#BirdsOfPreySunday Highlights May 20th

After seeing a lot of great shots, I found some time to write another weekly recap of the last Sunday  #BirdsOfPreySunday curated by +Jeffrey Van Daele and myself (+Diego Cattaneo)!

Please, plus one or comment original images on Google+ links listed under the photos!

Enjoy the view and thanks everybody for participating!

"Immature Eagle" by +Randall Tronick (see on G+)

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"And here's my first Google+ picture chair, with apologies in case of cross posting, ...: African Fish Eagle Power, by Guy Dekelver -www.picsfromthewild.com
Lake Baringo, Kenya

#birdsofpreysunday #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #birds #raptors" by +Guy Dekelver (see on G+)

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"#birdsofpreysunday curated by +Diego Cattaneo and +Jeffrey Van Daele " by +Vince Maidens (see on G+)

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"Burrowing Owl
For #BirdsofPreySunday curated by +Jeffrey Van Daele +Diego Cattaneo +Birds Of Prey Sunday 
+BIRD LOVERS Worldwide" by +Francisco Herrera (see on G+)

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"first tryout of that kind of photography...great wild birds. Not bad for the first time and i had a lot of fun so i think i`ll try it again ;)

#birdsofpreysunday Curated by +Jeffrey Van Daele and +Diego Cattaneo" by +Geo Messmer (see on G+) 

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"Bateleur in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Soaring above us looking for its next prey... 

#birdsofpreysunday" by +Lee Butler (see on G+)

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" A Grey Owl Swoops after Food
It's amazing how their head stays rock steady whilst the body moves
This is for #birdsofpreysunday +Birds Of Prey Sunday by +Diego Cattaneo and+Jeffrey Van Daele" by +Neil Howard (see on G+)

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"Regal Tawny Eagle
Kruger National Park, South Africa

I am re-sharing this older image for +Diego Cattaneo and +Jeffrey Van Daele's#birdsofpreysunday .

I enjoyed watching this amazing raptor scanning the environment for some dinner in the #krugernationalpark some time ago.

#birdphotography 

www.morkelerasmus.com" by +Morkel Erasmus (see on G+)

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"Black Kite
For #birdsofpreysunday by +Diego Cattaneo 
Kolkata, India." by +Sumit Sen (see on G+) 

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Back Button Auto Focus with Nikon DSLR (D90)

This post has been moved to my brand new blog www.nerphy.com!

During my last trip to Brittany and Normandy, I started using the "Back Button Focus" technique: I used the "AE/AF-lock button" of my Nikon D90 ("AF-On" button on better Nikon body ) to auto-focus instead of the shutter release button!

It's quite odd in the beginning, but now I can't live without it :)

There are three main reason for using this technique:

1. Easily switch between continuous-servo AF (AF-C) mode and  single-servo (AF-S) mode without changing camera settings: setting the camera to AF-C, you can keep the button pressed to have  continuous auto focus or you can press the button to focus and release it to recompose the shot! 
2. Save Battery: the VR of your lens is activated only when you press the shutter release button, saving your battery while focusing
3. It's cool!

In the photo above you can barely see my right thumb using the AF-On button to focus the gull against Etretat cliffs: press to focus, release it to recompose and then shoot! if it would fly away, I could keep the button pressed and start tracking it!

If you want to try, follow this steps:

1. Nikon D90 doesn't have the AF-On button.  So, using f4  setting,  you have to set up the AE/AF-lock button to act as the AF-On button
2. Set the camera’s Auto Focus to Continuous servo mode  (AF-C). This part is what I missed when I first tried this technique some months ago: I used AF-S instead. With AF-S, if you don't keep pressed the AF-On button, the camera will not fire!

If you have a D90 you are done . If you have a better camera, like a D3S there are some more settings:

1. Set the a1 setting (Continuous Release Mode) to Release Priority 
2. Find the custom setting for AF Activation (a5 on the D3s) and set it to AF-On Only. 

This is the video the really opened my mind on this technique:

And here you can see the result, that I posted also on Google+, feel free to leave a comment there :) 

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#BirdsOfPreySunday Highlights April 15th

Weekly recap of the last Sunday  #BirdsOfPreySunday curated by +Jeffrey Van Daele and myself (+Diego Cattaneo)!
Please, plus one or comment original images on Google+ links listed under the photos!

Enjoy the view and thanks everybody for participating!

"Burrowing Owl
#BirdPoker Owls curated by +Phil Armishaw 
#BirdsOfPreySunday curated by +Jeffrey Van Daele and +Diego Cattaneo+Birds Of Prey Sunday 

http://www.greggard.com/owls/e1a047f24" by +Greg Gard (see on G+)

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"I've always liked this photo, but never could figure out how i wanted to process it. I looked at it today and said, just let it go as is, I cropped it a little with a minor curve adjustment. 

#birdsofpreysunday by +Jeffrey Van Daele +Diego Cattaneo" by +Brad Buckmaster (see on G+)

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" #birdsofpreysunday curated by +Diego Cattaneo 

I promised something other than an owl this week :)" by +Vince Maidens (see on G+)

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"#birdsofpreysunday curated by +Jeffrey Van Daele +Birds Of Prey Sunday 
A rescued hawk at the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. 90% of the animals treated here have suffered from human related injuries. Hopefully this guy will be able to return to the wild soon " by +Sharon Jeannette (see on G+)

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"Red-shouldered Hawk (juvenile)
This hawk was captured Monday on my walk through the Corkscrew Swamp with +Ray Bilcliff Thanks again Ray, I had a great time.

#BirdsofPreySunday curated by +Diego Cattaneo +Jeffrey Van Daele 

www.megrousher.com
+Flotogs +BIRD LOVERS Worldwide" by +Meg Rousher (see on G+)

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