Eider

[William Dickson]

Canon 7D Mkii
f/4 500mm with 1x4iii
f/6.3
1/800
ISO 800

Another day photographing eiders. Today was duller than my eider post yesterday, and. I think I managed to get more detail in the blacks. Thanks for looking, and for the advice on my previous eider post.

William

[arash_hazeghi]

Softer light sure helped here, details in the blacks are still a bit lacking though, especially in the head

TFS

[William Dickson]

Softer light sure helped here, details in the blacks are still a bit lacking though, especially in the head

TFS

I really don't know how to get more detail out of the head feathers. If you have had experience photographing this bird, you will know that the head feathers are more like fur than feathers. Any advice on extracting more detail would be appreciated

[John Robinson]

Preferthis shot to the other one Will. Nice stuff. I know what you mean about the "furry " head.
Dodging might bring out some white bits as peter says
Cheers
JohnR

Will- just tried it in Paintshop pro with opacity set at about 4 and it works. Starts to look a bit artificial if you over do it.
JR

[Bob Smith]

This guy is the Yoda of ducks---a magnificent bird and nicely framed by the ripples in the water---- a great image.

[arash_hazeghi]

I really don't know how to get more detail out of the head feathers. If you have had experience photographing this bird, you will know that the head feathers are more like fur than feathers. Any advice on extracting more detail would be appreciated

It is possible to get better detail in the blacks. Your problem is exposure and then post processing. For an image like this you need to expose to for the blacks meaning that pushing the whites without blowing them up followed by lifting the blacks in post such that they are not blocked.

[William Dickson]

Hi William, in PS you could try to dodge the blacks a bit. I sometimes get better results when using a fill-in flash at -1/-2, so as to prevent burning the whites.

Thanks for that Peter. Here is a repost with the black head feathers 'dodged' slightly WDYT

146742

[Iain Barker]

Love the colours on this Eider William it looks very natural to me. I think you have ahd some good advice on the blacks and the changes you have made in your repost improve them for me.

Cheers
Iain

[Daniel Cadieux]

I like the "blushed" chest feathers. Good low angle. It must be me, but I see the blacks being fine on the head, dark yes, but natural looking. I do find the subject rather tight in the frame, and the long white line almost touching the cheek to our left is bad luck, but correctable in post if you are into that sort of modification.

[christopher galeski]

I am in agreement with Daniel about the blacks on the head,nice low pose,plenty of detail,maybe a bit more room all round for me,nice image.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the head tucked in pose, sharpness, low light and details. I could see a version with a little more room but fine as presented. Very well done William.