James, thanks for the comments. Bird photography overall was pretty tough in the Pantanal, and even more so in the Atlantic Forests area. Many of these photos were shot in extreme backlighting, which caused me to overexpose to bring out any detail on the bird itself. I never shoot a tripod, and don't have an external flash (thought might get one at some point). Birding itself is always my #1 priority, with photography 2nd, so I don't do much that will hamper the former. Not sure I want to have a flash hanging on the body most of the time for those odd situations. These screamers were way out in a field and backlit, doubt anything would have saved it. I take and post photos that most true photographers wouldn't even bother with, but if I get an identifiable photo of a bird I am happy, those occasional really nice shots are just icing on the cake! :")
James
21-Aug-2012 17:09
That 400mm gave you some great flight shots and head shots too - these were the best. The Pantanal does not seem to be an easy place for bird photography despite the enormous # of birds and bird species. One problem with many of these photos is that the background was often much lighter than the subject, which is the opposite from what one aims for. Would flash have helped?
