Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Rules of Digital Photography

Tuesday, January 30, 2007
14 comments
These days, when the opportunity presents itself, I am learning about digital photography as it specifically applies to birds.

This is not impossible, yet I am struggling a bit and getting a tad frustrated. I SHOULD read the manual, take a digital photography course, and ask for advice from my fellow photographers. At this point I have only accomplished the last "should." I peppered my fellow birder/photogs with techy questions during the Space Coast Birding Festival.

So here at BOTB I will share with you some of the rules I have learned the hard way these past few days and weeks.

RULE #17
Do not leave your camera on "burst" mode (multiple images captured in rapid succession) on a cooperative bird/animal/subject. Burst mode is normally used for flight shots and to freeze/capture subjects in motion.


If you leave the camera on "burst" while photographing a cooperative bird, you will end up with this, before you can say "Digital SLR":






14 comments:

On January 30, 2007 at 2:48 PM Rondeau Ric said...

No comment other than to say thanks for a good belly laugh laugh laugh laugh

On January 30, 2007 at 2:59 PM NatureWoman said...

ROFL!! I'm also working on learning about my camera and photographing birds.

On January 30, 2007 at 3:14 PM YKW said...

BOTB, you CRACK me up!

On January 30, 2007 at 3:48 PM BWJones said...

Yes, but of course with digital cameras, this sort of mistake is much less costly than before with our film based cameras and motor drives! It is a mistake as old as motor drives and 35mm film that we are rediscovering as technology has allowed us to quickly fill up and write buffers.

On January 30, 2007 at 5:04 PM Bill of the Birds said...

BWJ: you are completely right. So I don't feel guilty but I DO feel stoopid.

On January 30, 2007 at 9:29 PM Susan Gets Native said...

LOL!
What a series! I think I saw a feather move...maybe.
You slay me.

On January 30, 2007 at 11:08 PM sfrissell said...

Why not print them all, bind them together and make a "flip book" out of them. Then you can carry it with you as a reminder not to do it again! Murphy's Law just never lets up does it?

On January 31, 2007 at 8:36 AM Anonymous said...

Now very carefully pick out the best one.

On January 31, 2007 at 5:30 PM Liza Lee Miller said...

Thank you for raiding my iPhoto files and showing everyone how I burst-mode everything! Sigh. Okay, when the bird is just sitting there, burst mode goes off! Got it. Thank you for doing these rules. I needs 'em!

On January 31, 2007 at 10:25 PM robin andrea said...

My burst mode only takes four photos! I think I have a shot of a Great Blue Heron that looks just like yours. They are rather still much of the time.

I know about as much of how to use our digital camera, as I know how to use my own brain. I've grown to accept that a lot of potential goes to waste.

On January 31, 2007 at 11:05 PM Endment said...

Why didn't I learn the rules earlier??? I have a number of similar shots... However you have given me back perspective and I can now laugh over the photos :)

On February 1, 2007 at 9:22 AM Mary said...

You won't find much action watching a GBH for the most part...LOL! Now I'm going to look for a burst mode on my camera...I hate to read the instructions.

On February 5, 2007 at 10:37 PM Anonymous said...

Erm...personally I'd leave the camera in multiple-shot mode and practice releasing the shutter button promptly when you want only a single shot. If you get some extras sometimes, so what? They're free, after all. That's one of the wonderful aspects of digital photography, you can act like a National Geoographic photographer (600 *rolls* for a big article, 200 rolls for a small one)without National Geographic's film budget. And once you move the switch from the camera into your head, you won't get lots of extras -- but you will be able to shoot a burst *now* any time you need to.
Regards,
David Beierl

On August 13, 2009 at 1:52 AM laura said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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