Debra Wilborn wrote: > My two cents. > > I think you might try longer exposures with a > polarizer. The pol will cut out glare from the glass > and a longer exposure will bring the nest and birds > into good light without flash. This will, of course, > wash out bright leaves. Since a flash rig seems to > get more and more complex the more you think about it > in this situation, I think the simplest option (no > flash) is best. A reflector rig might work if the > nest were empty, but since there are nesting birds > there a big shiny reflector (or a powerful flash for > that matter) may just scare away the parents for good. >
I"m pretty sure flash and changes in light doesn't scare birdies. Movement of any kind does. New objects nearby does. (as you indicate, Deb) Changes old objects nearby does. And while all that you say about available light would be just right for a subject that doesn't move, remember that the babies are perpetual motion. Hard to get enough light in the nest, yes? Also, pretty important not to disturb momma. But that is for the birdies sake, not for the pictures :) annsan she who also photos nature things P. S. There is a nice book on bird photography by Eric Hoskins.... damn, what is the name? > > Ken Archer is a nature photographer on the list. > Hopefully he will respond and give a more professional > point of view. > > Thanks, > Deb > > > --- "Ryan K. Brooks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi all, > > > > Somewhat of a flash-newbie here. I do mostly > > landscape and available > > light shooting, but I've got a really neat bird nest > > (complete with three > > young and two very caring parents) easily accessable > > thru a window. > > > > I've been shooting (moderately successfully) with > > Delta 3200 to get into the > > shadows, but would like to do some color work. To > > do this, I really need to > > use flash, but I've got two problems: > > > > - Besides the little "leafy tunnel" I'm shooting > > through, there's really no > > other place for large uninterrupted passage of > > light- I'm concerned about > > heavy shadowing from all the leaves and branches. > > > > - I'm going through glass. The birds are about 2.5 > > feet on the other side of > > a window. > > > > It's almost like I need a real diffuse source of > > light outside (it's in a > > shadowed area all day), but am not sure how to > > achieve this. I can work a 5P > > cable outside, to either a 360 or 550 flash- I'm > > using a MZ-S for 35mm so I do > > have some wireless options as well (but this will be > > difficult to do w/o the > > built in flash reflecting off my window.). > > > > Any thoughts? Is this just impossible? Again, > > just thought I'd ask the > > experts since this might be better answered by a > > studio person. > > > > There's a semi-live (and somewhat crappy) updating > > web cam pic here: > > > > http://friends.backcountry.net/nest/image.jpg > > > > If that helps- the nest is in the middle of the > > screen. > > > > TIA, > > > > Ryan Brooks > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > - > Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup > http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com > - > This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, > go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to > visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
