WITH A HINT OF FILL FLASH

Male Yellow-rumped Warbler

Every new bird species that arrives here after migration from the south is greeted with cheers. While this year some species have not arrived yet, or at least have not been seen, today a Yellow-rumped Warbler landed right here above the bluffs of the Little Maquoketa Valley this evening.

One of my goals this year is to improve my wildlife photography while using a speed light. I hardly ever use a flash light as the main light source. I’m a strong believer that the ambient, natural light should give a sense of the circumstances when and where the photo was made. And of course, there is always an exception from these wishful ideas if we want to tell our story with a photo.

When we sit on our porch in the evening at this time of the year, the setting sun shines right in our eyes and every bird in the front yard is backlit. To make a click, like the photo above, requires some kind of light from the front. This is when the flash from an off-camera speed light can be used to fill in the shadows and enhance the colors.

I admit, I’m not really good working with a flash light, but today I practiced a lot with the birds that are always here. When I just thought I figured it all out, this beautiful male Yellow-rumped Warbler, in full breeding plumage, landed right in front of me and gave me a minute to work with. As you can see, the warbler is backlit, the background is absolutely gorgeous, but the bird had too much shadow and did not stand out. Well, a little hint of fill-flash can make all the difference…

CARING HOUSE WRENS

The young House Wrens in our nest box start peeking out of the hole in expectation to be fed by their parents. I have seen at least two young birds but it sounds like there might be three or even four in the nest. You never know for sure but they make a lot of noise. The parents bring insects, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and spiders a lot more frequently than a week ago, a sure sign that the little guys will leave the nest shortly, possibly during the next two or three days. This is the second successful brood this summer for the wrens. We had more than just this one couple around here. The males are fierce competitors for nest holes and don’t like other birds near their chosen nest site. We found a destroyed and abandoned nest of the Northern Cardinals in a shrub between our two nest boxes earlier this summer, most likely the work of a House Wren.

This male with the spider in its bill gave me a few seconds before it flew to the nest. The sun was hidden most of the time but the clouds opened up suddenly for a brief moment and changed the light pattern. Adjusting the exposure compensation quickly for the ambient light was key for this photo. Because of the overcast I had the flash above the lens in order to bring out the colors. It also helped when the sun came out to lower the contrast by filling in the shadows, like on the chest of the bird. Flash compensation was set to -4 (-2 in camera, -2 at the flash light). This low amount delivers just the extra hint of light without creating a second shadow.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, MAGMOD MagBeam flash extender

MOTION BLUR FOR STORY TELLING

Male House Wren

How can we tell the story about the male House Wren, who sits on a perch near the nestbox and sings and chatters like crazy to impress one of the females? Knowing a little about the biology of the critter helps to answer the question. When the wren performs, he holds the upper mandible relatively still, while the lower mandible goes up and down with lightning speed. By using a relatively slow shutter speed (between 1/60 s and 1/160 s) I was able to freeze the eye and upper mandible while the lower one has a slight motion blur. We can use a real fast shutter speed and a powerful flash light to freeze every little feather on this wren, but there is a chance it may look like the wren is yawning, and this would be a totally different story we tell with our photo. A little hint of flash was used for this image to make the color of the wren’s bill stand out, but not to freeze the action.

READY FOR THE ORIOLES

Male and female Baltimore Orioles --------

They came a couple days later this year than other years before but we have the pleasure to watch at least five Baltimore Orioles in our yard again. Yesterday morning we had a thin overcast, giving the light a certain quality that I liked and making exposure very easy. Having the Nikon D750 and Sigma 150-600 on the tripod allowed me to shoot all the way down to 1/60s without cranking up the ISO higher than 400 (the image above was shot at 1/160s, f/6.3, ISO400, @450 mm). I always wanted to make a photo like the one above, with both, male and female oriole in the same frame. They sat there for only a brief moment and I do have just this one image with both birds. The important thing was that I had this kind of picture already in my mind and when the opportunity came I was ready for it.

