Flat light, stuck in an inversion ..............

Marty:
Nice bucks, and plenty of pixels for a PC screen, but not quite up to your usual crisp presentation. Focusing issues, different camera, or maybe a phone? I know some of Cookie's efforts go to Hell in weedy environments with the automatic stuff, as there's a tendency to focus on the nearest objects in the field.

Had a few mule deer in the back yard this AM, but nothing with antlers. Also a Goshawk but he does not allow even a distant approach.

Have a good one,

Completely agree (and appreciate the critique) which I why I posted them. Took about 150 photos and thought abut deleting the entire batch (not a single one was tack sharp). Nothing changed with main gear used. The light was ugly which I do know was part of the issue and unnoticed weeds in the foreground surely played a factor but many shots were in the open and were also not good. Perhaps should have opened the aperture a bit. Normally do not shoot in such flat light so personal experience is lacking.

Thanks for responding. Did not want to seem over critical, but yes, something went amiss there relative to your typical products. Notice the same happens from time to time with Cookie's doings. Six or eight in row miss the magic and then one suddenly scores with the same settings.

Did about a 120 mile trip out a couple days ago and found absolutely no bucks in their typical haunts here. A few different owls (long eared, great horned, and barn), but nothing with antlers. Could have done as well or better just staying at home.

Do keep em coming once in a while,

I like 'em. Seems natural and snowy. It's strange how the weeds make or break some of the shots, I'm not sure what the deal is there but, I'm sure it's fertile ground to plow.
Maybe you are aware of this setting, maybe not. Lots of folks especially sports shooters separate the shutter release from the AF drive. You've been able to do this since at least the 1dii maybe longer but, recently the bodies have been coming with an af button labeled such where the thumb is. In the custom functions you can assign the functions to the buttons. I and many others have all AF drive on the thumb position and metering and shutter release on the forefinger. It takes some getting used to but, I don't think anyone ever goes back. This can help a lot when shooting through stuff or when tracking something that's not changing distance much but, moving fast or erratically. The resolution on my avatar is terrible but, I shot that fox through a dense thicket and his little eye is tack sharp. Could not have done it without going manual or being able to get off the focus button. My eyesight is bad enough I can't be trusted to manual focus. Apologies if this is something known, both posting in this are obviously accomplished but, one never knows.

Always appreciate critique (good/bad/ugly). It's how we get better right? Been using back button focusing for quite some time (years) and couldn't imagine not using BBF. Guess I will need to go find those bucks again.

pdXammo:

Cookie has recently gone to back button focus, but I don't much care for it. When I get a chance with one of her units, I prefer to use the Canon one-shot mode where I lock focus with a half press of the shutter, then recompose the image before setting things off. Those custom settings are sure great for quickly locking in ones particular specifics. I could maybe settle into the back button deal if I had things on a tripod freeing up my two handed death grip on a camera when it's carrying a big assed lens.

I'm not one though to catch 8 or 9 frames every time I hit the shutter like some of Cookie's buddies.

We typically try for unobstructed views, but once in a while an image just begs to be captured in spite of an intervening jungle. Went to manual focus to get through this mess targeting the eye and was quite happy with the results.



I do wish the old split ring prism was still an option for manual work though. One could really dial those in as opposed to manually working with just a grainy prism in today's units. Still, I am amazed at just how well the focusing systems work in the newer cameras. Pretty speedy and handy for rapidly moving subjects.

Very nice. I think weve stumbled onto a defining factor on these obstructed shots too. I'm going to throw it out there that having an eye is key?
You ever play around with the buttons on your long glass? .

Cookie has three cameras with two set up for back button. One is full frame, and second a crop. Both typically carry 100-400m zooms or get some smaller glass if conditions merit. Her big gun (EOS 70D) is equipped with a 500mm, and to date she's left it running with the default shutter/focus set up.

Agree totally on the eye, as that is where all the life is. That gets first glance when evaluating an image. If the eye's not sharp it goes the way of the delete button.

Extremely rare for us to do images of people, but if I'm behind the camera I insist that sun glasses come off for that same reason.

Edited for the addition below::

Cookie did this one a day or two ago, and I was amazed she even tripped the shutter. Canon 5D Mk IV with a 100-400 lens, F5.6, at 1/400 sec at about a dozen feet and the glass was able to essentially look through a ton of intervening brush to get at the bird (long eared). Focal point was on the bird's left eye, as I think there was a twig in front of its right.


Not something I'd enter in a competition, but at least she has a long eared owl shot now.

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