It’s been a very long time since I’ve gone back and looked at some of my earliest images after I started photographing birds. I did so last night and the process was both enlightening and painful. Enlightening to see how far my equipment, particularly cameras, have come in those eight years and painful to be reminded of some of my early mistakes.
Each of the following images was taken at Farmington Bay in the winter of 2009. At the time I was still using the Canon 40D which I thought was quite the step up from my previous camera the Canon XTi (and it was) but dang I’m sure glad I’m not using the 40D now – 10 megapixel images just don’t give me much to work with.
1/1000, f/8, ISO 500, Canon 40D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM, not baited (see caveat in text), set up or called in
This adult Bald Eagle was coming in to feed on fish in a pond just out of frame at the bottom of the image. The fish (carp) had been killed by the refuge in an effort to control the damage they cause to the wetlands (I suppose whether or not that means the eagles were being baited is open to interpretation…). It was a very cold February morning so the phragmites are heavily frosted and the high early morning humidity was similar to thin fog.
I like the photo but sharp eyes will notice that the eagle isn’t quite as crisply detailed as I have come to expect from my images. That’s due to several factors:
- the atmospheric conditions – all that humidity sure didn’t improve image detail
- the small file size of the 40D. The image has been cropped to 50% of the original and that didn’t leave me a lot of pixels to work with
- shooting at f/8 probably didn’t help. Back then I nearly always shot at f/8 because I’d read somewhere that the optimum aperture for my lens was f/8. It makes me cringe to think of how many images I screwed up in my ignorance, especially for lack of shutter speed.
1/1250, f/8, ISO 500, Canon 40D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
This adult female Northern Harrier was also feeding on killed fish at Farmington. We normally don’t think of harriers as fish-eaters but when it gets very cold at Farmington they do so to survive.
I’m the poster child for “creature of habit” and once a practice becomes engrained in me I find it difficult to change. This image illustrates two early bad habits of mine:
- In the excitement of the moment I never even used to think of removing my teleconverter when the birds were mostly too close so I got a lot of images like this one that were framed much too tight
- Notice that this image was also shot at f/8 – not because it may or may not have been the best choice but because it’s what I always did
I found it to be instructive (and just a bit nostalgic) to go back and look at some of these older images. Boy, I wish I knew then what I know now!
Ron
I wish I knew NOW what you knew then. I’d still be a better photographer for it.
Hadn’t noticed the shadow of the eagle’s head un its body until Pam Sklar pointed it out…one of the many reasons i enjoy the comments so much and revisit your images so often…there’s always more to see and learn…
I really lie the shadow of the eagle’s head on its wing. The harrier made me “OOOhh” out loud it is so beautiful.
Wow, Ron, those are gorgeous photos. Well done!
Thanks very much, Jean.
As is usual others (particularly but not exclusively Dick and Patty) have said what I wanted to say.
I do wonder though (and would be very surprised) if you were as hard on your students as you are on yourself. Life is, or should be, a learning process.
Your images (including the ones which don’t satisfy your picky self) fill me with awe, with wonder and with gratitude. And teach me as well…
EC, I’m “hard on myself” partly because publishers are hard, very hard, to please. And because I like to continually improve.
But I must say that I thoroughly enjoy many of my images that are far less than perfect, including these two.
I always appreciate it when you write about technical matters (and demonstrate through photos). I REALLY like photographing Northern Harriers—both genders, since they’re so different. Your photo of this harrier shows all its beautiful feathers and colors and so much more—it’s great! I think it’s the teacher in you that likes to analyze and share your thoughts about the technical aspects of your photos. Thank you for doing that—it’s very interesting and helpful for those of us who keep trying to learn more. I am amazed that you are able to remove your teleconverter in the field, in the midst of photographing a fleeting moment, and not get dust on your camera or lenses. You would probably laugh at the lengths I go through while changing lenses or teleconverters in relatively “safe” conditions indoors, just to make sure no dust gets in. Thanks for another interesting post and beautiful photos!
“I always appreciate it when you write about technical matters”
Good, Pamela. I know that some are interested and others bored by them but I try to provide enough variety from day to day to keep the interest of most over time.
And I’m sure you’re right – the teacher in me comes out even when I’m not really aware of it…
To my eye, the pictures are great. Once I review them through your lens (haha), I can see what you mean. 😀
Yeah, the difference in quality is noticeable, Arwen.
It’s all a learning experience, life is a learning experience! When we stop learning from our past or our mistakes that is when we will repeat them or we move to the great beyond. Change is inevitable, sometimes good sometimes bad, but hey, keeping our minds active is what it is all about. Life is too short not to enjoy every moment!!!!!
