Flying Home

[Elle]

This is my first attempt at capturing wildlife.
It was just a random thing, the geese just appeared and I had my camera in hand and had only a moment to snap this shot.


Is there a trick to capturing shots like these? I find that by the time I see something worth while to capture it has already passed,
or my camera was not on the right setting, etc.
(I think experience probably plays the biggest role in this!)

Thanks everyone

[Marko]

I think this is an excellent first attempt!

before we can suggest stuff...what gear do you already have?
and is wildlife something that really interests you?

[Elle]

Thanks....

I have a Sony A200 with the kit lens 18-70mm and a
sigma 70-300 F4.5.6 APO DG and a tri-pod (no flash or other lenses)

I am interested in a variety of photography and thought that
wildlife one would be interesting as well. I have mostly done nature
shots, ie. flowers, leaves etc.

E

[Marko]

The aperture of the lenses is also a crucial piece of info. especially the zoom.

patience is a key part, but also waiting for the right light, using a polarizer on bland skies. Being ready, being able to track moving objects, unserstanding composition. All these can help.

[kat]

I think marko nailed it on the head. Lovely first attempt! Waaaaayyyyy better than mine!!

[Elle]

Thanks Marko

I actually do have a polarizing filter on the 70-300mm

Patience is the key I am sure!

[EJC]

Hi Elle

I'm still new at it too. But I found positioning by a place that funnels the birds into a narrower area and getting your focus, exposure and adjusting the polarizing filter set in the centre of that area helps.

cheers
EJC

[Mad Aussie]

That's a nice shot Elle. I like it.

We often look at photos and wonder "How the hell did the photographer get that shot ... I'm never so lucky"
Well the answer is not always that the photographer was lucky at all. It's often because they have placed themselves in a good place at a good time to increase the odds of capturing the type of shot they wanted. Quite often that can mean waiting around or frequenting a certain place as often as it takes. They make their own luck in this way. That's where the patience comes in.

Settings etc will depend on so many variables so it's really hard to suggest anything of course but experience will help there and the only way to get that is get out and shoot your ass off!

[Elle]

... but experience will help there and the only way to get that is get out and shoot your ass off!

Love that... I really should get out more now that the weather is better!

Thanks everyone for the ideas