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OK, time to own up, how many times have you looked out of the door only to be confronted with a grey and gloomy outlook, closed the door and settled down in front of the television? I know I certainly have. But, get out there and start snapping. The rewards for the effort are well worth it.
Subject Matters When confronted with poor light the choice of subject can make all the difference, the iridescent plumage of a Lapwing will appear dull and lifeless, whereas the subtle range of tones and shades in the coat of a Fallow Deer will be greatly enhanced.  Dunnock, Heavy Overcast Winter light, Canon EOS 20D, 300mm f4L plus 2x extender, ISO800, 1/50 at f8, mounted on Gitzo 500 with Manfrotto393 gimbal head Camera Matters Modern digital cameras, in particular the SLR type perform very well at higher ISO ratings and when the light is low a rating of ISO400 should be considered as a starting point. Often this rating will provide noise free images under normal viewing circumstances. If you have to slightly crop the image or your camera/raw converter has less than optimal noise performance then a small amount of noise reduction can be applied in the post processing stage.  Fallow Deer, Early morning, light showers, Canon EOS 20D, 300mm f4L plus 1.4 extender, ISO400, 1/60 at f8. Support Matters
Often overlooked but perhaps one of the weakest points when utilising slower shutter speeds is adequate support for your camera and lens. Your tripod and head should be able to hold your lens/camera combination with ease; any vibration or wobble will be amplified when using a long lens, take into account yaw as well as skewing. The head should be able to ‘lock down’ solidly.  Great Crested Grebe on nest, Heavily overcast, heavy rain, Canon EOS 20D, 400mm f2.8L plus 1.4 extender, ISO400, 1/30 at f8, mounted on a heavy duty Gitzo tripod with a Kirk BH1 ball head. Technique Matters Many things conspire to make your images unsharp, from vibration and camera movement to the effects of mirror slap. Contrary to popular belief it is best not to use a remote release and mirror pre-release (often misnamed mirror lock up), many times this is just not practical as you will loose sight of your subject through the viewfinder. Good long lens technique takes time to master. Rest your left hand over the tripod mounting point of the lens and apply a slight downward pressure, press your face against the rear of your camera, then squeeze the shutter release gently or roll your finger over it, even with the latest IS/VR lenses mastery of this technique will pay dividends. Mirror slap vibration will travel down the lens and, by resting your hand on top of the lens this will be absorbed.  Fallow Deer buck. Woodland shade, Canon EOS 20D, 400mm f2.8L, ISO400, 1/40 at f3.5 So the next time you look out of your door and it is grey and dull don’t go back indoors and sit in front of the fire with a hot drink, make a flask, pack your camera gear and go take some images, don’t be disappointed if at first your results don’t impress, practice and perseverance will pay off. |
