photo - Ken Gilbert

subjects such as crabs, frogs,
insects, spiders, and shells. And
when setting up a bird feeder to
attract photo subjects, never put it
in direct sunlight.
use Flash
Most nature photographers think
of using fiash only—if ever—as flll
on cloudy days or when working
in the shade. (In these situations,
set fiash exposure compensation
at –1 to –3 EV.) But fiash can do a
great job of fllling in harsh shadows
in bright, midday light, too.
The trick is to set your fiash
exposure comp somewhere
between 0 and +1 stops. Many topend
fiashes can provide sufflcient
light to 60 feet and beyond. But if
you frequently shoot at long distances,
augment your strobe with
an extender such as the Better
Beamer ($40, street). Use high-
A
handheld
EOS-1D
Mark III with
70–200 f/4L
Canon EF
IS lens was
used to grab
this gannet
chick; 1/250
sec at f/5.6
(+1.3 EV),
ISO 400.
Northern
parula
warbler,
captured
with tripodsteadied
EOS-1D
Mark III
and 800mm
f/5.6L Canon
EF IS lens
with 25mm
extension
tube for
closer focus;
1/100 sec at
f/5.6 (+0.3
EV), plus –2
EV fill from
accessory
flash.
speed sync (between 1/500 and
1/1000 sec), manual fiash mode,
and the 1:1 power setting—and
you’ll often be able to illuminate a
fiying bird’s underwings.
I used fiash for the northern
parula warbler on Dauphin Island,
AL, above. The bird was in shade,
so I set my Canon Speedlite 580EX
II (with a Better Beamer) to –2 EV
for subtle flll light. I also added 1/3
stop to the ambient exposure to
brighten the overall frame.
So, the next time that you’re in
the fleld during the midday hours
on a sunny day, consider these
options before giving up. You just
might create some great images. p
Based in Indian Lake Estates, FL,
Arthur Morris has published more
than 11,000 nature images in
magazines and books. Visit his
website, www.birdsasart.com.
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