I'm always trying to improve my turkey field photos. I usually hunt alone and have found it fairly difficult to take self-timed photos..especially with tail feathers fanned out. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for something that could be used to fan tailfeathers so they are evenly spaced and ready to go when taking pictures? Almost all photos I see with hunters have both hands behind the tail feathers. It would be nice to try a few different shots that are done a little different but still show off the tail feathers fanned out.
what kind of camera are you using? On my DSLR I have a remote that I use for self portraits...perhaps that's an option for your camera as well
Skip Enterprises - Photo Fan http://skipenterprises.com/hunting_products.html#the_photo_fan
You can take great pictures without having the full fan displayed or even being in the picture! Here are a few of my favorites!
MK M GOBL
and!
MK M GOBL
Just need to have a creative eye!
MK M GOBL
Took this with and without me in the pic
MK M GOBL
And in the pic!
MK M GOBL
I carry a small digital camera with a self timer. I also have a little gadget called a Clip Shot (Google it)...it screws into the threaded tripod mount hole on bottom of camera and has a clamp on it that you can clamp on to a small branch , barb wire fence, arrow stuck in the ground etc.
Most of the time I hunt by myself and these tools make it easy to take the photos with me in them.
Mike
The photo fan looks like just the thing I've been looking for! I have a self timer on my camera. It is a pain in the rear trying to spread the fan and pose. The photo fan would save a gob of time and frustration. It would also offer a lot possibilities for photos I haven't been able to take since both arms have always been behind the fan holding it in place. The sky is the limit for taking photos and I can see this may open up a lot of neat photos and video that I haven't considered before. Thanks for the tips!
I use a small stick that I break to the right length and spread the fan with it.
Sent from the Strut Zone
Obviously you want to be in the photo. I use a Nikon on a tri-pod that I bought when they used film because it has a remote control. Hard to get film developed now days but I still use it.
Awesome tips. Thx for sharing.
• First, look where the sun is, you or the birds should be somewhat facing the sun (i.e. sun behind the camera)
• Get close enough for enough detail to make things interesting (often I put the camera too far back).
• Look at the background... I try to look for an interesting background, and get any unwanted trash, or obscuring branches or grass out of the way
• .I try to get in the picture myself, or take a picture that holds some interest outside of just a dead bird.
• I try to take a picture that will capture a particular memory.
• Make sure that the shadow from the camera or tripod is not in the picture (I have done this all too often). If taking a picture of someone else, make sure your shadow is not in the picture.
• Make sure your gun is and appears to be pointed in a safe direction.
I use a small portable tripod with either Velcro or bendable wires that can sit on something flat, or be tied to a tree or limb... I try to get the horizon as even as possible, but Photo Shop can help here when that is not possible, or when I goof.
Here are some pictures that I took. All of the pictures of myself were taken with a point and shoot on a timer... The pictures I am not in, I shot myself with a point and shoot. Not the best in the world, but I enjoy having them around for the particular memories they provide. Some are not so good, and some are not so bad...
Not the best picture in the world, but I while running up to this bird (that took a looong time to call in, and came from a looong ways off), I dropped my call on the bird, getting it bloody... I will remember the bird and the situation because of that bloody call in the picture. I should have taken more time to pose the bird in a more atheistically pleasing manner and turned the bird on the side without the matted down bloody feathers:
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p51/msorsky/Turkey-down-2014_zps10adfafd.png) (http://s125.photobucket.com/user/msorsky/media/Turkey-down-2014_zps10adfafd.png.html)
This picture was taken at noon (about the worst light you can have). I showed off the color of the feathers by laying the bird on a rock to catch the sun light. Not a bad picture under the circumstances, but it looks like the gun is pointed at me (although it is not)... An oversight which greatly decreases the quality of the shot.
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p51/msorsky/turkey-2-2014_zps0e83ed6e.jpg) (http://s125.photobucket.com/user/msorsky/media/turkey-2-2014_zps0e83ed6e.jpg.html)
Afternoon sun here, and I actually like this shot. I put the camera closer to the birds for a different perspective... Posed the birds on or near my hunting vest, and put a duck call in the picture for good measure... I put the dogs in front of me which puts the emphasis on the far more interesting dogs. I actually had a crappy day duck hunting, and surprisingly ended up with a limit of pheasant after... This picture will not win any awards, but I find it pleasing...
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p51/msorsky/pheasant-2_zpsed716963.jpg) (http://s125.photobucket.com/user/msorsky/media/pheasant-2_zpsed716963.jpg.html)
Children can add value to a picture as well... This was an afternoon dove hunt with my daughter (I checked and double-checked to make sure the gun was unloaded)... Cute picture that captures that moment.
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p51/msorsky/dovehunting-9-15-13-2r_zps5d314681.jpg) (http://s125.photobucket.com/user/msorsky/media/dovehunting-9-15-13-2r_zps5d314681.jpg.html)
This shot was at about 10:30 am... Not terrible lighting, but not the best... I should have taken the time to clear out the grass sticking up right in front of the bird... I remember looking for a spot that had both the yellow and purple flowers... Captured some of the colors of the bird, but I feel I could have done better. The picture did a poor job showing off the beard...
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p51/msorsky/turkey-2013-r_zps4e42d3d0.jpg) (http://s125.photobucket.com/user/msorsky/media/turkey-2013-r_zps4e42d3d0.jpg.html)
Just ordered a Blue Tooth remote for my iPhone...also bought an iPhone bracket for most tripods...
Hope the stuff works....
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Quote from: mudhen on March 11, 2016, 03:48:44 AM
Just ordered a Blue Tooth remote for my iPhone...also bought an iPhone bracket for most tripods...
Hope the stuff works....
I am way out of the loop when it comes to technology... But having a remote (as opposed to a timer) would certainly help me take better quality photos... Trying to set everything up, hit the timer, run back, get in the picture correctly... Well sometimes by the time all is said and done, I look like I have been taking some pretty good drugs... Or, I have some goofy expression or some goofy poses...
The new Camera I am thinking about connects to wifi and you can view what the camera is viewing through the phone, and take the picture remotely with the camera...
I am looking at the Fuji XP-90 (or maybe XP-80)... Waterproof and shock-proof, and for my hunting and fishing excursions, this is a must for me.... A non-waterproof camera would maybe last two hunts for me in the marsh...
The camera on my iPhone currently takes higher quality photos, but setting it up on a timer with a tripod is more difficult to balance (especially for waterfowl when there are no limbs to attach the thing to). Also, I use a waterproof case for my iPhone, and that case in many cases significantly decreases the quality of the photos (either dust/dirt gets on the plastic, or the plastic gets scratched up)...
The phone is nice, cause you do not have to take or worry about taking and dealing with the camera... The camera is nice, cause (for me) it is easier to deal with the timer, and I have a memory chip, and when the chip gets full, I just replace it... I currently have zillions of pictures on my phone, and am too lazy to transfer them or go through them as much as I should...
Took maybe 1-2 minutes to set up & take a test pic...(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160312/995955afd93c1539e433e98a9f634f89.jpg)
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