I can see what you mean with the eagle, but with the camera you were using that is not a bad shot.
Now, I read what you said, but I have to tell you Ron, from my perspective, I really like the Harrier shot! I know it is tight and I know you would have liked more pixels, but I like tight shots every now and then and to my eye that is a neat shot!
“I really like the Harrier shot”
I like it too, Dick, despite its tightness. For me its major appeal is the good close look at a species that is normally very difficult to get close to.
Ron, if you didn’t have to learn, you wouldn’t be human! But I also know, from experiences I’m going through right now, that letting go of old, ingrained ways is very difficult. The good news is that you have learned and changed. These two images are enjoyable. I really like the detail visible on the Northern Harrier. It’s also clear that you have changed considerably as a photographer, both in the quality of your images (at least the ones you post…) and that intangible quality I have a hard time describing, that shows your deep connection with birds and results in images that capture the birds’ personalities.
I enjoyed your entire comment, Susan, but your last sentence meant an extra lot to me. Thank you!
I know I say too much, but can’t stop now…If you think reviewing old photos is painful, you might want to try going over old paintings!!! Next time I even think about doing this, I’m going to try to get hold of some kind of anesthesia first, then a boatload of painkiller! Maybe I’ll start drinking….
I had a bourbon in front of me while I was reviewing those images last night. I think it helped to soften the blow(s)…
Painful as it is, even with a numbing desensitizer, bourbon or some equally effective stuff, truth be told, it is very instructive and therefore valuable…agreed! Nsometimes you even get a nice surprise…y
Patty, I find myself wondering about the wisdom of your reading this blog – this is not the first time you’ve threatened to start drinking over some of the discussions… 😇
Don’t worry, Rocky…I’m all talk…what I really need to start drinking, according to the doc, is more water…computer guy said the same thing…makes you get up and go., literally. I have a tendency to get stuck, either on this evil iPad or painting…don’t get up, don’t walk around, don’t even stand… don’t get hungry or thirsty, don’t move….not good!
Patty, the doc and computer guy are right. I think the secret to more water is to keeping a glass near you – it’s what I do. You probably don’t want to know that I have walked 20 miles, literally, in the last three days (We were doing our volunteer work at Hueco Tanks). I think I’m too old to do that much, and am definitely feeling it. But it’s worth it to get out and move. We are blessed to ‘have to’ go out to the park, where we see all sorts of wonderful critters and flowers – things like Javelinas pigging out on acorns, trying to dodge tour groups, or some of the fun lizards. Our love of nature and sharing that fantastic park with others is a great motivator to move. If I didn’t have that I’d probably be stuck on my computer all day…
I like both images…for many reasons…not being much of a photographer, I’m pretty ignorant of the techy stuff…more interested in the artistic elements and detail…and in both of these beautiful images there is plenty. I would guess you have to rely on ingrained “habits” quite a lot when having to react so quickly to the elusive subjects you try to capture…you just have to keep upgrading both habit (automatic reaction) and equipment…so glad you’re the one adicted to this not me…all I have to do is benefits from your misery…and ever increasing expertise…I like the position of the eagle in the first and the soft blur of the phramites and like the close crop and detail in the second.o
Another insightful comment from you, Patty. This – “all I have to do is benefit from your misery” – made me laugh out loud.
Effing iPad can’t(wont ?) spell anything correctly…I write “addicted” , it writes “adicted”…Jeeeez!
See tye N and the y…it hates me!!!
I enjoyed these photos and your thoughts. Sounds like opening to ‘beginner’s mind’ (rather than becoming mired in habits) keeps one from staying at ‘beginner’s level’ of proficiency! A good lesson for us all to keep in mind…
There’s soooo many lessons to be learned in photography, Alison. All too often that doesn’t mix well with my tendency to be habit oriented.
I agree that camera have come a long way and I’m sure it’s painful for many photographers,but I still think you’re tooooo hard on yourself. These are really wonderful shots.
Charlotte
Don’t get me wrong, Charlotte – I like them too. But they could have been better…
Still nice photos. It never hurts to look back – much easier to see “progress” that doesn’t always seem to be happening that way. The f/8 is still out there a lot as a recommendation for many things. Of course, then one doesn’t have to think to much! 🙂
“then one doesn’t have to think to much!”
I’m sure that’s where I was back then, Judy – when I was first learning I was overwhelmed by all there was to think about before pushing the shutter.
“when I was first learning I was overwhelmed by all there was to think about before pushing the shutter”. That’s where I still get at times plus getting locked in what I’m trying to capture! 🙂
Eventually a lot of it becomes almost automatic (similar to muscle memory) so there’s not quite so many things to think about.