Sydney's Flying Fox (fruit bat) - My 1st Telephoto shot

[graciousness]

This is my first critique thread.....I hope this works!

Went to the Botanic Gardens the other day and brought my Canon 100-400mm L lens with me to use for the first time. One of the things I love about Sydney is its thousands and thousands of fruit bat inhabitants, and the Botanic Gardens have so many of them just hanging around the trees. I thought this could be the telephoto opportunity for me.

So here's my fruit bat that I noticed hanging around a leafless branch atop a tree.



First thing I learnt from this experience is that - WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY IS FREAKING HARD!!!

I think the photo is ok, but what could I have done to make it better? I really don't know where to even start as far as what advice I need - all I know is that the photo is needing improvment but on where, I don't know. Should I do a tighter crop as the sky isn't really that interesting?

Is the sharpness good enough considering I did take it handheld (and almost broke my neck from looking up and balancing this huge lens)?

I'm sorry if my questions are too vage (maybe) but I am a newbie and if I knew how to pin-point my problems....I guess I wouldn't be here

Many thanks for looking. I really would love some honest advice and opinion

EXIF:

Aperture: f/11
Shutter Speed: 1/500
Focal Length: 400
ISO: 800

Lens Model: EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM

Aperture Priority Mode

[graciousness]

Oh no, the attachment is not working

How do I attach the image properly??

[RichardTaylor]

If posting from Flickr (that's what I use) see this.

Posting Photos from Flickr [July 2010 Update]

Also from the critique forum you need to post Exif data for your photograph.

[graciousness]

Yeah, I just realised that I posted this without the exif and now I don't even know how to edit my own thread. Duhhhhhhhh meee.

I've just edited the thread.

Is that enough info?

Also, I don't have this photo in my flickr (my account is empty cause I'm chicken).

[graciousness]

Finally learnt to attach the photo properly via Flickr.

I also just realised today that my polariser was attached to the lens, hence the little bit of warmth to the sky. Don't know if that helped.

[Jim Poor]

Polarizers don't add warmth.


Could you have moved a bit to the left and got some separation between the head and the branch?

Not much you could do about the sun angle, but it would have been better to have the sun more to your back. Absent that, a little fill flash would have been nice.

[RichardTaylor]

In addition I would crop the image, tighten it up, keeping the rule of thirds in mind..

[graciousness]

Hi Jim, Hi Richard!! Many, many thanks for your response!

I had just come back from being out of town for a week (melbourne) and didn't have the chance to get on the net whilst on my holiday. So sorry for the late response on my part!

Jim Poor

Polarizers don't add warmth.


Could you have moved a bit to the left and got some separation between the head and the branch?

Not much you could do about the sun angle, but it would have been better to have the sun more to your back. Absent that, a little fill flash would have been nice.

I thought polarisers make skies a little bluer? I'm trying to get my head around my circular polariser - I only started using it that day!!

In regards to the shot, it was difficult to get the branch separation from the head as I had literally seconds to shoot this cutie bat (my toddler was trying to eat mushrooms under the trees) so I didn't even think of getting the best position to take the shot. But now that you have mentioned this, this is somethign I am going to keep in mind now as this didn't even occur to me! Cheers!

Fill flash ----- I have got to read up on this! I thought I can't use flash since it was soooo far away?? I guess I need to understand flash. This is completely out of my head as I don't use it.

RichardTaylor

In addition I would crop the image, tighten it up, keeping the rule of thirds in mind..

I thought I understood the rule of thirds untill I read your comment........oh my god, I feel so inadequate. Would you kindly show me what you mean by applying rules of third on a closer cropped shot on this?

You guys rule. Thank you.......

[Jim Poor]

Originally Posted by graciousness

I thought polarisers make skies a little bluer? I'm trying to get my head around my circular polariser - I only started using it that day!!

Polarizers reduce reflections as well as exposure which will make a sky appear more blue - unnaturally so if you're not careful. That said "more blue" cooler, not warmer.


Fill flash can be effective over much longer distances than flash as main light, especially when used with a Better Beamer.

[RichardTaylor]

Here you go.
Usually, unless you are shooting a subject in a scene, filling the frame is best.
Notice the body is on a "virtical third" line and the head is on the intersection of two "third" lines.
All the negative (blank) space on the left is a bit of a problem however I'm not so sure you can do much about that.