Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Rules of Digital Photography

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":






at

14 comments:

  1. Rondeau RicJanuary 30, 2007 at 2:48 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  2. NatureWomanJanuary 30, 2007 at 2:59 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  3. YKWJanuary 30, 2007 at 3:14 PM

    BOTB, you CRACK me up!

    ReplyDelete
  4. BWJonesJanuary 30, 2007 at 3:48 PM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bill of the BirdsJanuary 30, 2007 at 5:04 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  6. Susan Gets NativeJanuary 30, 2007 at 9:29 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  7. sfrissellJanuary 30, 2007 at 11:08 PM

    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?

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJanuary 31, 2007 at 8:36 AM

    Now very carefully pick out the best one.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Liza Lee MillerJanuary 31, 2007 at 5:30 PM

    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!

    ReplyDelete
  10. robin andreaJanuary 31, 2007 at 10:25 PM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  11. EndmentJanuary 31, 2007 at 11:05 PM

    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 :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. MaryFebruary 1, 2007 at 9:22 AM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2007 at 10:37 PM

    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

    ReplyDelete
  14. lauraAugust 13, 2009 at 1:52 AM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete