Photo setup

[Neil]

Hi all
I have recently moved from point and shoot to a 20D, I have access to a farm with a hide in a wooded part, a lot of farmland bird’s visit, see attachment. I have had some nice photos (not professional quality see second attachment). To have a fast shutter speed I intend to revisit with up to three 580 flashguns as it is all in shadow, because of the way the hide is setup I will need to use the transmitter to fire the flash. Please help with set up suggestions as when I have set it up at home the camera assumes I require fill in flash and keeps the shutter open for a long time after the bird will have moved. I don’t know whether to try the manual or sports setting on the camera.
Neil

Canon 20D EOS
Canon EFs 18-55mm "kit" lens
Canon EFs 10-22 mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Canon EF 75-300mmf/4-5.6 IS USM
Canon Speedlite 580ex x three
Canon Speedlite transmitter ST-E2

[henrya]

Neil, I know nothing about the 20D so can't talk about your set-up, but if I could produce pictures of the quality of your Bullfinch I'd be a happy man!

henrya

[Neil]

Hi Henrya
Thanks for the compliment but I have more poor photos than good ones. On the day of the bullfinch photo the sun was just right as he came to feed and perched in the right place for me. Most of the time there is a lot of shade.

Neil

[greg.siddons]

In shade I prefer to set the ISO (or equiv) to 400 and adjust the aperture to f2.9 (wide). Leaving the shutter speed on auto makes itself very fast for the available light. However, you do need to be focused spot on before you shoot as this depth of field is very narrow. The background will almost certainly be blurred, but that's fine in my opinion.

Cracking Bullfinch it has to be said again! I would be most proud of that shot. A lovely bird too.

[Helen]

Ah yes, welcome to the world of bird photography, not the easiest!

Have you cranked up the ISO to 800? Try it, it's not bad at all. I have the 20D, but use the 100-400 IS lens. What settings are you using? How far are you from your subject?

I do find though that 20D pics always seem a little "soft". Your bullfinch pic is very good, but could do with a little sharpening, IMO. I have to sharpen all my pics to at least some degree, unless I am very very lucky and there is fantastic light (doesn't happen very often on this island!).

Can't help you with flashes I'm afraid, I don't use them.

Regards

[Helen]

There is a photo of mine in the Gallery I took of a red kite, with a woodland background, that was at ISO 800

[nightshade]

Is it a bit simplistic or could you not fire one flash on the camera to the other slaved units?

[Neil]

Hi every one
Thanks for all the advice. I will try all the suggestions offered. I have so far used my 75-300 lens the largest aperture is f3.5. as I am only +- three meters (ten feet) from the subjects I could try the 100mm f2.8 prime macro lens. Due to the small holes for the camera lens to go through (see photo attachment on the original post) I can not have the flash mounted on the camera, also the next hole is too far for the short off camera cable (Cm). I have purchased the ST-E2 transmitter. I intend to put the flash on a tall fishing rod rest with an insert to mount the flash on positioned up against the hide so as not to put the birds off to much. The hide is one of six that the farmer has set up for his own photography use and keeps feed always available for the birds. The birds attracted are bullfinch, green finch, tree sparrow, blue tit, coal tit; there are also Woodpeckers little owls, tawny owls and many others. There are swans, Grebes, Coots and Moor hens on the pools. So the opportunities for a rank armature like me are excellent. As I have fished the commercial trout pools for a number of years now, so I have been invited to take my camera along at any time.

Thanks again Neil

[Kev Lewis]

from what I gather from the info provided you could treat the flash setup as a typical portrait shoot. One gun on ETTL full power high and left, second gun eye level on right at -1 comp and possibly use the third gun to illuminate the background or provide a touch of backlight on the bird. Use the 20D in manual 1/250second at approx f8-f11 at iso 100-200. Play with the aperture to get the correct exposure, note it is the flashgun to bird distance that defines the aperture not the camera to bird distance. In the custom settings set the camera to use 2nd curtain sync, this will give a better blur if the bird decides to fly in mid exposure. You will need to ensure that the base of each 580EX gun is in line of sight of the transmitter to give a reliable operation, so twist the base to view the transmitter and twist the flash head towards the target. Sorry if this is too basic but I don't know how comfortable you are using the kit

Have fun

[Neil]

HI Klewis
Not to basic, Just what I was after, I will try it on my next visit to the farm.
Neil