Later in the evening the light didn’t have the same quality as it was during the early morning and I added a hint of fill flash to most pictures. The photo of the male Baltimore Oriole was made with 1/60s, f/6.3, ISO 320, @600 mm. Exposure compensation for the background was set to -0.7EV and flash settings were at -4EV.

GEAR TALK: MAGMOD MAGBEAM WILDLIFE KIT

MAGMOD MagBeam Fresnel flash extender -------

Well, I haven’t done any gear talk in a long time and after over ten weeks of testing I’m ready to write a little blog post about a new piece that made it into my photo bag. The MAGMOD MagBeam Wildlife Kit is a fresnel flash extender that has replaced the good old ‘Better Beamer’. Technically it works the same way, a fresnel lens collimates the light from the speedlight and extends the capabilities of the flash light by 2-3 extra stops. This is a big deal for my wildlife photography and I use the MagBeam usually with the long lens, the Sigma 150-600. There are two reasons to use the flash extender. First it allows to increase the depth of field, especially under low light conditions, but more important for me is to improve the quality of light for bird photography. Flash fill makes a big difference for the colors.

Now retired: Better Beamer flash extender

So why did I give up the old Better Beamer for the new MagBeam? Mounting the Better Beamer to the SB 800 speedlight has been always an awkward procedure, especially if someone is in a hurry. The flimsy plastic parts are held together with velcro and if you don’t secure the Better Beamer with gaffers tape, there is always a chance that the whole unit falls off while moving around. The MagBeam has a rubber part that fits tightly over the speedlight, called the MagGrip. It has a couple strong permanent magnets embedded that hold the actual flash modifier with the fresnel lens. When you need the MagBeam in the field, you just snap the modifier onto the MagGrip and start shooting. This is a big plus in my books and one of the main reasons why I like the MAGMOD MagBeam a lot. The modifier is made out of rubber and is collapsable for smaller packing.

Mourning Dove, photo made with MAGMOD MagBeam flash extender

In direct comparison of both flash extenders I would say the MagBeam delivers a slightly softer light, and this is a good thing. This may have to do with its oval shape, but I’m not sure. The only downside I can see so far is the little heavier weight of the new tool over the old Better Beamer. This is not a problem for me. The faster mounting time and softer flash fill outweigh the extra weight and the MAGMOD MagBeam will definitely stay in my photo bag.

NATURE CLICKS #361 - NORTHERN CARDINAL

Winter came back here in Iowa last night and a fresh layer of snow covers the ground again. Daylight saving time went into effect Sunday night and the only good thing about itis the extra hour of daylight that extends the shooting time with the camera after work. The cold temperatures and snow cover drive the birds to the feeders in larger numbers and tonight we had several Northern Cardinals visiting us. The cardinals are very shy and quite often don’t come down from the higher branches if I stand with my tripod on the front porch. The weather made them obviously a little braver and I had my chance to make a few clicks. The only way to make this photo was to use flash fill for some color, but this actually collides with the fact that there were always some little twigs between the camera and the bird. Their shadows were projected onto the feathers and put this shot into mediocrity. I didn’t pay attention to this little detail and saw it only later on the computer screen. No, the world doesn’t come to end for me because it is important to practice as much as possible and having a Northern Cardinal in front of my lens doesn’t happen every day… 😊

WOODPECKER TREE NO. 1

Female Red-bellied Woodpecker ---    

The tree in our front yard that I call “Woodpecker Tree No. 1” is probably one of the ugliest trees we have. But it is of big importance for our woodpeckers, if they want to approach the suet feeder that is not far from it. Before they enter the feeder, most of the time they land on this tree and hop down step by step, making sure no predator is nearby. The tree is also used to make clear who is next in line. There is a hierarchy between the different species and ages of the birds. The Red-bellied Woodpecker is able to scare the Northern Flickers away, even if some of them are larger. The much smaller Downy Woodpeckers always leave and wait patiently when one of the larger birds, like the Northern Flickers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, or Hairy Woodpeckers come to the tree.

