese still in the pond of this small village close to my place.

So I went that day and believe me or not, this was the last day they were seen. What you see there is their last flight of the year on "our" ground. They left to migrate some place, among those places we see here on TN, as if we could follow their flight up to their destination.

I didn't want to post this picture because it is blurred. It was my first time shooting birds in flight and I didn't know how to do it. I panned the birds when they took their flight instead of letting the camera go with the GOOD settings. That's another thing too, you have to know what and how to set your camera. It's not written in books, well, not everything is there. You have to do it and experiment with it even though there are ways you can bet you will get those birds in flight... with practice.

Last night, when I went to bed, I had a flash! I was thinking about those pictures and I think I might have found part of the setting to use: I was using only the middle focus dot in my camera in order to focus exactly where and what I wanted. Last night only did I realize that to follow the birds, you have to use all the dots in the camera!!! Youppi, I will try that very soon.

Technicalities get in my way all the time even though I know one has to master the technical abilities in order to do what one wants and be creative. I want to go too fast and don't follow all the steps all the time.

Like these setttings I am telling you about, it is very hard to follow birds or anything in motion with the camera even if it is settled AI Servo (that's how they call it in my camera book) to do that. But wow! how happy am I to have discovered that if I use ALL the autofocus dots in my camera it'll be a lot easier! Ouf. How many years does it take to discover that the earth is round?

Well, enough for techicalities but here, you see the results of not knowing how to follow birds in flight ;-)

Then, once you know how to settle (...) the camera, there is another important step: POST processing.

I am only beginning to use the sharpen tool in Photoshop Elements, with the anti-noise thing. I also started (for the first time) using Neat Image to take away the noise from a picture.

The other day, I also discovered how to use Lightroom Development panel a little bit more. I still don't know what the settings are supposed to be, how to use it properly, but I am playing with it and I am beginning to like it a little bit more as I understand a little bit better what it can do for photographers. I understand better too why I should use RAW format and how useful it is when you post-process: it is just great to be able to make changes that are not PERMANENT to the pictures and have less noise in them as you make the changes.

Everyone here on TN, I suppose, have gone through all the hassle digital photography gives to the photographers. Everything we do takes time, we need patience to learn, experiment, make mistakes, over and over again. That is how life is made, in every undertaking we chose to do. Patience and perseverance go hand in had when learning and growing.

I realize now that if I use my knowledge to make pictures, it really shows. Using a tripod really helps. I am a rebel without a cause and always try to bypass the norm. I guess I will always do that and, in the case of photography, it might explain why it's taken me two years to use a good tripod to do macro in the garden ;-)

So, here you have the result of a picture taken hand held of birds taking flight to migrate somewhere. Where will it take them? I don't know. As I don't know,most of the time, where my undertakings take me... is it important to know? I guess that the most important thing is to just do it, plunge and live ;-) Hit the road, Jack...

Anyway, I post-processed this picture for the first time with Neat Image after having it cropped a little bit, I added saturation, contrast and highlight a little bit and sharpened it at the end. I think the result is good because I really like the blurred effect. Hope you like it too, it's taken me a lot of steps and patience (that I have to learn) to get there with a blurred picture. I'm hitting the road with you at TN and thanks for all the comments and inspiration you bring to me.

thank you!

Francine

Shot in jpeg, cropped and resized for TN
ISO 1000 at 220mm.
CeltickRanger, nglen, Islander_, jaycee, Arjun, horia, Jamesp, Adanac, jusninasirun, Argus, marhowie, Frieda, uleko, bobair, httn has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To bobair: Stabilizer modeNinaM 1 02-09 07:06
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Critiques [Translate]

I like it Francine, lovely colors and the blurred wings adds drama and impact. Canada Geese are wonderful and can hardly wait til April and they are back and in 'combat mode' defending their nesting turf. - Lookin' good.

WOWV Francine

quelle superbe image à l'envol de ces bernachs du Canada,
et tu nous dit que l'image est flou ? et bien ce flou des ailes
nous montre la vitesse à laquelle ils s'envollés, pardon moi
le terme français m'échappe, est-ce ont dit « filé »,
je parle aussi du flou du background car avec ce flou
et la surprenante netteté des bernaches (shooter à 1/90 seconds)
donnent aussi cet aspect de cette vitesse rapide,
aussi le fait que les bernaches soient encore à hauteur d'homme
cela aussi nous montre leurs vitesse dans l'image

très bon POV et très bon cadrage,
très belle densité des couleurs de l'image
et excellent détails de leurs plumage


une superbe photographie que j'aime beaucoup beaucoup
ce genre de photo et je te remercie pour le partage

Asbed

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2130 W: 9 N: 5960] (22528)
  • [2008-02-03 8:19]

Hi Francine. This is avery good inflight shot of the Geese . Good detail and rich colurs . we have many that come to the lake in the local park for the winter. You are doing well with photoshop it all takes time . .TFS. good notes too.
Nick..

Francine,

Great image of the geese in flight,
Beautiful colors in the BG,
Very well captured and what a delight to have them stay alittle longer.
TFS

fototab

Hello Francine
How great it is to see Canadian Geese in Canada..there was me thinking they were a UK invention!!
Lovely rich colours and the motion of the wings is superb showing thier frantic efforts to haul themselves into flight.
Paul

Ps..ive done the same thing with the ai servo and focus points..your not alone!!

