Struggle: Shooting White Birds

[KurtM]

This is resisting all efforts at learning: How to shoot white birds that neither look underexposed, nor blown out. Appropriately, I pick a Snowy Egret for today's lesson.



Camera Canon EOS REBEL T3i
Exposure 1/4000 sec
Aperture f/5.6
Focal Length 400 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire
X-Resolution 1
Y-Resolution 1
Software Picasa
Date and Time (Modified) 2012:01:03 15:02:45
YCbCr Positioning Co-sited
Exposure Program Aperture-priority AE
Date and Time (Original) 2012:01:03 15:02:45
Date and Time (Digitized) 2012:01:03 15:02:45
Metering Mode Multi-segment

If I stop down, the underwater vegetation disappears and the plumage looks dull and dingy. If I expose for good water presentation, the plumage looks nice and white, but feather detail is blown out. Add to that the problem of live subject, so can't use a tripod and bracket the shot all to hell and back.

Maybe I need to learn more about metering mode? I mostly use spot mode because I want the subject to come out "correct-est", but maybe I ought to try partial metering, or center-weighted average metering? I'm not sure I even understand the concepts, although I do know how to switch the settings on my camera (noobs - keep the manual in the gear bag). This one was shot in evaluative metering mode.

Wonder if a filter would help? Dang it, I have a circular polarizer, but never think to use it - as if I'd even have time to fool with it before the bird boogies.

Anyway, any suggestions or comments would be most welcome.....

[Hill Country Hack]

A well composed shot that is pleasing to my eye. I do like the morror image.

It is a quandry for me also shooting in harsh light, early or late is the time to go. I also live in Texas so bright skys are a way of life here. I did purchase a 0.6ND filter and it has helped. Neutral density filter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have only a basic understanding of the metering modes so i don't want to steer you wrong.

[RichardTaylor]

High contrast subjects that move are always a major problem..

I don't use any filters.
I don't think it matters how you meter so long as you allow (exposure compensation or manual exposure) for what is the most important part of your subject.

I try to keep the blown high lights on a white bird to the minimum, if any, and don't worry about the surrounds..

Check your histogram and also set up the display for "blinkies" (blown highlight indication)
Keep in mind what you see on the back of the camera is a jpg indication.
I always shoot RAW to give me some leeway when post processing.
If your camera supports highlight tone priority you may want to try it. (I don't use it).

[sk66]

Spot meter the bird +~.7 EC... You can't have everything. The bird is the subject so expose for that.
Personally, I think it's easier to regain detail in "underexposure"..."blown highlights" will NEVER reveal any extra detail.

[RichardTaylor]

Re the harsh light.
Try to shoot very early in the morning around dawn to an hour or so after dawn.

[KurtM]

Steve, what's 'Spot meter the bird +~.7 EC...' mean? Specifically, the +~.7 EC part?

Here's another approach I tried today, at about the same time of day: back lighting (or is it against the rules to post a second photo?). Hmm.



I also tried another one where I waited till a cloud passed in front of the sun for a temporary overcast, but the result was similar to stopping down: a dingy dull bird that needs bleaching or something. I'm not sure what I think of the back lighted one....

[sk66]

The +.7 ec is plus .7 stops exposure compensation.

If you spot meter the bird you will only be metering the white, but the camera want's whatever it meters to be grey so you have to add the exposure compensation....Depending on the camera it can be + .3 to +1.5 EC to get spot metered white to expose as white.

[KurtM]

Wonder if that's maybe why the shots I took today of Roseate Spoonbills, which sport lotsa white plumage, where camera was set to spot metered, came out badly over exposed and blown out? I couldn't figure out what happened, and never got a chance to study it.

Too late for it tonight, but tomorrow I'll shall study exposure compensation. Thanks!

[Tzetsin]

a circular Polarizer should help take some reflected light off the bird as well. You'll just have to be carefull of where the polarizer is working so you don't get it on any water reflections that you want to keep.