Index
AC power 166
accessories 9, 79; camouflage covers 191; flash stands 172; lenses 41–42
Adobe 18
AI servo tracking sensitivity 95–97
amplification 53
analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 55
animals 185–203; blinds 191–198; captive 185–187; distance from 146–147, 160, 172, 177, 188–191; feeding and feeders 3–4, 95, 155–156, 193, 198–200, 201; habituated wildlife 187–188; harassment of 3, 147, 161; small 186–187; spending time with 160–161; stalking 188–191; tagged 145
Antarctica 2, 34, 35, 40, 87–88, 117, 151, 160
aperture: Auto ISO 65; automatic exposure modes 62–65, 71; exposure compensation 66; flash exposure 176, 182; f-stops 46–48, 49, 50, 52, 53, 106–108; lenses 28; low light shooting 137; manual exposure 71, 72, 73; metering 73; polarizing filters 79; reducing background chaos 152–153; re-placing the histogram 58; zoom lenses 33
Aperture-priority 2, 62–63, 73, 167; balanced flash 176; depth of field changes 71; exposure compensation 58, 65, 174; low light shooting 124
Auto ISO 1, 2, 65, 71, 73, 74, 124–125
autofocus 82–91; back-button focusing 90–95; continuous 87–90, 91–92, 93–94, 96, 119; contrast 80; focus limiter 82–83; focusing points 83–87, 88–90, 92, 93, 96–97, 118–119, 187; foreground obstacles 80; lens speed 29, 79; light intensity 124; prime lenses 31; setting 82; single 87, 90, 92, 93; snow 80; studying your options 97; teleconverters 37–8, 39, 80–81; tracking sensitivity 95–97; zoom lenses 33
automatic exposure modes 61–65, 66, 68–70, 182
available light 46, 53, 71, 72; autofocus 79; background reflectance 69; color of light 129, 131; contrast 136; exposure compensation 65–66, 167; flash 163, 164–165, 166, 168, 172–177, 182–183; intensity 124; overcast light 136, 186; shutter speeds 116, 119, 169; white balance 134
back-button focusing 1, 2, 74, 80, 84, 89, 90–95, 119
backgrounds 68–69, 147; balanced flash 165; controlling the background 152; flash 169, 176; perspective 158–160; reducing background chaos 152–156; shooting from a blind 191
bags 9
ball heads 111–112, 117, 187, 198
beaches 188
bean bags 29–30, 31, 82, 117, 124, 198
birds 4–5, 146–147, 202–203; beaches 188; beaks 77, 80; extension tubes 23; feeders 155–156, 193, 198–199; flight photography 118; ISO settings 54; shooting from a blind 192, 193, 195, 196–197, 203; water drips 201; see also ducks; hummingbirds; nests
blinds 32, 34, 156, 191–198; bag blinds 191–192; cars 198; exposure compensation 67; manufactured 192–193; permanent 193–195; scaffolding 193, 203; water 195–198
boats, photographing from 29, 87–88, 117
brightness: contrast 134–135; exposure compensation 65; metering modes 61; overexposure 60; see also exposure; histograms; light
brightness histograms 17–18, 59, 60
Bull River Guest Ranch 200
bull’s-eye syndrome 157
burst depth 11–13, 14, 16, 20, 39
burst rate 9–11, 14, 16, 20, 30, 39
cameras 7–23; autofocus 82, 97; back-button focusing 90–91; built-in flash 166, 176; burst depth 11–13, 14, 16, 20, 39; burst rate 9–11, 14, 16, 20, 30, 39; control dials 73; cropping of images 16–17; dedicated flash 170, 177; electrical noise in images 14–16; exposure compensation 167; extension tubes 22–23; file formats 18–20; firing 113–116; flash exposure 167–168; highlight alerts 18, 60; LCD monitors 17; L-plates 113; megapixels 13–14, 15; memory card considerations 20–2; metering modes 61; rotation of 150; selection of 9–18; tilt/shift lenses 8; white balance 131; see also flash; lenses
camouflage: blinds 191, 192, 195; clothing 190–191; equipment covers 191
