Merganser (f)

[Jonathan Ashton]

Hand held Canon 5D III Canon 100-400 L IS II ISO 800 Manual mode, 1/400 sec f8 (1600px)
Taken in Snowdonia - Llyn Padern

ACR & PSCC

I visit this location in January/February each year. I had been after a good shot of the sawtooth for some time and I got lucky this time. I must have knocked the shutter button when I changed cameras, normally I would go faster than this.

[Randy Stout]

Jon:

Very nice display of the "teeth". I would be scared if I was a fish.

Nice flare of head/neck feathers, like the foot showing, good shooting angle, catchlight.

I might consider a bit more of a pano crop, but a matter of personal taste.

Nice

Randy

[Glenn Pure]

Fabulous detail on the head and bill, including those lethal looking 'teeth'. I too am glad not be be a small fish in that pond. The neutral colour on the rest really help that foot stand out too. I'm not so keen on the neck area where I'd like to see more detail but maybe there wasn't enough there to recover as it sounds like you were more ETTR than you had planned?

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks Randy and Glenn I agree with your suggestions. The whites are not blown Glenn, I originally produced a 1200px image but then I made a larger one and I forgot to bring down the luminosity on the neck - but the detail is there to be seen.

[annmpacheco]

Hi Jon, love this very animated merganser! Id like to see a pano too! Would you explain about reducing the luminosity on the whites in the neck? Sounds like i could use that technique on my kingfisher images? super!

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Jon, agree with Randy, loose some off the top. Love the open beak, with some neat detail. I would revisit the RAW (as you have a lot more to platy with) to get some more detail back in on that white area, don't mess around with the Tiff as you are limiting yourself and Lumo, but your call.

TFS
Steve

[Jonathan Ashton]

Ok here's another version a bit better I think?

[Steve Kaluski]

Ok here's another version a bit better I think?

I feel it's a bit hefty Jon, looks like you have recovered it, I would back off on the Opacity or try another route.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I feel it's a bit hefty Jon, looks like you have recovered it, I would back off on the Opacity or try another route.
I am inclined to agree a bit overdone, I also added a little TC/DE and I think I could have reduced opacity there (yes I heard you say "yes and to zero!")

[Steve Kaluski]

I am inclined to agree a bit overdone, I also added a little TC/DE and I think I could have reduced opacity there (yes I heard you say "yes and to zero!")

Hey Jon, if you are saying that the area is not blown then I think just a hint of tone in there to loose the 'white' would be fine, a Curves adjustment for the whites or HL's should be fine, but hard to say without seeing the RAW. However, adding TC/DE is something I would certainly avoid IMHO.

BTW the head looks lighter, not as rich too in the RP, are you working from a Master PSD or did you redo the image?????

[Jonathan Ashton]

The Lord loves a trier, so I went away, did a work out in my gym and had another look at it bearing in mind the feedback.