Critique & advice please (1 Viewer)

[helenol]

critique & advice please

I was a little happier with this result, but it's still not as sharp as it I would like.

H

 

[helenh]

It looks to me as though the point of focus is on the bird feeder rather than the bird - which may explain why you feel that the Chaffinch isn't sharp enough (the lower metal post is pin sharp and draws the eye to it).

 

[Tammie]

Oh, but it's still a fabulous shot, Helen!! Great capture!

 

[KC Foggin]

I tend to agree with HelenH. It appears that the camera focused on the feeder. The bird doesn't look exactly parallel with the feeder either so if you were focusing on the feeder first and then snapping the shutter that would explain why the bird seems soft.

 

[Brian Stone]

A cracking pic! I actually like the blurring of the wings as it gives an impression of action.

One factor here has to be shutter speed. To me the head of the bird looks almost as sharp as the feeder. The bits that are moving are not as sharp and the faster they are moving (e.g. near the wingtips) the more blurred the image. The tail does appear to be behind the field of focus.

To completely freeze the movement of a bird like this _and_ have it in focus from front to back would take a combination of a smaller aperture (to increase the depth of focus) and a faster shutter speed (to freeze the movement of the bird). Both of these reduce the amount of light getting to the film (or CCD on a digital). There would rarely be enough natural light to totally freeze the motion of a bird like this unless you were using very fast film (high ISO setting on a digital).

I think most totally sharp shots like this are taken using flash, which will feeze the action very effectively but make it look less natural. As I say some blurring in the wings gives the pic a dynamic feel.

HTH

Brian

 

[Joe A.]

I also tend to agree with Helen: My eyes first go to the lower metal pin on the feeder -- because it's in focus and shiny -- and then to the bird and back to the pin, etc. It's as though the bird is part of the background and consequently not in as sharp a focus as the pin. Brian's excellent point about using flash is also well taken.

Another possibility is that your camera's autofocus locked onto the base of the feeder. This could explain why the feeder is in sharper focus than the bird.

HTH

Joe

 

[helenol]

thanks to you all for the excellent advice and comments.

Personally I like a pic that shows the wings blurred.

I am going to try some different settings such as Brian recommended.

thanks again
H