High-key Simplicity.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I photographed this Juvenile Black-bellied Plover on a quite rainy morning along local mudflats by the river. People tend to stay indoors when it's raining, so I had the place to myself with some shorebird friends. I have to admit that this individual gave me fits trying to ID between BBP and AGP as it was browner (less grey) than the other two it was hanging out with, but it did raise its wings showing the unmistakeable black axillaries fieldmark that only the BBP has.

Canon 7DII + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC III, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/500s., f/5.6, ISO 1600, natural light, handheld, FF.

[Isaac Grant]

Man you've been killing it with the high key shorebird shots. Great all around as usual. Love the pose, the raised foot and again the image quality at ISO 1600. In New York City these guys never let you get anywhere near them so well done for sure. Even the young birds are darn near impossible to approach. Could you tell me what method you use for your noise reduction on these high ISO shots. Would be great to learn and then try to implement.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hey Isaac, glad you like it! Many of them spook easily up here too, but every year I seem to encounter a few tame ones, the trio I photographed that day came close enough for head and shoulder portraits:c3:. As for noise reduction, here is what I do:

- I open up a saved file that has had everything but NR and sharpening done to it.
- I apply a round of NR to the whole image, using the default setting of the software I use (Noiseware)
- For ISO 800 and 1600 I use the History Brush set to 100% and erase the NR on the subject, perch, and any other in-focus areas such as leaves, rocks, extra branches. etc. Basically almost anything but the BG and FG (if oof).
- For ISO 3200 I use the history brush at about 50% on the subject and perch, etc... but still at 100% for oof areas
- Then I sharpen the whole image to taste.

A bit unconventional, and goes against popular wisdom (e.g. the sharpening part), but it works for me.

P.S. most of my high-key images, such as this one, has had no NR applied at all to it...

[Isaac Grant]

Thanks so much for the info. I don't use any noise reduction software really and know very little about it. I leave the default settings in DPP 4 applied (probably Arash will have a fit reading that :bg3:) and don't apply any additional to the bird or perch, etc. For the backgrounds I use NIK Define set at default. Never do anything else. Typically it is not needed as I shoot almost all the time in direct sun but need to expand my horizons for sure.

[Jake Levin]

Love it! I wouldn't change a thing. Feather detail is razor sharp, the raised foot is perfect, and that little bit of detail in the water is just enough to add to the shot without being distracting.

Is this the same spot we went to a few weeks ago?

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Daniel - I tend to like high key images and this is no exception. Beautiful detail and I like the bit of reflection, color you retained in the fg.

TFS,
Rachel

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks guys!

Jake, yes, that is at that spot where we saw a small flock of shorebirds that refused to land near the area we were at...

[Mike Poole]

Simple and beautiful Dan, I love the high key effect and the walking pose, very well executed.

Mike

[Robert Kimbrell]

I really like the high key here Daniel, just enough texture in the water. Nice head angel and raised foot look great.

[Frank Schauf]

Great picture, nice deep shooting position in front of a perfect background.