Swan settings?

[Ginger Pixie]

Someone told me that a good place to improve your widlife photography skills was swans, as they are difficult to shoot well, but are pretty common (in the UK at least).

I took his advice and have been a couple of times, and was looking for any comments on how I could improve this shot in terms of settings for late afternoon, and anything that works or doesn't work compositionally. I think it looks better viewed large, but that might just be me.

Camera: Canon EOS 450D
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture: f/9.0
Focal Length: 154 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire

[eleanor06]

It's a very nice capture no doubt. But the chest is a lil' on the bright side. As for the composition, I would have shot it where less room is on the left side and giving more "breathing" room is on the right...jmo

[PrimeTime]

Originally Posted by Ginger Pixie

Someone told me that a good place to improve your widlife photography skills was swans, as they are difficult to shoot well, but are pretty common (in the UK at least).

I took his advice and have been a couple of times, and was looking for any comments on how I could improve this shot in terms of settings for late afternoon, and anything that works or doesn't work compositionally. I think it looks better viewed large, but that might just be me.


Camera: Canon EOS 450D
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture: f/9.0
Focal Length: 154 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire

Hi ginger, great job. White is sometimes hard to expose properly. The front of the chest is just slightly overexposed , but not too bad.

For wildlife, i like to set my camera up in aperature priority, or full manual. For a swan not flying, you could use either one.

I also use spot metering and meter off the subject. I have never shot a swan before, but i would start with metering off the brightest part of the swan. I would set the exposure at about +1EV and take a sample shot, then look at my red, blue, green histograms.

When you check the histograms, you want the right side almost all the way over to the right, but not clipping.(if it is clipping you will see a tall spike at the right of the histogram)
Make shure all three histograms are good. If the sample shot histogram is too far left then bump the exposure up a little more.

NOTE: if you use aperature priority, when you set the exposure, you will have to hit the exposure lock button before you recompose the shot . ( If you don't you will meter off of what ever the center dot is pointing at when you recompose the shot.)

If the swan is moving fast, change to alservo focus drive. You may also have to change to a different focus dot for composition.


Compositionally, i think it usually looks best if you leave more room on the side it is looking. You also have a very nice reflection in the foreground, a virtical composition may have been nice as well , to inclue all of the reflection.

The edit : i think the water is a little too blue.

To make a reflection in the water really pop, you can brush in some saturation on the reflection and it will darken and really stand out. Also , a little saturation or contrast looks nice burshed on the bill and feet.(just depends on the photo, try both and see what looks better)

[bdbolin]

I'd have given more room on the right to go with the angle of the swan, and use the rule of 3rds. Water is a little dark.... and perhaps next time try some interesting shots with the swans reflection? just some thoughts! Great shot though!

[Ginger Pixie]

Originally Posted by eleanor06

It's a very nice capture no doubt. But the chest is a lil' on the bright side. As for the composition, I would have shot it where less room is on the left side and giving more "breathing" room is on the right...jmo

Thank you for your comments, much appreciated. I cropped this as the swan was pretty much dead centre as the sharpness tends to fall off towards the corners of my lens when I am shooting from a distance, but it didn't seem to work so well when I placed the swan at the other side... Maybe I will rejig it a little.

Originally Posted by PrimeTime

Hi ginger, great job. White is sometimes hard to expose properly. The front of the chest is just slightly overexposed , but not too bad.

For wildlife, i like to set my camera up in aperature priority, or full manual. For a swan not flying, you could use either one.

I also use spot metering and meter off the subject. I have never shot a swan before, but i would start with metering off the brightest part of the swan. I would set the exposure at about +1EV and take a sample shot, then look at my red, blue, green histograms.

When you check the histograms, you want the right side almost all the way over to the right, but not clipping.(if it is clipping you will see a tall spike at the right of the histogram)
Make shure all three histograms are good. If the sample shot histogram is too far left then bump the exposure up a little more.

NOTE: if you use aperature priority, when you set the exposure, you will have to hit the exposure lock button before you recompose the shot . ( If you don't you will meter off of what ever the center dot is pointing at when you recompose the shot.)

If the swan is moving fast, change to alservo focus drive. You may also have to change to a different focus dot for composition.


Compositionally, i think it usually looks best if you leave more room on the side it is looking. You also have a very nice reflection in the foreground, a virtical composition may have been nice as well , to inclue all of the reflection.

The edit : i think the water is a little too blue.

To make a reflection in the water really pop, you can brush in some saturation on the reflection and it will darken and really stand out. Also , a little saturation or contrast looks nice burshed on the bill and feet.(just depends on the photo, try both and see what looks better)

Thank you so much for such a detailed response. There is plenty in there to think about. I always shoot manual, but I might try again this weekend with some different settings.

I didn't do anything to the water, it was just a sunny day, perhaps I should desaturate it a little. It's great when someone can point these things out.

Originally Posted by bdbolin

I'd have given more room on the right to go with the angle of the swan, and use the rule of 3rds. Water is a little dark.... and perhaps next time try some interesting shots with the swans reflection? just some thoughts! Great shot though!

Thank you very much. Next time I will try to compose it differently.

All your comments are noted and hopefully my swans will improve with practise!