Canon 7–8, 9; Auto ISO 74; autofocus 80, 82; back-button focusing 90, 91; burst rate 10; crop factors 16; dedicated flash 166, 177; dial direction 73; file formats 19; file size 12–13; flash 170; focusing options 94, 97; focusing points 84, 85, 86; histograms 60, 73; image stabilization 29, 30–31, 116; ISO settings 53; lenses 26, 27, 29, 31, 33, 37, 41; megapixels 14; metering modes 61, 67; PC extension cords 178, 179; Shutter-priority mode 64; white balance 130–31; wireless flash 179, 180
car blinds 198
centered subjects 157
channels for wireless flash 180
Cloudy WB 129, 131, 132, 133, 137
colonial birds 203
color: chromatic aberration 106–107; color temperature 134; direction of light 125; flash 175; histograms 17–18, 59, 60; Kenya 139; of
light 129–134; photosites 55; polarizing filters 41; white backgrounds 152
composition 74, 143–161; center of interest 145–147; changes in 69–71; controlling the background 152; cropping the image 16; direction the animal is looking 150, 156–158; full-frame images 147–148; horizontal and vertical 148–150, 157; perspective 158–160; portraits 148; quality images 99; reducing background chaos 152–156; size of the subject 145–147; viewpoint 150–152, 155; wildlife painters 144–145; working with the subject 160–161
constant maximum aperture 33
continuous autofocus 87–90, 91–92, 93–94, 96, 119
contrast 80, 108, 134–136, 138; balanced flash 165; diffused light 128–129, 191; direction of light 125,
127; distracting backgrounds 152; fill-flash 164, 172; flare 42; single flash 177
control dials 73
costs: full-frame sensors 16; lenses 25, 26, 27–29, 33, 37; memory cards 20, 21
covers 191
crop factor 2, 16, 39, 147, 198
cropping of images 16–17, 19, 39, 99, 157 Custom WB 134, 186
dawn 15, 45, 53, 100, 102, 127, 136, 138; see also sunrise
daylight 131; see also overcast light; sun dead-center compositions 157
dedicated flash 166–167, 170, 177
depth of field: automatic exposure modes 62, 71; filling the image with more subject 154; groups of animals 116; ISO 105; lens speed 79; manual focus 80; portraits 148; reducing background chaos 152–153; small subject size 147; tilt/shift lenses 8
dial direction 73
diffraction 106
diffused light 128–129, 135, 136, 139, 191; see also overcast light
dim or low light 8–9, 15, 104–105, 116, 124–125, 137, 176
dioptric adjustment knob 78, 80
distance from animals 146–147, 160, 172, 177, 188–191
distracting backgrounds 152
ducks 144, 145, 188, 196; composition 156–157; focusing 96, 97; harlequin 3; mandarin 54, 55; photogenic subjects 100; Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park 186, 187
dusk 15, 53, 102, 136; see also sunset
environment, animals in their 147, 148
equipment covers 191
expose to the right (ETTR) 19, 45, 60, 68, 80; changes in composition 69–70, 71; contrast 135; manual exposure 71, 73; quality images 99; Shutter-priority mode 74
exposure 45–74, 143; Auto ISO 65; automatic 61–65, 66, 68–70, 182; changes in composition 69–71; compensation 58–59, 65–68, 70–71, 73–74, 135, 167–168, 173–176; flash 108, 165, 167–169, 173, 174–175, 176, 182–183; guidelines 45; highlight alerts 18; how not to judge 46; ISO settings 53–55; law of reciprocity 52–53; lens speed 79; manual 52, 58, 61, 62, 66, 69, 71–74, 167, 173, 176; metering modes 61; metering preferences 73–74; quality images 99; reflectance 68–69; sensors 55; shutter speed selection 51–52; stops 46–51, 52, 53; see also brightness; f-stops; histograms; light; overexposure; underexposure
feeding and feeders 3–4, 155–156, 193, 198–200, 201; sugar water feeders 17, 85, 95, 109, 172, 199–200
files 18–20, 105–106; file management 3; size 12–13, 14, 18–19, 39
fill-flash 1, 164, 172–173, 177, 186
filters 78–79; polarizing 41, 42, 78, 79; protection 2, 41–42, 78, 102; zoom lenses 33
flare 42
