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Interesting, I usually bump the ISO up a little to bring the subject out of a shadowy appearance in radiant back lighting and perhaps bump the shudder speed up. I usually end up with good results. I may try and + up on exposure compensation next time and see how I like that. Chad
What mode are you shooting in when you do that? The exposure compensation feature of my Canons only works when I shoot in Tv or Av mode. When I need to shoot in M mode and want under/over exposure, I use fixed settings for the ISO, aperature, and shutter speed based on the camera's light meter reading. I then adjust the aperature setting or shutter speed to achieve the degree of exposure compensation I desire.
I'm using the model SX50 HS Canon Powershot bridge camera. You're using the 7D DSLR, two different cameras. My preference mode in which I shoot with is custom mode C1. I have my shutter speed at the ready on the toggle/wheel, the value is shown at the bottom of my screen. With C1 I can toggle up and change the exposure compensation, toggle down and I'm able to adjust the ISO. Yes, some manual work but, I'm able to dial things in when I step onto the field, look at the picture I am getting on the screen, compensate for brightness and try and get some shots that reflect what I see with my naked eyes.
Some Saturday afternoon (5/23) shots of marsh wrens, all taken with the 5DIII + 500L + 1.4x teleconverter, tripod mounted.
From the #2 viewing platform.
Different bird from the #1 viewing platform. I took these shots "straight on", which resulted in them being slightly over exposed. I tweaked them using Picasa's autocontrast feature.
The bird returned, so I took some shots at -2/3 exposure compensation. Those photos required no tweaking.
No photos from Sunday (home chores called), but here are a few SIF (swallows in flight) photos from Saturday at the marsh. I think these are all violet-green swallows.
7D + 100-400L telephoto zoom, handheld
5DIII + 500L + 1.4x teleconverter, tripod mounted
Heat waves + small, fast birds + long distance (100-200 yards) + long lens & teleconverter = less than ideal SIF shots.
Migratory shorebirds continue to make stops at the marsh. Monday (5/25) two semi-palmated plovers and a sandpiper were in the large mudflat in the middle of the marsh. Even though a cloud cover was present, there were still enough heat waves to distort the photos.
I included a killdeer in the first two shots for comparison with the smaller, look-alike plovers.
I think the sandpiper is a western. It is hard to tell as the mud will make the yellow legs of the least sandpiper appear black like those of the western.
I thought this male red-winged blackbird in the distance made a nice artsy shot.
Marshal the male marsh wren has established his nesting territory in the bull rushes next to the boardwalk about halfway between the #2 and #1 viewing platforms. Within this territory he has been busy building nests and serenading in an attempt to attract a mate. Here are some photos from Tuesday (5/26).
The article I posted the link to said that male marsh wrens will build up to twelve nests. I have spotted at least three that Marshal has built in a fairly small area. Although hard to see among the bull rushes, the cattail fuzz on the exterior makes the nests stand out.
I went out to the fishing pier as well. The winter migrants have all departed for their summer nesting grounds, but a few year around residents were seen such as these pigeon guillemots in breeding plumage. I like their "walking on water" takeoff sequence.
Funny thing about going to the marsh. Just when you think all of the interesting migrants have left for their summer breeding grounds, something will surprise you. Wednesday (6/3) was full of surprises.
First up was a pair of yellow-headed blackbirds, a species normally found in eastern Washington. With its signature yellow head, the male is hard to miss. These shots were taken after lunch with the 5DIII + 100-400L II zoom + 1.4x III teleconverter.
The bird flew was backlit and just a silhouette as it flew past me. I really had to tweek these photos just to ID it.
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