On a Scale of Zero to Ten/More 600mm f/4L IS Snow Day Images « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

On a Scale of Zero to Ten/More 600mm f/4L IS Snow Day Images

And The Streak Continues…

Today was our toughest day photography-wise with bright sun and northwest winds. We photographed the raptors in flight at the Akan Crane center fish feeding and did fairly well at the Itoh sanctuary in the late afternoon.

This post marks 81 straight days with a new educational blog post, a record by far that should be extended for at least another day or so, or not. Or more…. It appears that our lodge has great internet. To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask that use our B&H and Amazon affiliate links for all of your B&H and Amazon purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store. We sell only what I use and depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

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Today’s blog post took 2 1/2 hours to prepare. Enjoy. As I am unsure of our travel and lodging plans for the next few days the streak is in dire jeopardy.


red-crowned-crane-in-flight-in-snow-_y7o1199-hokkaido-japan_0

This Red-crowned Crane flight image was created at 1:42pm during the Day 4 blizzard on the Japan in Winter IPT with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops off the white sky: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Color temperature: Custom Pre-set.

The sensor above the Central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF just caught the black secondaries of the bird’s right wing as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #1: Angel Flight

More Cold Wet Blizzard Images

Despite the white out conditions and the difficulty of autofocusing accurately through the heavy snow I kept 104 images on the first edit. My rules are as follows: on the first edit, if you are not sure, keep it; on the second edit, if you are not sure, delete it; on the third go through, if you do not love it, delete it. These are four of my favorites.


red-crowned-cranes-squabbling-_y7o1421-hokkaido-japan_0

These tussling Red-crowned Cranes were photographed at 1:56pm during the Day 4 blizzard on the Japan in Winter IPT with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 stops off the white sky: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode. Color temperature: 7000K.

Central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF just caught the black secondaries of the left hand bird’s left wing as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #2: Tussling Cranes

On a Scale of Zero to Ten

On a scale of zero to ten, with zero being not bothersome at all and ten being terribly bothersome–an instant delete, what are your thoughts on the fact that I cut off the feet of the right hand crane? Please refer to the Tussling Cranes image.


red-crowned-crane-whooper-swan-in-snow-_y7o1466-hokkaido-japan_0

This image was also created during the Day 4 blizzard on the Japan in Winter IPT with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400 at 2:07pm. Evaluative metering +2 stops off the snow: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Color temperature: 7000K.

Central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF on the crane’s neck and re-compose. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #3: Swan and Crane Juxtaposition

Juxtapositions

I am always on the lookout for interesting juxtapositions, way to include two pleasingly arranged subjects in the same frame. What are your thoughts on this image and the arrangement of the Whooper Swan and the crane?


red-crowned-crane-displaying-_y7o1429-hokkaido-japan_0

This displaying Red-crowned Crane image was created at 2:56pm during the Day 4 blizzard on the Japan in Winter IPT with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 stops off the white sky: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode. Color temperature: 7000K.

Central sensor/AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF just caught the black at the rear base of the neck active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #4: Displaying Crane

On a Scale of Zero to Ten

On a scale of zero to ten, with zero being not bothersome at all and ten being terribly bothersome, i.e., an image wrecker, what are your thoughts on the tree coming out of the cranes head? Please refer to the Displaying Crane image.

You Favorite

Take a moment to leave a comment and let us know which of the four images above is your favorite, and be sure to let us know why.


nph-adv-composite

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Bosque del Apache 2014 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). NOV 29-DEC 3, 2014. Totaling 4 FULL-DAYS: $1449

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9 comments to On a Scale of Zero to Ten/More 600mm f/4L IS Snow Day Images

  • My favorite is the first image. The crane looks mystical to me with the white in white contrasts.

    The tussling cranes photo- probably a 5 on the cut off feet. The action is compelling but when I start to immerse myself in the story the missing feet drag my eye away from the focal pint of the image. On the other hand, it’s snow so wouldn’t feet be obscured anyway I ask myself?

    Crane and swan – I like the juxtaposition but don’t like the position of the crane hind end up.

    Displaying crane – background tree no problem. As said already, it’s part of the background pattern. Not sure about the feet here either though.

    A million THANKS for all the incredible knowledge you so generously share.

  • Ted Willcox

    My favourite:
    Image #4 Displaying Crane

    I like the composition, the background and the falling snow and of course the posture of the displaying crane. 0, to out of focus to be bothersome.

  • The Tussling Cranes rated as 0. The The displaying Cranes, the tree was not a bother as it is out of focus .My eyes was fixed on the action of the Cranes.

  • David Policansky

    So many questions, and I’ll have one for you. First, favorite image, the first one. The bird seems to be emerging almost as a ghost from the snow/sky background. Second, missing feet, 0. Third, crane plus swan. My least favorite of the 4 images; the juxtaposition doesn’t do much for me because it’s so accidental. In other words, I don’t see a compositional or behavioral element that links them. Fourth, tree coming out of crane’s head, -1. I actually think the line from the tree through the crane and on up makes the image stronger. This is my second-favorite image. The queston for you: How often do the in-doubt images that survive the first edit make it through the final edit?

  • Ron Gates

    Tussling Cranes…I think the action is more important that the loss of the feet although it was one of the first things I noticed. I have seen other published images that were less than perfect because the action or sighting was more important than the framing. The tree doesn’t bother me at all due to the fact it is so OOF that I also had to go back and look at it after you ask the question.

  • Loren Charif

    Tussling Cranes: 0. Everyone knows the feet are there. Had you been using a zoom lens, you could have zoomed back enough to include the feet, but with the 600, the time it would have taken to physically move back far enough would have lost you the shot. “Shoot first…” The action in this image speaks for itself.

    Displaying Crane: 0. The tree is far enough OOF and the bird is so sharply in focus that it’s not noticeable. I had to go back and look at it again after I read the question because it didn’t even register to me.

    Wonderful images!

  • Jay

    Tusseling Cranes 6-7 (6.5). One of the first things I noticed when looking at the whole image was that the one crane’s feet were cut off.

    Displaying Crane 1. Given the snow in the shot, I didn’t notice the tree coming out of the crane’s head until you pointed it out. This is probably my favorite shot of the four you presented.

  • Gary Axten

    Favourite is number one, it’s great! I really like the spread wing tips, white on white, how did you not lose the crane?

    The tree in the last image doesn’t bother me at all.

    I don’t feel the emu-crane adds anything to the swan.

    Initially even before reading the text I felt that the feet crop was a problem especially as you have similar but un-cropped images in your collection. However it is an amazing action image and as Doug says cut don’t clip. That said I would still rather have the feet present.

  • Tussling Cranes Feet Cut Off – 0. Like you preach, cut, don’t clip.

    juxtapositions – 0. Looks fine to me. Some people might complain about not
    seeing the feet, but hey, its snow.

    Displaying Crane – 1. I gave it a one only cause of the tree being there.
    Otherwise, I also think this is fine. It’s not like the tree is in focus
    so much that its the first thing that you notice. Plus the head and beak
    are going straight up, so that hides it also. And you have other trees in
    the background creating a pattern so it breaks up all of the white of the
    snow and Crane.

    Doug