Downy Woodpecker

Both photos are from last weekend after we had some fresh snow on the ground. This helps a lot with light quantity. In addition I use flash fill, not as my main light source but to make the colors more vibrant and to improve mostly the quality of the light. I’m still testing a new flash extender that made it into my bag a few weeks ago and I will write about this piece of gear here in the blog shortly. “Woodpecker Tree No. 1” has been always a good place to make tests with new gear. I know the location and most importantly can compare my results with older photos that were shot under similar circumstances.

SNIPER MODE

Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird --- 

I spent a little time with the birds in our front yard this evening. In about 45 days the hummingbirds will head south, taking the long journey to the south of Mexico and beyond. It is not difficult to take the picture if the bird is perched on a branch. The story lies (at least for me) in the gestures that can be captured and using all the technical means that are at my disposal while shooting is essential.

All images: Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, Nikon SB 800 speed light, Better Beamer flash extender

I shoot in “sniper mode”, means one picture at a time, because I want to use flash fill to bring out the colors in the bird and still maintain the environmental aspect by not making the background totally black. Another way to make the click would be to utilize the high speed capabilities of the camera, the NIKON D750 can do 6.5 frames per second, but these days 12 fps is what the most sophisticated bodies can deliver. However, a higher speed and shorter exposure time would have rendered the background totally black with today’s ambient light. So where is the challenge? The pictures were made with the SIGMA APO 1.4x EX DG teleconverter attached to the SIGMA 150-600 mm Sports lens, giving it a total focal length of 850 mmm. I used 1/60 s for both images and this is of course not shot from your hip…😉

AT THE HEIGHT OF SUMMER

Yesterday, while working with the camera at the nest box, photographing the young House Wrens, I saw out of the corner of my eye one of the Giant Swallowtails drinking nectar from our flowers. I have made hundreds of pictures over the years from that species and it isn’t really special anymore, but it was the way the light was shining through its wings that triggered my interest this time. The flash fill helped to reveal the colors of the purple cone flower and despite a very harsh overall light I was able to maintain the luminosity of the scene.

By the way, the little House Wrens left the nest today. I wasn’t there when it happened, so I will never find out how many have been in the nest. They are probably somewhere around here in the woods right now. I saw and heard the male parent bird singing this evening again and I now wonder if he already tries to attract the female again…

UPDATE ON THE OWLETS

600 mm, 1/100s, f/6.3, ISO 320, flash fill

I know I have some friends out there, and as far away as South Africa, who like to hear about how our little owlets are doing. The weather has been kinda “crappy” during the last few days but I try to drive down to the Mississippi River after work several times a week in order to see how the young Great Horned Owls develop. For those who do not always read my blog, this is the first time during the last four years that the Great Horned Owl is raising two young owls. Any other year before was only one owlet in the nest.

Today it seemed again that the juveniles are in good condition and there was a brief moment when I saw both of them at the same time. The mother perched in trees nearby most of the time. She was at the nest only once while I was there. Mother owl went always back to the same trees and branches during the last week because she probably can observe the nest very good from all of her preferred spots. She must trust me, because she turns quite often her back to me and rather looks over to the Mississippi and perhaps watches for some prey.

600 mm, 1/100s, f/6.3, ISO 320, flash fill

Rain and dark clouds during the last evenings made the photography very challenging. There wasn’t an ounce, and not even a gram of nice light! In these conditions I like to master flash fill for my images, with all its quirks, like overexposed branches, red eyes, or just dealing with the settings in camera and in the flash. The missing contrast on an owlet’s head or body in low light makes it difficult to obtain always focus for a sharp image and not every picture is a keeper. I know, this doesn’t sound like fun but I really enjoy the process of trial, error, and improvement, and it makes me happy if at the end of the day there is an image on the memory card that tells the story…

“SLOW” TELLS A BETTER STORY

Nikon D750, Sigma 50-500mm / f4.5-6.3 APO DG HSM, tripod, gimbal head, SB 800 speed light

@500 mm, 1/40 s, f/8, ISO 500

We never had so many Ruby-throated Hummingbirds visit the yard like this year. Especially now, with the juveniles buzzing around, it is very busy at the hummingbird feeders that hang from our porch. Every second day we mix a 1.75 liter bottle of sugar water to keep up with the high demand. We never ever have even been close to this amount. 

