topic Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken in Share Your Photos

Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

diverhank — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 19:27:44 GMT

I ran across a picture I took a while back. This, by far, was the most difficult picture that I took...I was chasing after two western swallow tail butterflies involved in a courtship dance above an open grass field...I did it after almost tripping and falling down several times...

Why It was Difficult:

1. Butterflies are fast and totally unpredictable in changing direction

2. 400mm FL view is very narrow on the viewfinder making tracking fast erratic objects like butterflies a real challenge

3. The depth of field is very thin...you've got to nail focus fast and snap the shot fast.

Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 400mm f/5.6L, Canon 25mm extension tube @ 400mm; f/6.3; 1/1250; ISO 800, AI Servo, center point with 8 assists, Case 5

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

fatcat — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 16:02:31 GMT

Diver,

that IS very good. I actually tried the same thing w/ the same butterflies engaged in the same activity. NONE of them came out in focus. I just thought it was because I don't really know how to get a great macro shot yet. This one is very nice. Now now what kind of butterfyl that is with the blue tail. I planted a bunch of milkweed this yr to attract monarchs, and saw the 1st one in 10 yrs. So wish me some good luck. Thanks for sharing this diverhank, now I know that this WAS a difficult shot and not me feeling like a klutz. lol

It would be a miracle to see 2 monarchs at the same time. They are in decline because everyone that moves here from california and cuts down all the food for them, like milkweed, which is actually very pretty.

So can I ask you where do you "store" your pcs, on the computer? or do you transfer them somewhere for safe keeping. Then when you get a new computer where do you keep them for easy access like this one? thanks again,liz

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

diverhank — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 16:47:19 GMT

@fatcat wrote:
Diver,
that IS very good. I actually tried the same thing w/ the same butterflies engaged in the same activity. NONE of them came out in focus. I just thought it was because I don't really know how to get a great macro shot yet. This one is very nice. Now now what kind of butterfyl that is with the blue tail. I planted a bunch of milkweed this yr to attract monarchs, and saw the 1st one in 10 yrs. So wish me some good luck. Thanks for sharing this diverhank, now I know that this WAS a difficult shot and not me feeling like a klutz. lol
It would be a miracle to see 2 monarchs at the same time. They are in decline because everyone that moves here from california and cuts down all the food for them, like milkweed, which is actually very pretty.
So can I ask you where do you "store" your pcs, on the computer? or do you transfer them somewhere for safe keeping. Then when you get a new computer where do you keep them for easy access like this one? thanks again,liz

Hi Liz. Thank you and good luck in attracting butterflies. I didn't catch where you live...I live in southern California :). Despite preconceived notions from some people outside of California...Californians are very nice and no we are not all crazy :).

I keep the pictures in my laptop plus I back them up on two separate portable drives. The real good ones that I'm proud of I post them on flickr (I'm a pro member with unlimited storage space). Even with free membership, Flickr gives you 1 TB (1000GB) which is huge if you only keep jpg files (about 400,000 pictures of 2.5MB size).

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

Waddizzle — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 17:33:41 GMT

"I keep the pictures in my laptop plus I back them up on two separate portable drives. The real good ones that I'm proud of I post them on flickr (I'm a pro member with unlimited storage space). Even with free membership, Flickr gives you 1 TB (1000GB) which is huge if you only keep jpg files (about 400,000 pictures of 2.5MB size)."

I download pictures from the camera into portable drives, which backs them up to a local server, running at RAID 1. I use Microsoft SyncToy to copy from portable drive to server. I have 2TB of space set aside for photos. This is where I do editing. I archive them to a local Western Digital "My Cloud" NAS device. The WD devices are very fast.

I also use WD "My Cloud" NAS devices to access my photos remotely. I have 8 TB of personal cloud storage that I manage from my home. So, who needs Creative Cloud? I also have a "My Cloud" running at my sons' houses. It's how we share and backup pictures off-site. We use iCloud for sharing, and My Cloud for archiving.

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

fatcat — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 23:19:03 GMT

I don't dislike Californians, just SO many moving here to Oregon. The population of our town has tripled in 6 yrs, and I don't like the congestion, rude drivers and ppl who don't love the beauty and litter and destroy it (among other things that come with ppl who move to get rid of their problems, the problems that come along right w/ them) You guys down there have the same problem we are having too [Removed per Forum Guidelines - off-topic/offensive].they dont want me to say I guess.

I am going to have to figure a way to store my photos, but not on this computer, besides, I'm not very good yet. But when it will matter, I need to find a good system. I like what you and Wadizzle both said you do about it. I will look into that more, thanks.

