White Ibis (Working on the whites)

[Joaquin Barbará]

I took this picture today of a White Ibis at a local pond.
Nikon D7100
300 mm f/2.8 AIS (manual focus),
f/4.0, ISO 100, 1/2000
On tripod.

It was noon on a bright day and the ibis was standing in the shadow.
I tried to extract as much detail as possible from the image.
Processed Image:
135439

Original Image:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5472/11245423346_0f9173fe89_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/97401946@N07/11245423346)

Lightroom Correction:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5494/11245412284_154b2876fc_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/97401946@N07/11245412284)

Photoshop Filter Topaz Detail:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/11245482503_cba6fd5e08_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/97401946@N07/11245482503)

Reimported into Lightroom and adjusted again:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/11245482623_d326fd1982_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/97401946@N07/11245482623)

[Diane Miller]

I haven't used Topaz Detail, so can't comment on that, but a couple of quick observations --

A good final result, maybe a little too much detail brought out in the whites for folks who aren't used to being able to do it. :>) But I like it!

Initial histogram looks good. LR correction: I wouldn't want the darks that dark -- the histogram is pushed against the left wall (Blacks sliders went too far left). And the final is a bit saturated.

I've had good results with Nik Color Efex Pro's Detail Extractor combined with Pro Contrast.

As you become more experienced you'll want to be careful about level "horizons" and not crop too closely. It's a bit crowded top and bottom.

[Marina Scarr]

The whites in your original post on the head and neck look good, but those on the body look grey and smudged with little detail to my eyes. It's not easy to bring back whites unless they are only slightly blown. The histogram of your original doesn't look as though your whites are blown. If I were you and using ACR, I would lower the highlights in there before bringing the image into PS.

[Diane Miller]

Good point about the body, Marina. This may be a case where a global treatment can only get you so far. The steep slope of the right end of the histogram, while not blown out, does indicate that there isn't a lot of tonal variation in those brightest areas, which is mostly the body.

In a case like this, if I couldn't get far enough with further tonal tweaks in RAW conversion, I would take the approach of some sort of targeted adjustment just for the body, to brighten the whites while increasing detail. It is basically an issue of brightness and contrast, but today there are more powerful tools for "digging out" tonal detail. I'd use a layer of Nik Color Efex Pro's Detail Extractor combined with Pro Contrast, then mask that to just the body, with a soft-edged mask that stayed inside the body. Some of the Topaz programs probably have similar capabilities but I'm not familiar enough with them to say.

[Joaquin Barbará]

OK I reopened the file in PS, used ReMasK and created a mask for the body and then applied the detail extractor filter.
I think it looks better but please comment on the results.
Thank you
135499

[Diane Miller]

I'm not sure I understand, but there are 2 images here that look identical. And unfortunately both show whites that are overprocessed and too gray. It was just the body that needed work, not the neck and head. And just a subtle amount at that.

I'm rushed for time and don't want to sound curt, but I would suggest going back to the RAW, leave the Whites and Blacks at 0, and tweak Exposure if needed. Then go from there. Then try Nik CEP for the body only -- you had the head and neck pretty good before. It's worth the cost of the whole suite. No need for all the trouble of Detail Extractor, wonderful as it is. Do you know how to do a soft selection using Quick Mask?

http://www.adorama.com/alc/0008106/article/Virtual-fill-flash

I also don't know your level of experience -- do you have a properly calibrated monitor? I'm seeing what might be the result if you are looking at a monitor where the darkness/lightness of the image changes as you move your head up and down. You may be seeing it too light, thus creating an image that is too dark. The best you can do is be sure you are properly calibrated and profiled and view the monitor at exactly a 90-degree angle vertically. And rely on the histogram.

Sorry to be rushed right now but I'll check in later for your follow-up.

[Joaquin Barbará]

Sorry Diane, in LR it did not look so over processed but when I uploaded it as a JPG it looked horrible. I am traveling so I don't have access to the original RAW file today, I was working of a TIFF coppy that I had with me. When I return home I will try again. Thank you for your help.