Michele's Shot

One day I had come home from work and I was sitting on the couch, Michele was watching the birds landing on the new perches we had just put in the yard the weekend before. I was tired, the lighting outside was dull and I new I would have plenty of opportunities when I was rested and able to enjoy it better.

The camera was already sitting in the window and set up, so she asked what to do so I explained what to turn on and how to focus, I usually use manual focus, I like to focus on the eyes. She had pre focused on the perch and within a few minutes she had already taken a photograph that I think is pretty awesome, I had not even taken any shots like these yet since we had just put up the new perches a few days before. I'm still amazed because the aperture was 6.3 at 420mm and as soon as this little chipping Sparrow landed on the perch, she took the shot. 

Now when ever I do this I would use an aperture of say f8, pre focus on a branch and use a remote as not to shake the camera at all, and yes even with a tripod, there still is camera shake at close focusing, it is the number one reason if a shot is on the soft side, it is because of camera shake. She did not use a remote, she just pushed the button and most people that first learn do not realize when they press the button they shake the camera, You have to squeeze it smoothly. The optical Stabilization in this lens is pretty good though. So I have to say she passed her first wildlife photography class with flying colors,well actually perched colors.