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theApprentice

top geAr #

Flexshooter Pro ball head

GuY uses the FlexShooter

Pro ball head which has a

spring counterbalance and

double ball system that can

support up to 45kg. This

makes it ideal for large

telephotos, such as the Canon

EF 600mm f/4L IS III without

needing a hefty gimbal head.

hot

shot

guy’s comment

When shooting birds of prey in

flight I like to use Aperture Priority

to meter off the ground in front of me where

the birds will be flying. Then I adjust the ISO

until I get a shutter speed of 1/2000 sec or

faster, which is enough to freeze the bird in flight. I then make

a note of all of the exposure settings and lock it off in Manual

mode. The sky and underbelly of this Brahminy Kite are very

light, so by always shooting in Raw I can always pull back

detail in these areas and stop them clipping. Although skill

and experience help, there’s always an element of luck, so it’s

just a case of repeatedly trying until you manage to nail the

perfect moment where it all comes together.

lens Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6l I s II usm

exposure 1/2500 sec, f/5.6, Iso 1600