Birds Started bad but got better

[Ralph]

As the title has got it did start bad where the camera froze and I forgot where I had set a few things to.
The had to do a complete restart and I think I got a fair bit worked out.
Though not stupid enough to know I have got it fully right yet.
I am a long term project at best and I hope you all can be patient with me on this.

The shots posted are the 1st three are of a little Jacky Winter and the next 2 are of a Yellow-throated Miner.
The Miner one in my mind are good while the others need more work. I think I know what I must do and this is battle with a tripod.
As I do feel after a few more test this will prove to be the case..
So please again be honest.
Taken 29-07-2021

• ILCE-7M3
• 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary 020
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/160 sec
• ISO 100

• ILCE-7M3
• 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary 020
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/160 sec
• ISO 100

• ILCE-7M3
• 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary 020
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/160 sec
• ISO 100

• ILCE-7M3
• 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary 020
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/160 sec
• ISO 100

• ILCE-7M3
• 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary 020
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/320 sec
• ISO 100

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Love the Miner, lovely looking bird and nice shots. I would say with the first 3 you need to crop them differently, as this allows you to compose them to remove excess and distracting background features. As a general rule I only ever crop to 4:6 ratio or 1:1 (square) for Butterflies. Technically though, the focus on the birds is perfectly fine. I would definitely recommend shooting a higher shutter speed though. I use 1/500th as a starting point, and I'm very steady.

 

[WeeMalky]

Hi, Ralph, I agree with Kev. It's difficult with harsh light and noisy backgrounds. If we want the shots that's what we have to put up with you are doing fine keep up your good work like the rest of us you get there in the end. Funny the more we practice the better we seem to get PS hope you don't mind would still need a bit of work but you get the idea

• ILCE-7M3
• 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary 020
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/160 sec
• ISO 100

 

[Ralph]

With cropping its can kill a shot or make it. And with a lot of my bird shots I like to leave a little bit of where they are in the shot.
And I have been known to crap a shot a killed the thing. As I have had people say that to crop this far is just that too far.
So it comes down to what I like and I liked the branch going out to the left in the crop shot done by our mate WeeMalky.
I will in this instance say that I don't mind this crop but thought I was going to be pushing it too far.

So I went by cropping to what I like as this is who I have to please 1st of all.
But I am willing to listen to what has been said.
Many times here it is at times hard to get a bird out in the open but its not impossible .
So I have come to like shot that many other would not post as in what I have posted with the branches in the shot.

And on this day was when the camera froze so I was always waiting for it to happen again more over looking at settings.
Yes I should have been doing this but this isn't an excuse its the reason to why where I was with them.
Like I said please be patient with me ans it will come together sooner or later.
And it will all be right .
So many thanks to you Mr. Kev Harper and Malcom.
Honesty is the best way and I thank you both for that.