Some Bird Pictures

[Brainonska511]

Just thought I'd share some pictures I've taken of birds hanging around my house in the last few days. Took them all with my Canon 200mm f/2.8L lens that I picked up this summer for use with my Rebel XT.

_MG_7220.jpg
_MG_7164.jpg
_MG_7192.jpg
_MG_7201.jpg
_MG_7205.jpg
_MG_7216.jpg

Enjoy.

 

[SexyK]

Very nice! Were you shooting hand held? I'm debating between the 70-200 f/4 IS and the f/2.8 IS... decisions, decisions.

 

[tdawg]

Not sure if you're looking for any critique, but in my opinion, you need to get closer to your subject in order to make an impact with these photos. There's not much around the bird that makes the image exciting enough to keep the entire frame. Either crop tighter to the subject, or use a longer lens, or have something else in the frame that makes us want to see the surrounding area. Right now, with the exception of the first image (snow) and possibly the last image (bird feeder), the subject you're trying to show seems to get lost in the surroundings.

Other than that, color and sharpness seem decent, just need to make more of an impact with the overall image.

I'm no pro, so take this comment with a grain of salt, if you wish.

-Trevor

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: SexyK
Very nice! Were you shooting hand held? I'm debating between the 70-200 f/4 IS and the f/2.8 IS... decisions, decisions.

Yep. All hand held; there is place on the 200mm f/2.8L for a tripod ring though.

I was originally thinking about getting the 70-200 f/4L IS (f/2.8L IS was out of my price range), but I settled on the prime instead. It was cheaper than the 70-200 and I figured I'd be using it most of the time at the most telephoto end.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: tdawg
snipr

I kind of quickly went through them when I processed them. I might go back and re-crop some and brighten some of the snowy ones (a few were kind of dark at a second glance); maybe adjust some of the color levels too.

As far as distance goes, I was about 10 to 15 feet away - the 200mm on the 1.6 crop camera makes it about 320mm too; I'm not going to be springing for a 400mm lens - don't have the money, a monopod to carry it around with, or enough subjects to make it worth getting.

 

[twistedlogic]

Wouldn't this work?

That would give you a F/4 98-280mm, .

I love shooting birds and still find the Bigma's 500mm too short(and heavy).

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: twistedlogic
Wouldn't this work?

That would give you a F/4 98-280mm, .

I love shooting birds and still find the Bigma's 500mm too short(and heavy).

I don't have a zoom lens. It's just a flat 200mm.

I guess I could always go with a teleconverter, but there are other things I'd rather spend money on at the moment, and 200mm is more than enough for shooting birds when I go home.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Nice shots. I like the dove one.