Processing is now the Main Event

 

      In the world of digital photography, things are changing faster than most of us can handle. Every week it's the announcement of a new camera or new lens that seems capable of improving upon what we already have in our camera bags. Each new piece of gear seems to bring improved opportunities for making our photos better than before, as the sensors and the glass improve to bring us even closer to capturing the reality that we long to show in our photographs.

      While so many of us are focused on improving our images through purchasing better gear, older and wiser men and women are changing their focus to processing software, where the most important changes are taking place. Just as the equipment is radically improving at a record pace, so is the software that takes our images to the next level. We now can make gigantic leaps in bringing our images to a level that truly represents our vision as a photographer. Today's software can allow us to use older, less sophisticated cameras to make stunning images that match or even surpass many of today's latest cameras and lens. Professional level processing software can mean the difference between an image that gets trashed, and an image that becomes a prize winner.

      Every digital photographer needs to spend as much time learning how to use processing software as they do learning the in and outs of their gear. For me......the processing software is just as important as the gear I am using to capture my images. As a professional photographer, I spend far more time processing  my images than I do in the field taking the shots. This aspect is so important today, that many of the top photographers hire experts to handle this end of the business for them. I think many of you would be shocked to see the list of top photographers who send out their processing and printing to outside sources........it's that important.

      So.......where am I going with all of this? First, stop shooting jpegs and start shooting in Raw. These files contain far more data than your jpeg files. By shooting jpegs, you are allowing your camera to do your processing. Cameras vary greatly in their ability to process these images. Even the best cannot match what a Raw file can produce. By shooting Raw you are in charge of how your image is to be seen. That's IMPORTANT.  You are the photographer, and you need to control your images from start to finish.  It's that simple and that important to the overall process.

 

 

This image was processed using Adobe Lightroom, which is my personal favorite program. The image was shot in Raw with a Canon 5D 2, 24 - 105 L series lens, polarizing filter, with tripod. As you can see, unless you are processing your digital images, you are missing out on much of the data that is in your digital files.

 



 

Nothing Can Replace a Good Telephoto Lens

 

 

Indigo Bunting

 ( Canon 70D, Canon 600mm F.4 L )

 

 

Ruby-throated Hummingbird female 

( Sony A6000, Canon 100 - 400 L series )

 

 

 

Sandhill Crane

(Canon 70D, Canon 600mm F.4 L )

 

     Bird photography is challenging to say the least. It requires patience and persistence at a level that most folks find overwhelming. It demands a high skill level from the photographer, and it requires photographers to search out subjects often under less than ideal conditions. It is not a sport for the weak of heart, nor is it an undertaking that should be attempted without the proper gear. The most important piece of that gear is a high quality telephoto lens.

     Sadly, in years past, that meant a very expensive lens, and unfortunately, a very heavy lens. Today, however, things have changed, as lens have gotten lighter, faster, and certainly much more affordable. For most professional bird photographers, the lens of choice has been the Canon 600mm F.4 L series, which is an incredibly sharp and fast telephoto for wildlife photographers. That lens sells for around $12,000, and it weighs nearly 18 pounds. It requires not only a healthy budget, but also a strong and steady tripod. When paired with one of todays' high tech digital cameras, it's a hard combination to beat. Simply put.......it creates amazing images, as you can see in the examples above.

      However, lens technology has come a long way in recent years, and we now have some worthy alternatives to these "beasts" of the past. Take for example the Sigma 150 - 600mm, which can be purchased for around $1000 and produces some excellent results. It's much more compact, much lighter, and can be handheld under most conditions. Does it match the mighty Canon 600? Well, no, but it's $11,000 cheaper, and it can produce very sharp images, and I have seen images from this lens that rival any of the more expensive telephotos on the market.

     The truth is we need good telephoto lens to capture high quality images of birds and other wildlife subjects. But, it is now also true that we do not have to spend the retirement account to afford these kinds of lens. Technology is making this possible through the development of constantly improving optics. The genre of bird photography is opening up to more and more photographers simply because quality lens are now within reach of more than just professionals. It's just that simple, and we all will benefit from the great images that will be coming in the future. Let's all sit back and watch photography just get better and better. Keep Shooting. 

Hummingbirds in the Garden

 

Hummingbirds in the Garden

 

 

 

It's hard not to fall in love with Hummingbirds. I like to think of them as "flying jewels", as they seem to sparkle and flash in the light as they flit about in my garden. Every year like clockwork, they arrive in my gardens the first week of April, and they remain entertaining me until late September, when they begin their annual migration to Central and South America. These tiny little birds make one of the longest and most perilous journeys in the natural world, for which they have gained great respect and admiration.

      Photographing hummingbirds is certainly a challenge, but digital photography has made that task much more achievable to most serious photographers. Todays' new digital cameras offer us amazing technology that enables us to shoot faster shutter speeds and track these birds with lightning sharp focus accuracy. Unlike the limits set by film, digital cameras allow us to simply increase ISO speeds with the turn of a dial. When once we were limit to a grainy 400 speed film, we can now select a clean 1600 to 3200 iso that meets our needs. Yes, digital photography has changed the game.

      If you haven't yet tried photographing hummingbirds, let me offer you my approach, which seems to be working for my needs.

      1. Set your camera ISO to 1600.

      2. Select Shutter Speed Priority Mode. ( Choose 1/1000th Shutter Speed )

      3. Select Continuous Auto Focus Tracking and wide focus area.

      4. Use a medium length telephoto lens. ( 200 - 400 range works well.)

      5. Study your hummingbirds and look for patterns of behavior. What time of day are they   coming into your gardens, and what food source are they visiting most.

      6. Finally, spend time practicing. Your skills will improve.....trust me.

      I hope this helps, as you begin to produce your own amazing hummingbird photos. Let me know how you're doing and please share your own photos. Good Luck.