Ten simple steps for camera set up
Get your gear set up for high-speed flash
1
An overcast day, rain or snow are brilliant conditions for this kind of high-speed flash work, as the flashguns won’t be fighting against the sunlight.
2
Your camera and lens need to be at exact right-angles to the feeders and branch set- up. If birds flare up, you have a better chance of catching them.
3
Make sure your wireless flash trigger is seated firmly in the hotshoe and adjust the settings on the back of your camera to manual, full zoom and to 1/32 power.
4
Focus on the exact spot where the food is hidden. If necessary, put something on the spot and use live focus zoomed in.
5
If exposing for darkness, start with 1/200sec at f/16 to f/20, and ISO 400 to ISO 1,250, depending on the weather.
6
Lock off the camera by making sure the tripod is sturdy and your tripod head tightened up. This will help ensure pin-sharp shots.
7
Attach a remote wireless trigger to the camera. The trigger needs to be set to burst mode as the guns will fire at least three times before they need to be recharged.
8
Take some test shots. Fire a burst and check both the back of the screen and your histogram. You don’t want to blow out either bird or foreground. Adjust settings if required.
9
If rain is streaking down the outside window, give up gracefully. The glass needs to be clean and clear, as do your lens and sensor.
10
Shoot raw for better control once you’re at the postproduction stage. At this point, you can dial down flash highlights and bring up shadow detail if necessary.