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Warptman, you're getting some good subject compositions there. But have you noticed the birds are a little dark? It's because the camera is adjusting the exposure for the sky, which underexposes the darker birds. Next time you go for a shot like that of a bird against the sky, try the following settings:
AV mode
ISO 400
F8
Evaluative metering (which is typically the default)
EC between +1 and +2. This is the critical part. To do that, just spin the big thumbwheel on the back of the camera while watching the the scale in the bottom of the viewfinder view. It should look approximately like this, give or take a dot or two.
2..1..0..1..2
............|
(The dots on the second row are just to slide the '|' character to the right place)
This will help a lot I think. Now that only applies to a dark bird against the sky. In fact, if you shoot a white bird against a dark background, you need to do exactly the opposite: use -EC. Good luck and keep shooting.
kdog, I would appreciate any pointers or advice you can give me on my pictures too.
I have a Canon rebel which I got for Christmas so I'm just learning what I can do with it.
Thanks in advance.
Hntr, I'm a big fan of your photography, so I'm flattered you'd ask my advice. I did go back and look at a few of your bird shots, and can see some areas for improvment. Fortunately your EXIF info is in your images, so I can see what's up. Basically, you're shooting birds like you do landscapes. However, they're a completely different animal (ok, that came out funny. ) In landscapes, we're usually shooting wide, low ISO (for low noise), and slow shutter speeds are ok, because landscapes don't move. For birds however, you're shooting with long lenses, and targets that are moving. So, you need to get your shutterpeeds up. Way up. Most of your bird shots are in the 1/100s range. With your 300mm lens (amazing what's contained in the EXIF, eh?), you should be shooting at 1/600 to counteract camera motion blur if you're hand-holding the camera. I personally like to keep the speeds closer to 1/1000s to counteract any bird movement. You never know when the bird is going to launch the way Nazira's cardinal did, and you want to freeze that motion (as was done in that shot.)
So... start with the settings I mentioned in my note to Warptman as a baselevel. Shoot AV, and watch your speed in the viewfinder to make sure you're shooting fast enough. Switch to ISO 800 if you have to, and that will double your shutterspeed right there. Don't shoot wide open at F5.6, but use an aperture between F6.3 and F8. Your lens will be sharper stopped down a bit like that, and you'll get better depth of field to make sure the entire bird is in focus. Stop down even further (F10 or more), if you get *really* close, and/or if you have multiple birds at slightly different distances. Like I say, shooting birds is a totally different animal than landscapes.
# Camera Model = Canon EOS 20D
# Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 1/2000 second = 0.0005 second
# Lens F-Number/F-Stop = 8/1 = F8
# Exposure Program = aperture priority (3)
# ISO Speed Ratings = 200
# Focal Length = 210/1 mm = 210 mm
(Note that because it was so bright out, I used ISO200, and still managed an extremely fast 1/2000 shutterspeed!)
Thanks Kdog! This was taken on the side of the road from the car, a busy road, too. Stopped and shot fast and left. It was rather foggy this morning. There is a bird feeder there and I'll go try those settings again. Still foggy and snowy here.
Ok, now I know what I am doing wrong. I had some wonderful opportunities that I blew a couple of days ago with some dancing sandhill cranes. I might have been shooting at 1/160 and of course they came out really blurry.
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) In landscapes, we're usually shooting wide, low ISO (for low noise), and slow shutter speeds are ok, because landscapes don't move. For birds however, you're shooting with long lenses, and targets that are moving. So, you need to get your shutterpeeds up. Way up. Most of your bird shots are in the 1/100s range. With your 300mm lens (amazing what's contained in the EXIF, eh?), you should be shooting at 1/600 to counteract camera motion blur if you're hand-holding the camera. I personally like to keep the speeds closer to 1/1000s to counteract any bird movement. You never know when the bird is going to launch the way Nazira's cardinal did, and you want to freeze that motion (as was done in that shot.) 
