Close ups with flash

[squishy]

very good! those shots have excellent detail! surely the little flash catch pixel can be edited out w/o much trouble... or do you consider that cheating?

[ron1863]

Cheers Roger, lovely shots and I will have to give it a go. Our back garden is South facing and the only cover for taking shots means that I am facing into the sun, not ideal. I will need to give flash a try.
How do the birds react when the flash goes off?

Ron

[pressld2]

Great shots Roger. The flash is well controlled and not at all obtrusive - something I need to get better at as I have a strong tendency to overcook it. I'm impressed with the detail for such high ISOs too.

Dave P.

[Hobjob]

Nice shots Roger

What was the angle between the flash and lens?

Nearly stgraight or quite a way off?


David

[Ollie]

Many thanks Matt.

Squishy, Yes I could edit the catch light light out altogether but I prefer a catchlight.

Ron, Most of the birds ignore the flash, at the most I get the odd wing twitch, very rare for the bird to take flight altogether as the flash with the diffuser obviously isn't as bright as an undiffused flash would be.

Dave P. I find the 40D quite good on noise and I am a big fan of Neat Image. I mask the bird and only use Neat Image on the background


David (hobjob) I have posted a photo below of the flash set up. Unfortunately I haven't a photo of the flash with the 400mm lens it's got the Sigma 150mm attached but the angle of flash to lens is just the same.

Roger

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Ollie

Squishy, Yes I could edit the catch light light out altogether but I prefer a catchlight.

Catchlights are a 'must' to bring eyes to life. I used to 'knife' them in on black and white prints.

Jim

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

Catchlights are a 'must' to bring eyes to life. I used to 'knife' them in on black and white prints.

Jim

I agree Jim. A photo of a bird without a catchlight in the eye seems almost incomplete to me.
Roger