Bonjour Francine,

Magnifique prise en mouvement et commentaire très utile! Une preuve de technique parfaite avec une exposition si longue, réussite 100%! Merci,

Eugène

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1911 W: 8 N: 4976] (16095)
  • [2008-02-03 9:33]

Hi Francine,

Great shot of these low flying Geese. Wish you could give me a lesson in editing! I love the different positions they are in. You show them with good details and good colors. I don't know where they go either - I saw them flying North from Arizona in the fall.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Arjun Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 307 W: 3 N: 783] (3692)
  • [2008-02-03 10:08]

This is a beautiful picture Francine.
You have showed a different concept,
very nice composition,
tfs

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2138 W: 224 N: 3959] (13149)
  • [2008-02-03 10:37]

Hi Francine

A very beautiful and dynamic in-flight today from you!
I actually like what you've done here with the shutter speed and the panning move of the camera...the result is admirable and very energetic! It definitely sets this appart from all the "frozen" in-flights :) A breath of fresh air :)
That aside, the sharpness of the birds is very good and the exposure is well handled.
Excellent composition and lovely natural colors.

Bravo and TFS
Horia

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1305 W: 0 N: 5107] (15234)
  • [2008-02-03 10:46]

Hi Francine

I really like the grouping and motion blur here. Good colours too.

James

Bonjour francine,
Excellent inflight shot that worth for the big credit for it!
the using of f/11 had done a great job for you in this beautiful shot!
well done once again
merci
tony

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1357 W: 72 N: 2886] (9535)
  • [2008-02-03 12:39]

Hello Francine,
Great dramatic colours in this photo. Very good sharpness and wonderful composition. Excellent POV.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Francine,
The image would have not been as pleasing if you had not shown movement in the flight of the "Canada Geese."
NOTE:The proper name is always "Canada Geese," I also learned this through writing on this species---
The hues and lighting of the background are perfect as the geese fly through the scene.
Also, when attempting to capture birds in flight, DO NOT STOP PANNING through the scene or the image will be completely unfocused, as here, the shutter speed was slow and maybe should have been placed at 1/250 without panning, or at 1/90 as you had it, and continued panning through the scene.
The image is an excellent capture...
Steve

Canadian Geese in Canada, and now there all here. Excellent shot!

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15132)
  • [2008-02-03 17:49]

Hello Francine,
Superb in flight showing great action by the blurred wings. I too await their return as spring will be coming with them.
Wonderful work Francine.
Rick

Hello Francine,

Suprb shot in full flight. The panning is superb showing full motion of the birds. Nice take off shot with the surface of the water in view.

Regards,
Jusni

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2770 W: 151 N: 7984] (24857)
  • [2008-02-04 4:12]

Hello Francine,
Great capture of a flock of Canada Geese taking off to fly south. The colours and lighting are excellent. Your panning is superb and allows for just the right sharpness as well as showing the wing movement. The whole effect is like a fine painting.
Very nice to see and thanks for sharing it,
Ivan

Hi Francine,
What I like most about this one is the sense of movement captured. The birds are well focused with the BG blur @ 1/90th creating this great effect.
Well done!
Howard

Bonjour Francine,
Magnfique, gandiose cette envolée de canards, ils sont superbes et le focus est parfait quand on sait comme il est difficile de prendre des oiseaux envol.
Bravo
Marie

  • Great 
  • lizzie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 214 W: 0 N: 635] (2847)
  • [2008-02-04 16:10]

Bonjour Francine,

J'adore que toutes les bernaches soient floues, si tu en avais eu une en focus, tu aurais perdu l'effet de l'envol. En plus, ton background est en mouvement ce qui est un + à ton image. Les couleurs sont riches et j'aime beaucoup le point de vue. Très bien fait!

Lise

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2585 W: 170 N: 7879] (24911)
  • [2008-02-05 6:17]

Hello Francine,
I love the way you've captured these Canada Geese with a slow shutter speed whereby you've really got the feeling of movement. I like the dark Geese against the natural background - like a painting! Great work!
TFS and regards, Ulla

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1427 W: 128 N: 5252] (23221)
  • [2008-02-06 7:45]

Bonjour Francine, c'est très très très beau ! J'adore! C'est artistiquement parfait, la composition est superbe et le flou des ailes donne du mouvement à l'ensemble, bravo et merci! Dans mes favorites.

Mario

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-02-06 20:22]

Hello Francine

You have captured a wonderful feeling here,the shot has beautiful flow and motion.
The colours are natural and well saturated.
Very well composed,a lovely pastoral scene.
TFS

Rob

Hi Francine,
I very much like this photo of the geese in flight.It has a great dynamic as the blur helps to illustrate the motion of flight so very well.The light at the time must of be fairly low because using iso 1000 gave you such a slow shutter speed but in the case of this shot that was a bonus.Did you have your lens stabliser set to mode 2 for panning or did you used mode one for still shots?The number of af points is not as critical as the mode you pick but the more active af points helps just the same.Thanks for a new favorite for me and sharing this neat looking capture. Bob

Hi Francine,I see you have beautiful album too,but this one is great capture and unique work well done.


Regards,
Hakan

Hi Francine, I am new to treknature and found your photo of the geese in flight. I think this shot is great. It took me several months to take a good picture of geese in flight and mine is blurrier than this. The bodies of the geese are sharp, it is just the wings that are slightly blurred and I think that gives you the sense of motion. Great shot. Nancy

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