Spur of the moment trip out

den9112

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Hi, spare of the moment trip out , well it cost me a overnight stop and a long drive ,but i managed to get some photos a favorite bird of mine ,the puffin . I tried to get some in flight but i am not happy with them, i will post a couple up so i can get some advice were i am going wrong with them, its a bit late now and the driving as knocked me out .
puffin 29 by den9112, on Flickr
 
What a great shot.
These are just the funniest looking birds. I've only ever seen them in a nature program on telly, but they are beautiful and extraordinary.
 
I can hazard a good guess at exactly where you went wrong with puffins in flight....

The camera simply cannot pick them up in flight and acquire focus quickly enough. What you need to do is pre-focus the camera on a static object that is approx the right distance away from where you start tracking the bird. Then, don't press the shutter until the bird is a) in frame and b) under the chosen focus point. At that point half press the shutter and the camera will pick up the bird a lot quicker and be able to track it. Also remember that the IS takes time to settle, that mode 2 may be better if you're panning side to side following them and that AI servo mode will by default allow the 1st shot in a sequence to be fired regardless of whether focus is locked or not... so keep a lookout for the yellow dot in the viewfinder which indicates no focus lock... Finally zoom out a little at first as it's bloomin hard straight off to pick out the bird in the sky if it fills the frame completely. By the time you find it, you've missed the pre-focus point!!

If you follow the above, your in focus flight ratio will rise quite quickly.

Oh, and that's a lovely shot, as are some of the others on your photostream! :smashin:
 
Not aware of an easy way to get multiple BB code picture inserts off Flickr, so like you it becomes a tedious cut & paste job :)
 
LOvely shots - the first of the Puffin is great and I love the Gull Chicks shot :smashin:

JIm
 
Like the second set too... as to Flickr, I suppose it is a way for us not to overload the forum... just make it as difficult so that we pick only the best....

Raj
 
That first puffin shot is stunning. I really want to get to Bempton Cliffs to try something similar.
 

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