[Vinam]

Hello Ginger,

Whoever told you to use Swans as a study guide in improving your skills gave you excellent advice. I do the same thing... in fact after a disappointing outing , I will go back to my fav swan area and regain my confidence and it really relaxes me just watching them.

Don't feel like your missing something major shooting them, condidtions are always a little different and it's fne adjustments once you understand what's going on , As Prime already told you, the histogram will show you exactly what you captured and it makes it much easier to make those fine adjustents to your settings.

I probably have taken over 1k shots of them, at first I was happy to get one or two out of 50 I liked,, but in time it gets easier and learning to shoot them has helped me in so many other areas.

I think if I had to just pick a few bits of advice,

- Always try to have the sun at your back if possible, it helps with feather details, getting good details while controlling white balance is tough with any white bird .. Swans are mostly swimming and that means dark water & bright feathers , so you don't have as much control of Contrast in Editing as in other types of shots... so if you can control the direction of the light ( sun to your back ) it makes it easier .

- The neck of the swan is the one of the real areas to exploit and add punch to the photo, they will give you a nice S shape or a long curve if you wait for it, if you can get the reflection of the neck in the water , even if it's distorted it adds even more.

- It's obvious they are a very noble creature and that's another area to take advantage of. Again by watching them and picking the right times you can get images which tell the viewer " this is a magnificent animal " , If you should see them arguing with eachother be ready, one of them will rear up and spread it's wings and honk at the other , then you'll know exactly what I mean

- It is NOT easy to get right, remember it's a ongoing study and your working on it. I am by no means able to just go and shoot them, I have to make adjustments and spend time working it out , and I've been at it for a while now, so stick with it.

-don't shoot them with a wide open lense, you won't be able to make slight adjustments and you'll almost always lose the details in the brightness,

Your above photo shows great promise and has good qualities and your on your way.

I wanna leave you with an example of how shooting swans will help with other subjects, it has really helped me and might inspire you that if I can learn from them anyone can,



Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture: f/18.0
Focal Length: 800 mm
ISO: 400


This was shot at extreme range I not only had to adjust aperture but ISO as well, and I am at the very edge if not a little past of blowing out some areas.. but I was able to shoot a test, check my histo and adjust .. I would not have had the knowledge of how to do this without my practice with the Swans. I don't think it would even be possible to be honest.

So remember be to the east in the morning and to the west in the afternoon, learn to use the Histo it's a great tool and be patient because it takes time.

I hope I was helpful,

Vin

[Ginger Pixie]

Originally Posted by Vinam

Hello Ginger,

Whoever told you to use Swans as a study guide in improving your skills gave you excellent advice. I do the same thing... in fact after a disappointing outing , I will go back to my fav swan area and regain my confidence and it really relaxes me just watching them.

Don't feel like your missing something major shooting them, condidtions are always a little different and it's fne adjustments once you understand what's going on , As Prime already told you, the histogram will show you exactly what you captured and it makes it much easier to make those fine adjustents to your settings.

I probably have taken over 1k shots of them, at first I was happy to get one or two out of 50 I liked,, but in time it gets easier and learning to shoot them has helped me in so many other areas.

I think if I had to just pick a few bits of advice,

- Always try to have the sun at your back if possible, it helps with feather details, getting good details while controlling white balance is tough with any white bird .. Swans are mostly swimming and that means dark water & bright feathers , so you don't have as much control of Contrast in Editing as in other types of shots... so if you can control the direction of the light ( sun to your back ) it makes it easier .

- The neck of the swan is the one of the real areas to exploit and add punch to the photo, they will give you a nice S shape or a long curve if you wait for it, if you can get the reflection of the neck in the water , even if it's distorted it adds even more.

- It's obvious they are a very noble creature and that's another area to take advantage of. Again by watching them and picking the right times you can get images which tell the viewer " this is a magnificent animal " , If you should see them arguing with eachother be ready, one of them will rear up and spread it's wings and honk at the other , then you'll know exactly what I mean

- It is NOT easy to get right, remember it's a ongoing study and your working on it. I am by no means able to just go and shoot them, I have to make adjustments and spend time working it out , and I've been at it for a while now, so stick with it.

-don't shoot them with a wide open lense, you won't be able to make slight adjustments and you'll almost always lose the details in the brightness,

Your above photo shows great promise and has good qualities and your on your way.

I wanna leave you with an example of how shooting swans will help with other subjects, it has really helped me and might inspire you that if I can learn from them anyone can,



Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture: f/18.0
Focal Length: 800 mm
ISO: 400


This was shot at extreme range I not only had to adjust aperture but ISO as well, and I am at the very edge if not a little past of blowing out some areas.. but I was able to shoot a test, check my histo and adjust .. I would not have had the knowledge of how to do this without my practice with the Swans. I don't think it would even be possible to be honest.

So remember be to the east in the morning and to the west in the afternoon, learn to use the Histo it's a great tool and be patient because it takes time.

I hope I was helpful,

Vin

You were very helpful, thank you. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk me through what you do. Both times I have shot the swans lately the sun has been to my left, so I will remember to try standing on the other side of the pool when I go back.

I havent really looked at the histograms before, so this is the time to start!

I feel inspired to get back out there this weekend and see what I can do. Thank you.