After a number of hot and humid days we finally got some much needed rain yesterday and today and the temperatures dropped quite a bit. This is probably another reason that we saw the hummers even more frequently today. With nothing but gray clouds in the sky I decided to stay home after work and aim for some new photos of the smallest bird we have here during the summer.

Nikon D750, Sigma 50-500mm / f4.5-6.3 APO DG HSM, tripod, gimbal head, SB 800 speed light

@420 mm, 1/80 s, f/8 ISO 500

I was asked today if I shoot my hummingbird pictures with a high speed setup. The answer is no, I don’t. Remember, my goal is story telling and that means in most cases I like to show a hint of the environment, even if it is just blurred because of a shallow depth of field, like with these two images from today. The light and the green and yellow color in the background suggest a lush environment, typical for a day in August, and typical for just how it is around here at the moment. On a rainy day there isn’t much light available and using the flash is essential to bring out some colors of the birds. No matter how hard I would try with a high shutter speed of, lets say 1/500 s or even faster, the background would always be pitch-black. And with that there is no story telling…

Another part of the story telling in both photos is the dynamic of the wing beats. You see the wings multiple times and this is how you see the birds when they buzz around. They don’t look frozen. However, there has to be one thing that needs to be sharp to make the image work, and that is the eye of the critter. If the eye is blurry, and believe me that happens more than I like, the image ends up in the trash can of the computer…

NATURE CLICKS #290 - BELTED KINGFISHER

Nikon D750, Sigma 50-500mm / f4.5-6.3 APO DG HSM, SB 800 speed light

I have reported about my desire to get closer to a Belted Kingfisher here in the blog just recently. Well, another visit in the Green Island Wetlands last weekend lead to this shot. I had the SB800 speed light on camera and was working the bird for almost three minutes. As most birds, the kingfisher didn’t care for the flash and was concentrating on one thing only, the fish in the water. This was the last click before it went down like a rocket. I couldn’t see the impact on the water from my location but heard the splash...

NATURE CLICKS #280 - YELLOW WARBLER

Finally I made my first photo of a warbler this year. During migration time in May we have not seen any of them in our valley here, although I paid utmost attention to any movement in the woods. Spring 2014 was so much better and I don’t know really why. However, this evening I went to the Mines of Spain, the wooded area south of Dubuque, Iowa, and tried my luck there. Sure enough I saw an American Redstart and found this beautiful Yellow Warbler under the canopy of the trees in an area with heavy brush thicket. Using the tripod is not very practical between the bushes and trees and so I handheld the D750 with the Sigma 50-500 and SB800 speed light attached. The warbler changed location every few seconds and it is a lot easier to follow the bird without the tripod. Working this way requires some faster shutter speed and I had the ISO pumped up to 1000 to make the click at 1/320s, f/8. The flash was used very subtle, just enough to make the colors of the warbler pop.

PHOTO FUN WITH SNOW

It isn’t difficult to guess what kind of weather we have right now by looking at this photo of a Dark-eyed Junco. It snowed heavily since late morning today. The snow draws a lot of birds to the feeders in the yard and daylight lasts already a lot longer. Good time for a photo session in the “backyard studio” this evening! 

I played with longer exposure times to get some trails of the snow flakes and to catch as much daylight as possible for the background. Even if we are a little tired of winter already, but I still enjoy a moment like this and the opportunities it brings for some great photography fun. 

WORKING WITH FLASH FILL

Nikon D300s, Sigma 50-500mm / f4.5-6.3 APO DG HSM, tripod, gimbal head, SB800, at 420 mm, 1/250s, f/8, ISO200,

It was another day with plenty of sunshine but very low temperatures. We go through a lot of bird food at the moment but who want’s to blame the birds or the squirrels, who eat probably as much as the birds do. 

It doesn’t happen very often that a woodpecker poses like this and this Downy did it for only a few seconds. Most of the time we see their side profile or the backside. I wanted to make this kind of a shot since a long time and today I had my chance. I was glad that the flash light was on camera already. A right dosed flash fill throws in a little bit of extra light, just enough to give the feathers some structure and to reveal the subtle colors on the front side of this Downy Woodpecker.