flash 2, 8–9, 108, 129, 132, 133, 163–183; balanced 165, 176; basics 166; built-in 166, 176, 179; contrast 136; dedicated 166–167, 170, 177; developing your flash skills 182–183; exposure 167–9, 173, 176, 182–183; extending the flash range 169–172; fill-flash 1, 164, 172–173, 177, 186; freeze flash 166, 175–176; low light shooting 124; main flash 1, 164–165, 174–175; multiple flash 1, 172, 176–179; power ratio considerations 180–182; projected 202, 203; sync speed 173–174, 175–176, 180, 181, 182–183; teleconverters 38–39; third-party flash makers 167
flash stands 172
flight photography 118
focal length: crop factor 16, 39; flash 170; f-stops hand-held shooting 116; lenses 29, 31–32, 33, 36, 37; reducing background chaos 152; teleconverters 37–38
focusing 77–97; adjusting viewfinder clarity 78, 80; AI servo tracking sensitivity 95–97; back-button 1, 2, 74, 80, 84, 89, 90–95, 119; filters 78–79; focus modes 87–91; goal of 77; hand-held shooting 118–119; locking focus 94–95; manual 29, 38, 79–82, 94; minimum focus distance 22–23; precision 1; selective focus 153; tilt/shift lenses 40–41; zoom lenses 31–33; see also autofocus
Forbes, Bill 195
foreground: balanced flash 165, 176; obstacles 80
f-stops 46–48, 49, 50, 52, 58; Aperture-priority mode 62, 63, 167; depth of field 147, 152–153; fast shutter speeds 119; flash exposure 182; flash range 169; focusing 77; manual exposure 167, 173; optimum 106–108; reciprocity chart 53; Shutter-priority mode 65, 74; two-flash setup 177
Galapagos Islands 2, 34, 65, 114, 116, 201; iguanas 40, 92; photographing from boats 117; tortoises 15, 16
ghost images 175
golden light 134, 136, 137–138, 139, 155, 186
habits, developing superb 119
Hahnel 180
Hama 178
hand-held shooting 29, 30, 116, 117, 118–119
highlight alerts 18, 60, 167, 168
highlights 121, 122; backlight 127; contrast 135; exposure 45, 46, 58, 60, 70, 73, 168; fill-flash 164; main flash 174; sidelight 127
histograms 17–18, 55–59, 70; clipping 57–58; expose to the right 60; exposure compensation 58–59, 66, 67–68, 73, 74, 173; exposure guidelines 45; flash exposure 167, 168, 174–175, 176, 182; luminous 17–18, 59, 60; manual exposure 71, 72–73; re-placing 58; RGB 1, 2, 17, 18, 59, 60, 74
horizontal compositions 148–150, 157
hummingbirds 3; back-button focusing 94–95; ball heads 111; composition 16; flash 129, 164–167, 169, 172, 174–175, 177, 180–182; migration 201; quality images 101; sugar water feeders 17, 85, 109, 172, 199–200
image stabilization (IS) 8, 29–31, 116–117; lenses 25, 26–27; low light shooting 124, 137
Inverse Square Law 168–169, 177
ISO 2, 53–55, 202; Auto 65, 71, 73, 74, 124–125; exposure compensation 66, 67; fast shutter speeds 119; filters 41; flash 169, 176, 182, 183; law of reciprocity 52–53; light intensity 124; low light shooting 137; manual exposure 72, 167; metering 73; noise levels 14–16; polarizing filters 79; quality images 103–105; re-placing the histogram 58; Shutter-priority mode 64–65; slow shutter speeds 116; stops 47, 49–51, 52; tripod use 108; two-flash setup 177; white balance 132; zoological parks 186, 187; zoom lenses 33
JPEGs 5, 18–20, 105–106; burst depth 12–13; exposure guidelines 45, 66; flash exposure 176; histograms 55, 60; white balance 131, 133
Kenko 23
Kirk Enterprises 111, 112, 117, 172, 187, 198
landscape orientation 97
landscape photography 127, 134
lenses 25–43; accessories 41–42; camera shake 113; Canon and Nikon 7, 8; cleaning 42–43, 102; crop factor 39; extension tubes 22–23; factors that affect image quality 102; focus limiter 82–83; f-stops 106–108; hoods 42, 78, 102; image stabilization 29–31, 116–117; intermediate 36–37; long 37; prime 31–33, 37; protection filters 78, 102; reducing background chaos 152; shooting from a blind 192; shooting guidelines 116; Shutter-priority mode 64; speed 29, 79, 80–81, 102; teleconverters 37–39; tilt/shift 8, 40–41, 82, 94; wide-angle 34–36, 39, 160; zoom 31–33, 35, 36–37, 79; see also telephoto lenses
