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Thank you very much I appreciate the kind words.

Here's a copy of a PM I sent to Ric when some info was requested. Nothing fancy, and certainly not in-depth at all, but just a list of important things to consider when taking wildlife images. If you have any specific questions, please don't hesitate to ask away. I'm sure most of this info will be common sense to some of the photographers here, but some good basic info nevertheless.

If more in-depth discussions would be helpful, I'd be happy to help out if I can.

Also, the gear used for most of these photos:

Canon 1D MK III, 1Ds MK II, 40D
EF 500mm f/4 L IS
EF 300mm f/2.8L IS
Gitzo 1325 tripod w/ Wimberley Head II

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Rick. Man, I sure appreciate you enjoying my images. I don't really consider myself a special photographer, I just put myself where the wildlife is, and work very hard to get the best images I can.

You have a fantastic kit, very capable of capturing you some top quality images. That landscape I posted of the Tetons was taken with the 16-35 II, very similar to yours. In fact I haven't noticed a shred of difference between them so far.

To me, wildlife is the easiest type of photography to get professional quality images. Of course, the hardest part is to put yourself in front of worthy subjects. Then luck has to be on your side a bit to have some nice lighting that's not too harsh. I look for bright but overcast days, the sky/clouds can act like a big flash diffuser.

So... VERY quick, down and dirty list of important issues in my mind.

#1) Good Light. You will not achieve good images without good light. Sure you can sidestep it a bit, use some creative techniques to make up for it, but great images need great light. 1-2hrs after sunrise, and 1-2hrs before sunset. These are known as "magic hour" to photographers. The light being at such a low angle in the sky casts a nice, warm, glowing light rather than the blue cast regular daylight.

#2) Exposure. Do your very best to NAIL exposure. When I'm photographing a nice subject it's not casual at all. It's like work. Constantly bumping up and down exposure comp, ISO, and shutter speeds to give me a nice choice of different images when I sit down to process.

#3) Shutter Speed. Shutter speed is king. With your 1-4, I'd keep it at 1/500th minimum, and adjust your ISO to compensate. Also, being the owner of that same lens, avoid 400mm and f/5.6! Use either about 350mm and 5.6, or better yet, 400mm and f/7.1 or higher. At least that's the case with my 1-4, images soften up substantially when using the aforementioned combination of settings. With that tangent aside, keep in mind this... It's much easier to fix up a slightly noisy image (from higher ISO) than it is to fix up a blurry image (due to slow shutter speeds). Keep that speed up.

#4) Use a tripod!, or at least a good solid rest. No matter how high the shutter speeds, a tripod will always yield sharper images.

#5) Composition. Really concentrate on good composition, and this might very well mean you have to scramble yourself to a slightly different location. I'd always opt for getting 1 good image from a better vantage point than to reel off 100 images from just wherever it was convenient. This is of course more important for landscapes than wildlife. But in the case of wildlife, my (very general) rule of thumb is if the subject doesn't fill about 70% of the frame, then go wider and grab a more environmental or habitat type shot. You'll always be happier with this result than having to crop out 80% of your resolution to get a frame filling portrait animal image. I don't think I posted any examples, only posted frame filling portraits. If you do end up zooming out for a habitat photo, try to never place the subject in the center of the image. There are of course some exceptions, but usually the result is much more pleasing with the subject off center, both above/below as well as left/right of optical center.

Now, there's of course much more in depth info that could be discussed, but I think these 5 things are the most important to keep in mind while shooting.

The next subject would be post processing! In my mind equally as important as the actual photography.

Thank you again for the compliments on my images, that's what makes it all worth it for me.

Have a safe trip, an promise to post a report with images when you return.

Rob

Rob this a awesome info thanks!! Do you use mirror lock-up on your landscape photos?
randy...

That's a skill I'm trying to learn right now. I just got back from two weeks of shooting in Hawaii and it was a a real challange. Dark foregrounds and blownout high lights. Either that or everything was green or there was just very little to show the true scale in the shot.
My tri-pod set up; Gitzo 2540 with Really Right Stuff BH-40 LRII and Markins TB-20 tripod base and Op-Tech carrying strap.
I was lucky enough to get some decent shots of a wild Ne-Ne (Hawaiian Goose) couple. There are only 500-1000 of theese guys left in the wild.

Stetson nice photos.. I to like the GITZO tri-pod this is my GT2530 and BENRO KS-1 ball head..

Thanks Randy. The 2530 was my first choice but I went with the 2540 because at 22" folded I can get it in a standard carry on. My whole rig with the Markins plate and BH is about 4.25#. I purchased both both the G1540 and G2540 as well as the Markins M-10 and RRS-B40 for a SXS comparison. The 1540 is nice and light but with the wind in the places I seem to wind up it would get used a lot less. Here's my rig.

Stetson -- Some great images you posted here. Congrats my friend, and please post more of Hawaii.

I was trying to simplify my above statement regarding the HDR. That was actually a 48-image stitched pano/HDR. 6 individual framings, each with 8 different exposures. I know this is a lot of work for one photo, but I really wanted this one in a large print. It ended up getting printed to 40"x30", and is hanging in my great room. Looks fantastic, but much work went into it. This small web version doesn't do it any justice

HDR techniques were made for the exact reason you mentioned, as you know. Try that in combination with a stitched pano for some awesome results.

I'm a huge fan of HDR's and try to use this method whenever possible. I even use HDR on wildlife images if they happen to stay still enough for 3-5 images. The trick here is to set up your slr's AEB function, and use high speed continuous shooting. Wiht my 1DmkIII, shooting at 10 frames per second, I can take a 5 shot exposure bracket in roughly half a second. If the subject can stay still for .5sec, which they usually do, these are the best quality images that can be had. I don't have many, but when the time is right it's the only way to go.

Rob

Very nice rig Stetson.. What do you shoot the most people, wildlife, or landscape pictures? Most of the pictures I take are of people would like to do more wildlife..

Yes I do. Sometimes I get away without it if shutter speeds are higher than, say 1/320sec.

Good point I should have mentioned... MLU = Your Friend.

+1 on the Gitzo pods y'all are posting images of. A better tripod system cannot be had.

I use a Gitzo 1325 with a Wimberley II Gimbal head and G-1321 leveling base for my big glass, 500/4 or larger. For the smaller stuff I use a Gitzo 1228 with RRS BH-55 head. Also, all my cameras wear RRS L-brackets, and all lenses wear RRS lens plates.

Rob what lens do you use the most for wildlife? Been thinking of getting a new lens what would u recommend?
My set up is.
5D & 20D
24-70mm 2.8
50mm 1.4
70-200m 2.8

Thanks randy..

Hi Randy. You've some great equipment there, definitely good to go for professional landscapes.

For all my wildlife images I mostly use my 500/4L-IS. Also, I try to always have the 300/2.8L-IS slung over my shoulder on a second body for when the subject gets closer.

I suppose it depends on what you want to spend, and how serious you are about getting pro quality wildlife images.


Reach is key. You'll want something in the 400-600mm range. I have to recommend the 500/4L-IS if money is not a controlling issue, it'll cost you around $5500.00. I only bring this up because you have a pro kit so far so it looks to me like you're very serious about getting the best images of your ability.

If you'd like to keep it more modest, you really have only one choice IMO. The 400mm/5.6L. This lens is as sharp as Canon's big boys, of course not as fast and without stabilization. This isn't a huge disadvantage, you just have to keep shutter speeds up there a bit higher.

Just a note, I ruled out the 100-400 simply because you already have a great mid-tele zoom, and the 400mm prime blows it away for image quality and sharpness at 400mm. Many people consider this prime a true bargain in the Canon line.

How's that sound?

By the way, my best little friend and hunting buddy is named Randi also. She's a German Shorthair Pointer, and a total machine in the field, I try my best to keep up with her.

Can you hand hold 500/4f-IS? This lens sounds great! $5500 would not make the wife happy :GRIN: but she would get over it..

Nice looking shorthair!! :GRIN: She sure is having fun in the snow..

I'm obviously out of my league here but I'd like to ask a Q. :

how much degredation will you get with a 1.4TC on a 300 f2.8 taking pics at f4- 5.6 (with the apc sensor that would be essentially a 600 f4 lens)? I ask because I'm not sure I can justify both a 300 2.8 and a 500 lens right now....


thanks

They always get over it -- Easier to ask forgiveness than permission

Yes, I can handhold the 500/4. That's the primary reason I sold my 600/4IS. While I always try to use a tripod, there are times when that's not an option. No problem, bump the ISO a stop or so, keep it to 1/1000 and handhold. You wouldn't want to do this all day of course, but it's definitely doable for a short period of time.

I have to say, the 1DmkIII + 500/4L-IS is like cheating when it comes to wildlife shooting Almost too easy...

I have to say this, If I could only keep 1 lens out of my entire kit, it would be the 300/2.8L-IS. Image quality degradation with the 1.4xTC is almost undetectable. This is the only combination I can say this is the case. I have many large prints, 16"x24"+, in my home taken with this combination.

Here's a few with the 300/2.8 + 1.4xTC

Forgot to add, these are all wide open at f/4 also.

thanks! that's encouraging !