I have discussed many times in this blog, in the many articles I've written over the years, and in my eMagazine, Photo Insights, that white skies are usually distracting and undesirable. In art, there are always exceptions to the rule, and this picture of crowned cranes in Lake Nakuru, Kenya, is an example. My first thought when I looked at this image was that the white sky should be replaced. After studying the image I decided that the background not only adds to the artistry of the image but it's the best case scenario. To me, this almost looks like a painting. A blue sky or a dense cloud cover behind the birds would be appropriate, obviously, but both of those backgrounds wouldn't have the same visual impact. The white background directs all of our attention to the birds and allows us to appreciate the wonderful graphic design, color, and interaction of the cranes. My settings for this picture were 1/800, f/10, 1000 ISO, and I used the Canon 7D Mark II and the new 100-400mm lens along with the 1.4x teleconverter giving me a total of 896mm of focal length.
7 Comments
Aug 12, 2016, 12:46:04 PM
Jim - Thank you very much for the compliments.
Melissa, I did not lose autofocus.
Bob, I have not made a test like that, but I will when I get home. I don't have the 500mm lens with me.
Aug 10, 2016, 4:43:40 PM
Sudeshna Banks - I was googling to find tips on how to capture hummingbirds ... and saw your stunning Hummingbird photos... and here I am ..
The starkness of the grey white sky is the perfect canvas for this striking image.
Almost like a Chinese painting..
Aug 9, 2016, 12:11:28 PM
Bob Vesta - Hi Jim - Definitely agree with the comments of others. By any chance, have you compared your 500 mm f4 plus 1.4x converter with the new 100-400 mm plus 1.4x converter? I am curious about your assessment of image quality/sharpness.
Aug 9, 2016, 11:05:10 AM
Melissa Anderson - Jim, by using the teleconverter didn't you lose the autofocus?
Aug 9, 2016, 8:39:53 AM
Janie Greene - Good morning Jim,
How stunning!!! I felt so jealous when I saw this image and thought..."why didn't I see something this stunning when I went to Africa?
Thank you for sending these beautiful images for me to enjoy in Alabama!!! Janie Greene
Aug 9, 2016, 12:48:18 AM
Maria - You are right Jim. Any thing other than the white BG would not do this justice. It absolutely lovely.
Aug 8, 2016, 11:45:17 PM
Bryan - Jim - great shot, as always. From your last few blogs I have come to the conclusion that rules/guidelines are like autofocus, someone else's good thoughts, something you don't have to think about; modifying the rules is like manual focus where you have to do your own thinking, but carefully; and just breaking the rules to break them is just thoughtless, bad focus. The first two can create art, like here, but the last never can. Thanks for the daily insights.