Lexar 21
light 8–9, 74, 121–140; accessories 79; Aperture-priority mode 62, 73; Auto ISO 65; color of 129–134; contrast 134–136; direction of 125–129; exposure compensation 65–68; fast shutter speeds 119; favorable 145; flare 42; intensity 124–125; inverse square law 168–169; ISO guidelines 105; manual exposure 71; polarizing filters 41, 79; shooting from a blind 191; Shutter-priority mode 64, 65, 71; stalking animals 188–189; stops 46–51; zoological parks 186; see also available light; brightness; exposure; flash
live-view operations 2
low light 8–9, 15, 104–105, 116, 124–125, 137, 176
luminous histograms 17–18, 59, 60
main flash 1, 164–165, 174–175
Manfrotto 110
manual exposure 52, 58, 61, 62, 66, 69, 71–74, 167, 173, 176
manual focusing 29, 38, 79–82, 94
manual metering 1, 2, 58, 64, 71, 74, 107, 173
marked animals 145
memory cards 2, 11, 13, 14, 18, 20–22
metering 58, 61, 73–74; changes in composition 69–71; exposure compensation 65, 66, 67, 68; flash 163, 167, 168, 176, 179; manual 1, 2, 58, 64, 71, 74, 107, 173; scales 71, 72, 167
Metz 167
minimum focus distance (MFD) 22–23
molar bags 117
mounting plates 9
movement: AF Point Expansion 86–87; back-button focusing 93–94; continuous autofocus 87–90; gimbal heads 111; ISO settings 54, 105; shutter speed selection 51–52
multiple flash 1, 172, 176–179
Nature’s Best feeders 200
nests 4–5, 161, 185, 201, 202–203; aggressive birds 196, 197; focusing 86; use of flash 163, 172, 177
Nikon 7–8, 9; autofocus 82; back-button focusing 90, 91; burst rate 10–11; crop factor 39; crop factors 16; dedicated flash 166–167, 177; dial direction 73; file formats 19; flash units 181; focusing points 85; histograms 59, 60, 73; image stabilization 29, 116; ISO settings 53; lenses 26, 27, 31, 32, 33, 37, 41; metering modes 61; white balance 131; wireless flash 179
19-Point AF 84
noise 14–16, 39, 46; Auto ISO 65; ISO considerations 53–55, 103–104, 105; low light shooting 124
obstacles 80
optical stabilization see image stabilization orientation 97
over the shoulder compositions 157
overcast light 105, 128–129, 136–137, 139, 175; balanced flash 176; contrast 135–136; hummingbirds 95; shooting from a blind 191, 193; zoological parks 186
overexposure: automatic exposure 74; background reflectance 69; changes in composition 70; detail lost by 46, 60; flash compensation 176; highlight alerts 18, 60; histograms 56, 58; manual exposure 71, 72; reflectance 68
Panasonic 115
panning 31, 52, 88, 89, 118, 119, 187
Perky Pet feeders 200
Photoshop 5, 19, 131, 134, 145
pit blinds 195
pixels 13–14, 15, 39, 55; histograms 57–58, 59; overexposure 60
Pocket Wizard 180
polarizing filters 41, 42, 78, 79
portrait orientation 97
portraits 148
predictive autofocus 88
Program exposure mode 58, 61–62, 167
prosumer lenses 25
protection filters 2, 41–42, 78, 102
quality images 99–119; composition 99; definition of 99; exposure 99; factors that affect image quality 102–103; file choices 105–106; firing the camera 113–116; f-stops 106–8; guidelines 101–102; habits 119; hand-held shooting situations 118–119; image stabilization 116–117; ISO considerations 103–105; optimum f-stops 106–108; photogenic subjects 100, 102; photographing from vehicles and boats 117; sharpness 100; tripods 108–113
quick release plates 112
radio-controlled flash triggers 180
rain 125
RAW files 5, 18, 19–20, 105–106; burst depth 12–13; color adjustment 186; contrast 136; exposure guidelines 45, 66; flash exposure 176; histograms 55, 60; white balance 131, 133, 134
