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Wm. Bates | all galleries >> Galleries >> A New Beginning...Picture A Day > Deep In the Swamp 02_27_06.jpg
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27-FEB-2006

Deep In the Swamp 02_27_06.jpg

Here is an afternoon photo from our little trip to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. We were a bit off the beaten path when I took this photo. It really was deep in the swamp.

Here is another afternoon photo. These little critters make wandering in the bushes interesting

Canon EOS 20D ,Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM
1/320s f/7.1 at 400.0mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Jim McKinlock08-Mar-2006 00:25
That's kinda what I thought you did in the first place, but I guess not because it looks much better now.
Bob Foisel07-Mar-2006 17:34
Excellent lighting.
Guest 07-Mar-2006 16:09
yeah, perfect amount, Bill. I love that gorgeous lighting.
Marco Valk07-Mar-2006 15:33
superb!
Dave Callahan Photography07-Mar-2006 15:19
Another winner and I do like the heron out of the shadows
Guest 07-Mar-2006 15:18
Amazing shot. Thanks for the explainations. voted.
Wm. Bates07-Mar-2006 15:11
Sea, I think your right; so, I brought the heron out of the shadows in a separate layer. I think it adds just a little balance to the photograph.
Guest 07-Mar-2006 13:48
I don't live far from Merrit Island, Bill, and I do a few wildlife shoots here and there (not shown here on pbase). This is a tough shot to make without blending multiple exposures - you did a great job here, I think. Since detail exists in the Heron , did you consider a layer, then bringing up the shadows ? Or, just simply dodging the Heron ?
kej07-Mar-2006 13:33
This is a very hard scene to capture. Conflicting colors and light levels. Don't fully understand Bill's answer, but it works. Voted.
lou_rozensteins07-Mar-2006 11:53
Great to see these birds in their natural environment .... great shot!
henrywong07-Mar-2006 07:30
excellent !!
Debbie B.07-Mar-2006 05:25
Bill,
Thank you for sharing how you metered the scene. It's gorgeous.
Debbie
Steven Jusczyk07-Mar-2006 05:19
Gorgeous!
Jim McKinlock07-Mar-2006 04:16
Thanks so much for your help Bill, I have so much to learn. On 1-28-06 you mentioned trying to put together a workshop, I hope you'll let me know about it, I'd be interested if I can get away from work.

Jim
Wm. Bates07-Mar-2006 03:50
The answer to the "what to meter off" is one of those "it depends" answers.

In a scene like this where the white bird will be the subject I pick the brightest object and then watch the histogram hoping the bird isn't blown out. Pretty much the simple rule for digital is to expose for the highlights.

With a scene like this if I had used a true spot meter and metered the white egrets then things would have been very under exposed. With a true spot meter I would need to add a little positive exposure bias because the meter would want to make the white mid gray. The 20D's partial metering kind of averaged the scene. knowing that I adjust the exposure bias down a little to avoid blowing out the whites. The histogram really makes these types of shots easy. It is a life saver.
Wm. Bates07-Mar-2006 03:40
Here is Jim's question.

"Bill,
This is a beautiful image, and your description a couple day's ago about "one sunrise and sunset per day" is an inspiration for me to get my butt out of bed early, but even your afternoon shots have wonderful light qualities, is this one a blended image? The egret on the left seems well exposed, the egret, in the middle is almost blown out and the Heron seems to have no light on him, yet the background and reflection look even all the way across. I ask because I'm trying to learn, not criticize."
Jim McKinlock07-Mar-2006 03:35
Bill,
Thanks for your reply , as I mentioned I made it private because I didn't want to sound like an idiot, but if you think it's a valid question please feel free to repost my question, so other's will know what you're replying to, I'd do it myself but I can't see it anymore, I guess your the only one that can see it now, not like a PM.

I guess I still have alot to learn as far as what part of a scene to meter off of, thanks for your help and inspiration.

Jim
Wm. Bates07-Mar-2006 02:18
Jim, I'm posting an answer to your private question. I would love it if you asked /posted it publicly. It is a good question.

This isn't a blended image but it could almost stand to be one. The heron is lost in the deep shadows. The egret on the left is in a bit of shade and the egret in the middle is in full sun.

I metered off the middle bird so the rest of the photo is a tad under exposed; which was really, ok. I shot it with the white balance set to shade which warmed the image nicely supplemented by the late afternoon light. The little waves also added some reflected light. Pretty much it was working on being a high contrast shot on the verge of being more than the 20D could handle.


If the sun had been much higher there likely would not have been a shot here.
shatterbug07-Mar-2006 02:16
Spectacular light and reflections! Vote.
Wm. Bates07-Mar-2006 01:50
We were driving on little two track dirt roads and we did some walking.
Bryan Ramsay07-Mar-2006 01:31
Stunning. Are you walking, boating, ? These are great. -BJ