The monarchs migrate from Canada to Mexico every year. They are in decline because of habitat loss, and food loss. So anywhere on the west coast, if you plant things that they eat you will attract them. The field guide says milkweed is the best food source, and they sometimes make their cocoons in them. Seeds are sensitive, need to be started indoors.

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

Waddizzle — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 15:13:53 GMT

Well, does "most amusing" count, too? This shot wasn't easy to capture because squirrels are so easily spooked. But, I suppose that this little one was hungry. It was having a feast on discarded bones in a park.

I want you to meet "Chicken Eatin' Squirrel".

I thought squirrels are supposed to be vegetarians. Nuts, and stuff like that. I suppose urban life makes nut trees rare.

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

ebiggs1 — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 08:15:39 GMT

Don't know if it was my most difficult photo but it certainly is right up there.

1D Mk IV with Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens for Canon. 600mm at f8, SS 1/5000 and ISO 800.

Hand held.

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

simonphoto — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 22:20:46 GMT

Hey Diverhank, That butterfly shot is a great capture. Being more of a studio shooter I can't even imagine trying to follow something that little and fast with a 400mm lens. Way to go, amigo. Very well done.

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

diverhank — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 23:14:43 GMT

Thanks Simonphoto...I haven't been able to repeat that feat :).

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

KevinColton — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 01:32:47 GMT

Hanging out of a boat at water level, low light sunset, moving rowing team. I love a challenge.

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

ebiggs1 — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 14:11:59 GMT

...and you did great! Nice shot.

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

jrobertwilliams — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 15:45:41 GMT

This image for a project with an incredible 12 year old gymist was a bit of a challenge. Canon 5D mark III / 24-70L Mulitple strobes and a couple hours of the crew sweeping.

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

fatcat — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 05:02:45 GMT

wow! I love how her hair flows into the chalk. Fabulous job! How many did you have to take to get that one? there is so much going on I can't stop looking at it.

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

Picturethis — Sat, 08 Oct 2016 02:30:01 GMT

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

bcmrbill — Sat, 08 Oct 2016 17:18:29 GMT

From a challenge in a photography group to "freeze the action." Took me a bit to set up a rig to drop the water, then figure out how to capture it.

Canon 7d w/50mm 1.8 and 13mm extension tube. Flash on camera right, HSS 1/6400 @ F4, Iso 160. Countless missed shots, with 3 "keepers."

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

Oldjack — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 22:53:53 GMT

Nice...

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

Oldjack — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 22:54:46 GMT

Very cool well done indeed...

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

dhammond1 — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 20:59:58 GMT

The difficulty was not in taking the shot, but in post rocessing to correct for the different light sources: street lights, flood lights, and neon, and minimizing the lens distortion.

Subject: Sky City Tower, Auckland New Zealand.

Camera: Canon 7D Mark II

Lens: Tamron 16 - 300mm

Settings: ISO 3200 / 16mm / f/3.5 / 1/25 second

Post processing: Lightroom / Photoshop (Alien Skin Exposure plugin).

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

DBR — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 02:42:29 GMT

I was watching this sparrow fly around, and i was patiently waiting for it to land. It did right in the middle of a Thorn Bush.

Re: Show Your Most Difficult Picture You Have Yet Taken

cicopo — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 22:00:48 GMT

I have 2 very different but also very challenging photos I'll add. First up is the Canadian Pacific's Holiday Train crossing a bridge about 40 minutes from home. It's an annual thing but the previous 2 years were too miserable to see it from where I wanted to try my shot. No idea how long it was but I was able to find the width of the bridge on line, and fortunately went mid afternoon to figure out what lens might work. I had guessed wrong thinking I'd need a telephoto zoom but quickly realized I needed WIDE. I also got lucky in that it was cold & by dark the swampy area I wanted to use had frozen over just enough to walk on. There was no way to practice until it came into sight & no way to work out settings in advance BUT it had to stop about 1/2 mile past the bridge or it wouldn't even be possible. As it crossed I tried a few changes to get my shutter speed up a bit & this is my best shot from the series. !D mark 4, Canon 35 F 1.4 L lens at f 1.6, ISO 6400, 1/13 second, hand held.

The second shot is from one of the first R/C events of the season & again is hand held using a 1D4, Canon 28-300 L IS, at 130 mm, f5.6, ISO 400 & 1/2000 shutter speed. Telemetry that was downloaded later shows the speed of the pass to be in the 420-440 KPH range and I couldn't back up much from the flight line so how the heck I kept in in my viewfinder is beyond me but this is 1 of a 7 shot burst with only 1 slightly soft image.