If we’re lucky enough to fire off a shot while the bird is still in frame soon after takeoff, the bird is usually soft. Sometimes it’s because of insufficient shutter speed (motion blur) but more often it’s because the bird didn’t fly in the same plane it was in when it was perched. Super telephoto lenses allow the photographer very little wiggle room with depth of field and even newer mirrorless cameras with amazing autofocus tracking capabilities typically can’t keep up with a small bird in flight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nSo let’s see what happened two days ago when I was able to practice takeoff and flight shots when I found a large flock of migrating White-crowned Sparrows in a remote area of northern Utah.<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/white-crowned-sparrow-9147-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"white-crowned-sparrow-9147-ron-dudley\\"")
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1\/5000, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\nWhen this immature White-crowned Sparrow landed in this spot near the top of a bush I wasn’t pleased with that twig so close to the top of ‘his’ head and I couldn’t see most of his tail. But I had him in frame so I kept him there to see what might happen. With birds you never know.<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/white-crowned-sparrow-9157-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"white-crowned-sparrow-9157-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n
1\/5000, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\nIn an instant he moved one step to his right, poked his tail straight up into the air and leaned forward just prior to takeoff. I simply adore this pose and amazingly he held it for long enough (between one and two tenths of a second) for me to…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/white-crowned-sparrow-9158-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"white-crowned-sparrow-9158-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n
1\/5000, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\nget two shots of it before he took off. I like them both but I prefer the first one because his tail is slightly flared.<\/p>\n
This was one of those unusual occasions when a small bird signaled imminent takeoff with its behavior and I was paying close attention so I was able to take advantage of it. For just an instant I remember thinking that I wish I could train ‘my’ birds to signal imminent takeoff in some way. It sure would make getting takeoff and flight shots easier.<\/p>\n
But of course, it was only a fleeting and irrational fantasy. If we could train birds to signal imminent takeoff, any fairly competent photographer could get those kinds of shots regularly, so they’d be a dime a dozen. I much prefer things the way they are. The challenge is a big part of the fun of bird photography.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
OK, we still have some unfinished business. Did I get a flight shot? And if I did, was it any good?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/white-crowned-sparrow-9159-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"white-crowned-sparrow-9159-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n
1\/5000, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\nYes and not really.<\/p>\n
I got it but even with some extra sharpening during processing his face, bill and eye are just a little too soft, for the reason I mentioned above. The sparrow took off slightly toward me so by the time this shot was taken he was no longer in the same plane he’d been in while he was perched. He took off in that direction so fast, even the pretty darn incredible autofocus tracking of the Canon R5 couldn’t (or didn’t) quite keep up with him.<\/p>\n
Notice that his feet are sharper than his face because his feet are closer to being in the same plane he’d been in while perched. His left wing is much softer than anything else because it’s further out of the original plane than any other part of the bird. With a shutter speed of 1\/5000, that wing softness wasn’t caused by motion blur.<\/p>\n
Once again, I’ve blathered on far too long about bird photography technique so I’m out of here. Better late than never.<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Be careful what you wish for. (4 photos)<\/p>\n
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