reciprocity, law of 52–53, 167
reflectors 136
RGB histograms 1, 2, 17, 18, 59, 60, 74
Roy G. Biv 129
Sandisk 21
saturation 42
selective focus 153
sensors: contrast 134–135; crop factor 39; exposure 55; keeping clean 102–103; noise 14, 15, 16; tilt/shift lenses 40; X-sync speed 173
shade 127, 128, 129, 131–132, 136, 137
shadows 57, 121, 135; direction of light 127; fill-flash 164, 172–173; Kenya 138, 139; main flash 176
Shah, Anup and Manaj 161
sharpness 74, 143, 187; Aperture-priority mode 62, 63; Auto ISO 65; image stabilization 116; post-capture sharpening 2–3; quality images 100; Shutter-priority mode 74; slow shutter speeds 116; tripods 118; see also focusing shooting angle 102, 154–155, 192
shooting speed see burst rate
shooting technique 100, 102; see also quality images
shutter speed 51–52, 54; Auto ISO 65; automatic exposure modes 61–65, 71; available light 182, 183; camera shake 113; exposure compensation 66, 67; fast 26, 28, 119; flash 175, 182; image stabilization 29; ISO considerations 103; law of reciprocity 52–53; lens speed 79; low light shooting 124, 137; manual exposure 71, 72, 73, 167, 173, 176; metering 73; “mirror-slap” problem 114–115; polarizing filters 79; quality images 102; replacing the histogram 58; slow 116; stops 47, 48–49; sync speed limitations 173–174, 182–183; tilt/shift lenses 40–41; tripping the shutter 116; zoom lenses 33
Shutter-priority 1, 2, 63–64, 74, 167; changes in composition 71; depth of field changes 71; exposure compensation 58, 67, 174; low light shooting 124–125
single autofocus 87, 90, 92, 93
Single Point AF 85
skylines 152
smudges 43
software 18, 19, 127, 134, 145, 198; see also Photoshop
Sonoran Valley 195
South Texas 195
stabilization see image stabilization
stops 46–51, 53, 65; see also f-stops
suet 198
sugar water feeders 17, 85, 109, 172, 199–200
sun 126–127, 136, 137–138, 139; balanced flash 176; ISO guidelines 105; shooting from a blind 191; zoological parks 186; see also dawn; dusk
sunrise 105, 129, 134, 136; see also dawn sunset 105, 129, 134, 136; see also dusk Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park 186–187
sync speed 173–174, 175–176, 180, 181, 182–183
tagged animals 145
Tamron 31
teleconverters 29, 37–39, 40, 79, 80–81, 147, 198
telephoto lenses 29, 37–41, 118; Canon and Nikon 8; intermediate 36–37; low viewpoints 152; optimum f-stops 107; shooting from a car 198; use of perspective 159–160; see also zoom lenses
third-party flash makers 167
three-way flash connectors 178, 179
thumb focusing see back-button focusing tilt-pan heads 111
tilt/shift lenses 8, 40–41, 82, 94
time spent with animals 160–161
tripods 9, 29, 108–113, 118; camera shake 113–114; heads 111–112, 196; low light shooting 124; L-plates 113; models 109–110; photographing from boats 117; quick release plates 112; remote release 92; viewpoint 151; what to look for in 109
tungsten 132
ultrasonic motors (USMs) 27
underexposure 46, 52; Auto ISO 65; background reflectance 69; histograms 56; low light shooting 124, 137; manual exposure 72; Shutter-priority mode 64–65; use of flash 165, 169, 170, 171, 174–175, 182
variable aperture 33
vehicles, photographing from 29–30, 117, 198
vertical compositions 148–150, 157
vibration-reduction (VR) 8, 29; see also image stabilization
viewfinders 78, 79, 80, 83, 150
viewpoint 150–152, 155, 158, 190
Vivitar 167
Walt Anderson 172
water, attracting wildlife with 201
welfare of animals 161
wide-angle lenses 34–36, 39, 160
windows, shooting through 193–195
wiring flashes together 178–179
X-sync speed 173, 175–176, 180, 182–183
Yellowstone National Park 37, 80, 187–188
zoological parks 186