This week I thought I’d do something a little different from just an editing tutorial. I thought it would be fun to share the gear I used, the settings I used, the sequence of photos and the one I picked, all the way to the editing process on one of my wildlife photos. That way you can get a better feel of the entire process. Enjoy!
Matt’s Bird Photography Course: mattk.com/bird-photography
Matt’s Wildlife Editing Secrets Course: mattk.com/wildlife
I love teaching and photography... In that order. I feel that enjoying photography, and photo editing can get WAY too complicated. So my personal mission (and favorite thing to do), is to create education that simplifies the process of taking great photos, and how to edit them to get the results you’ve always wanted.
I purchased the Bird-nature photography combo. AWESOME. I have 2 years of so experience in bird photography. It comforted me into continue doing some of the stuff I had figured out for myself but I also learned quite a bit. Can’t wait to get into the nature post-processing course. For good measure I availed myself of the Black Friday deals and also purchased the Lightroom/Photoshop combo. Learning is empowerment and Matt is Z-best teacher around!
Thanks!!!
Hi Matt,
I do shoot landscape and nature ( https://500px.com/p/marcinpiontek / https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/ ) and a learn form your courses a lot all the time.
Since I use A7R2 / FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS / Sony 200-600mm f.5.6-6.2 G / etc. I am going to upgrade my gear. Due to the cost involved I need to decide priorities.
I’ve read at Your article „What’s In My Bag: A ‘Less-Is-More’ Kit For Nature, Wildlife & Landscapes” at https://alphauniverse.com/stories/whats-in-my-bag-a-less-is-more-kit-for-nature-wildlife-and-landscapes/ and I’ve got a couple of questions:
1. You mention that: „I can put the 1.4x teleconverter on it and only be at f/5.6 at 840mm. That’s huge! While I do find the Auto Focus slightly faster in this lens, the trade off is that it’s a beast to hand hold„
My question is: how does the AF works in this setup? I.e. Alpha 1 + 1.4x + Sony 600mm f/4 G Master? I still use A7R2 + Sony 200-600mm f.5.6-6.2 G and AF is useless for fast moving objects (birds).
2. You write that „I also enjoy macro photography. I always think of it as the photo within the photo. The little things in nature that people walk by and never see. The 90mm is perfect since it lets me get in tight on some of the smaller areas, but I don’t have to get too close since it’s 90mm so I can keep a little bit of space between me and what I’m photographing.”
My question is: how does Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G works for macro photography compared to Sony 200-600mm f.5.6-6.2 G and Voigtlander 110mm F2.5 Macro APO?
Cheers!
I’ve got distracted and made a mistake. Sorry 🙂 My second question is: how does Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G works for macro photography compared to Sony FE 70-200 mm F4 G OSS and Voigtlander 110mm F2.5 Macro APO?
Hi Marcin.
1. It works great. Never had a problem with AF with it. But I use the 200-600 most of the time.
2. I’ve never compared the two but your proximity to the subject is what gives you a lot of depth of field and the “look” that a macro lens gives you, vs the 200-600 which would require you to get far away from the subject. I don’t have experience with the other lens you mentioned.
Hope that helps!
Hi Matt,
Many thanks you for your reply. It does. As concerns the second question (as corrected) my point is that Sony 90mm lense is within the range of Sony FE 70-200 mm and I just wonder whether the latter would be a sufficient solution. As concerns Voigtlander 110mm F2.5 Macro APO, I will keep digging 🙂
Hi Marcin. The difference in a macro lens is not necessarily the focal length, but how close the lens will focus and allow you to get. That’s why you can’t just throw on the 70-200mm, zoom to 90mm and expect the results to come out like a Macro lens. Thanks!
Hi Matt, excellent video and very helpful!!!
Please, How did you set the FE-200-600? OSS ON or OFF? If it was ON, What mode? 1, 2 or 3? Thank you in advance!!!
Hi Juan. At that high of a shutter speed OSS doesn’t matter or help. I believe I had it turned off but on the Sony, even if you had it turned on, it wouldn’t have hurt (or helped) the photo. A fast Shutter speed is solely responsible for this photo being sharp.
Ok, got it, thank you very much for your support and advice!!! Take care…
Hi Matt. Loved your video and just getting into bird photography. I have a Nikon Z7ii mirror less camera, with a 70-200mm lens. I am using a 2 x Tele converter. Does this reduce the quality of the image? I can’t afford a 600mm lens just yet
Hi Melanie – it will reduce the quality slightly but it should be fine. If that’s what you have that’s what you have. Given the choice, I’d always rather shoot without a TC than with, but 70-200 just isn’t enough for bird photography so use the TC until you can afford something longer. Thanks.
Matt – I liked this video – great to see the front to end. Thanks for doing these! I may learn PS yet!
Love your videos, Matt – I’ve watched dozens and seen you in person.
But I’m surprised that you made your LR edits BEFORE using deNoise? My own process – and everything I’ve read previously (Anthony M and others) insist: deNoise before making any edits that will affect noise. Effectively, lens corrections and white balance, THEN deNoise, THEN anything else.
Hi Steve. I’m very aware of other workflow options. This is what I choose for my photos and recommend to people. And most importantly, I’d start asking questions like “was there a problem with the final photo?”, rather than what order to do things. For me, that photo looked pretty darn wonderful on my screen, and does anything matter after that? 🙂
As usual, very informative! Thanks, Matt.
Great information as always Matt!! Still learning photoshop so that helped a lot
It is great to learn from the beginning to the end. Thanks!
Matt
Thanks for doing this video. What autofocus settings did you use to capture the eagle In Flight on the A1? For example, you use tracking, zone, etc ?
Hi Alan. Tracking is always on. You don’t have to tell the camera to do it. I switch between zone (mostly center) and wide for most bird photography. Hope that helps 🙂
Thanks Matt – I appreciate it!
Is there a difference between on1 denoise and topaz denoise? Have you compared one against another? Which would you recommend and why.
Hi. I have compared. I prefer Topaz but both programs are really good.
I am Louis from The Netherlands. Thank you very much for this insight in your workflow. Can I ask which metering mode you are using? Is it spotmeting or another setting?
Hi Louis. I use Matrix / Evaluative metering 100% of the time. Thanks.
Great video – thanks Matt.
Thank you for the suggestions! Great video! Would you have used the extender on the zoom? I use a zoom for the reasons you mentioned and have not used an extender yet so I always end up cropping. Thank you.
Thanks for the walk through. Topaz labs is impressive.
What part of Washington were you in?
Thanks Dave. We were in Seabeck.
Thanks for the video Matt. I just visited a local rookery and the timing couldn’t be better.
Thanks for the info , in a somewhat detail explanation.
Could you do the same with ON1 raw?
Yep, or pretty close at least.
I liked it!!