Question about Bird Photography?

[Not4wood]

Hey Everybody,

I am now set to start shooting Birds. I just picked up a new Nikkor 70-300 VR Lens and went to the Local Farm Museum to shoot Birds for the First time last Sunday.

I also used my new Polarizer, but had a problem with the blue WB and had to correct for it alot in ACR. I dont think I corrected it enough.

Heres my first outing, let me know what you think.

Before anybody makes a comment, I had no choice these Peacocks were in a seperate Pen inside another Pen. Seems there was this Kids Birthday Party and I guess they didn't want some of these birds to be chased around LOL.
This Peacock is a hoot. He is known to look for Cameras, and when he sees a Photographer he will give you a few minutes then open up like he's doing it for his fans. This is actually the first time he's doing it for me.

Here is where he spots my Camera!!
http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/files/1/5/3/1/4/dsc_0985_074_peacock1_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=4582&c=member&imageuser=15314)


Showing off:
http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/files/1/5/3/1/4/dsc_0990_079_peacock2_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=4581&c=member&imageuser=15314)

Letting me do his close-up:
http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/files/1/5/3/1/4/dsc_0994_083_peacock3_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=4583&c=member&imageuser=15314)

This one is of a Robin, I had seen way up into the Trees. This little bird wouldn't look anywhere else. Seems this bird was watching something very high up inside the Tree.

http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/files/1/5/3/1/4/robin1_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=4580&c=member&imageuser=15314)

[Not4wood]

Almost forgot:

Its called the Queens County Farm Museum
Link here: http://www.queensfarm.org/

[H2O Junkie]

You know Mark, considering the time of day they aren't too bad. It was obviously peak time by the way the sun was that day. As for the trouble with your colors, try doing a custom WB on your camera prior to the shoot. It will make the world of a difference. Your camera manual should have instructions on how to do that.

The polarizer unfortunately won't do much for those photos. The polarizer is designed to minimize reflective glares. Since there is no glass, no water or other reflective surfaces it was virtually useless. Maybe a UV filter would have been better.

[lexcell]

Mark,
You are going to love the 70-300mm VR. It's a real sleeper...very sharp, VR and relatively inexpensive.
As for the images you have captured so far, good job considering the environment. One thing you might try next time if there is only one fence is to put the lens right up against the fence between the wires and you will remove the fence from the image.
From what I can see of the images, you did a good job of exposing in difficult light.
Keep up to good work!

[Not4wood]

Thnx guys, but shooting with the Lens against the Fence wouldn't have helped. The Peacock was in a Pen that was inside a much larger Pen and there was no way I was able to get that close. I think I have a shot that you can see this in.

In the background of this shot you see another Pen, this is where the Peacock was. I am shooting over an Old Fashioned Wooden Fence.

http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/files/1/5/3/1/4/0969_058_turkeypen_519796_thumb.jpg (http://www.elementsvillage.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=4888&c=2)


Now, I dont think I made my question clear about the Polariser. I know how to use it, and your correct there was Nothing around nor the time of day and the atmosphere was wrong for using the Circular Polariser. Thats not my question.

My question is:
When I did use the Polariser, my WB was off very badly. When I got my initial Image in ACR (I had shot these in Raw) my WB Temperature was in the mid to higher 40000, like anywhere from 44000 to 47000 meaning everything was very blue. Now, since this day was extremely bright, heavy contrasty light why was everything blue when it should have been about 52000 to 55000 by way of Color Temperature? I had my WB set in Auto Mode?

Or should I set my Auto WB to a Certain Manual Temp before I start shooting?

Thnx in Advance.

[lexcell]

Mark,
The polarizer should not have effected your white balance...unless it is of an inferior quality with a color cast to it. Polarizers are normally neutral in color. I use Auto WB to begin and if I feel the WB is not to my personal liking, I will use one of the preset WB settings such as cloudy to remove the bluish cast, etc.
The shady area would have had a blue cast but the sunny areas should have been closer to neutral in AWB

[Not4wood]

Mark,
The polarizer should not have effected your white balance...unless it is of an inferior quality with a color cast to it. Polarizers are normally neutral in color. I use Auto WB to begin and if I feel the WB is not to my personal liking, I will use one of the preset WB settings such as cloudy to remove the bluish cast, etc.
The shady area would have had a blue cast but the sunny areas should have been closer to neutral in AWB

Thank you, Laurie. Thats what I though it was supposed to be, a slight Neutral Density Filter and it wasn't cheap by far :eek:!

Now, I will have to go out and shoot some more I was afraid till I had gotten this clarification and was confused about what was going on. Looking at it, my WB was about 4700 and very blue.