Atlantic Puffin

[Steve Kaluski]

A very straight forward and even 'pedestrian' image of an Atlantic puffin. However, hopefully Jon and myself may get some more interesting shots tomorrow, albeit that they are not in great abundance I gather. A early start but worth the journey and good 'craic' with Jon A. Light winds and slightly overcast should be good.

Thanks to those who posted or viewed on the last posting.

Steve

Subject: Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica)
Location: UK
Camera: Canon 1DX MKII
Lens: 200-400f/4
Exposure: 1/2000s at f/8 ISO2000
Original format: Landscape almost FF on width
Processed via: LRCC Classic & PSCC2018

Some black rocks removed in the BKG.

[John Whaley]

A beautiful image Steve. A sweet creamy background, high IQ, tack sharp, fine feather detail, clear eye, low pov and a perfect exposure all working together here. Good luck tomorrow. We have had nothing but rain and clouds for days on end here.

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks John, but hoping for better tomorrow. :w3


A sweet creamy background, high IQ, tack sharp, fine feather detail, clear eye, low pov and a perfect exposure all working together here.

Simple, being square on to the sensor, maximising the full potential of the Histogram and understanding how to control LR's hidden contrast. A lot of folk worry about ISO, but with the 1DX and the game changer 1DX MKII I have no fears and so ISO2000 is a walk in the park. :bg3:

Alex B - if you see this sorry we may not meet up, all last minute as the weather is just too variable, but hope you get some images over here, however if by chance you are at Farnes tomorrow email me and we will lookout for you. :wave:

[John Mack]

Solid image of this puffin. Like the look of the little plump bird. Nice Point of view.

[William Dickson]

Hi Steve. I have been comparing your Puffin image with the one I just posted. Is it my monitor, the blacks on your image look a tad grey here, or is it my monitor? Or, maybe the light at the time of capture. WDYT

Will

[Bill Dix]

As you say, it's a nice simple Puffin frame. I also thought the blacks were a tad grey. Might have liked just a tiny head turn. I could also see a pano composition with a tad less oof foreground at the bottom, and a tad more room on the right.

[Walker Noe]

Nice image, I also think the blacks could be a little punchier. Great detail and BG, I love this species!

[Jay Shah]

Hi Steve, very pleasing, solid image overall. Love the contrast between bird and silky smooth background.

[Steve Kaluski]

Is it my monitor, the blacks on your image look a tad grey here, or is it my monitor?

LOL Will, I was waiting for a comment along those lines :bg3:.

No it's not your monitor, or the processing, Puffins seem to vary in colour, however they are certainly not all black. The actually plumage and this is based on yesterdays encounters various hugely in the subject and in fact reading your comment I asked Jon A to look at them to see if I was mistaken, but we both felt they do vary especially at close quarters.

If I have time before leaving I will try and process couple from yesterday, however I'm sure Jon will also be eager to post some as it was a great day, albeit heavily overcast, something I think is the opposite from your postings Will where the light was very strong, but this too could have an effect?

One thing I will ask Will is, and I know it's going off topic, but to a point I think relevant. Have you printed from your new Monitor and if so how close to the monitor is the print? They are nice monitors, but with such an array in the rich, saturated colours and tonal depth trying to replicate it in a print especially with some colours like green I would be interested to know. Yes there is a certain amount of tolerance in screen to print in it's nature because of the medium, but how faithful does it compare, or have you never had prints made or printed from your kit, just interested?

Cheers
Steve

[Steve Kaluski]

Cheers Bill, I might be able to facilitate that in some of the newer images from yesterday.


I also think the blacks could be a little punchier.

Hi Joe, it's all based on the white to black tonal range for me and so if the darker shadow ares are just there before clipping then for me, the rest falls within that tonal range, as I'm not going to selectively darken areas. I want to retain as much tonal detail within the subject, in doing so this will help the mid tones and thet's where all your lovely detail is. I know some folk like to ramp up Contrast, Levels and Back because it looks good on the monitor, but if you try to print it will just 'block' leaving no detail in the dark, shadow areas and this also comes back to using your Histogram and maximising the full capture potential.


Love the contrast between bird and silky smooth background.

Thanks Jay, yep if you use LR then you have to know how to control the Contrast LR puts in, in the BKG before you even start any PP in an image, but ETTR is the key and bedrock of any image.

[William Dickson]

LOL Will, I was waiting for a comment along those lines :bg3:.

No it's not your monitor, or the processing, Puffins seem to vary in colour, however they are certainly not all black. The actually plumage and this is based on yesterdays encounters various hugely in the subject and in fact reading your comment I asked Jon A to look at them to see if I was mistaken, but we both felt they do vary especially at close quarters.

If I have time before leaving I will try and process couple from yesterday, however I'm sure Jon will also be eager to post some as it was a great day, albeit heavily overcast, something I think is the opposite from your postings Will where the light was very strong, but this too could have an effect?

One thing I will ask Will is, and I know it's going off topic, but to a point I think relevant. Have you printed from your new Monitor and if so how close to the monitor is the print? They are nice monitors, but with such an array in the rich, saturated colours and tonal depth trying to replicate it in a print especially with some colours like green I would be interested to know. Yes there is a certain amount of tolerance in screen to print in it's nature because of the medium, but how faithful does it compare, or have you never had prints made or printed from your kit, just interested?

Cheers
Steve

Hi Steve, thanks for that. I have tried printing just a couple of images on the printer (Canon ix6850), I don't think its the best of printers, thats something I need to look at, and get myself a better printer. I can never get the colours to look the same as what is on the monitor. Any advice on what printer to get, and how to set it up for optimal printing.

Will

[Steve Kaluski]

Any advice on what printer to get, and how to set it up for optimal printing.

Canon or Epsom (high end)

Printing through LR will give you better results and you need to learn how to 'Soft' proof
ICC profiles for the paper you use - paper manufactures will provide this FOC if you use their papers. Different papers will provide different results
Consumables (inks) these are not cheap, and printers can take anywhere between 8-12 inks and key inks like Photo magenta, cyan are heavy in usage and so you will find some inks will go quicker than others, best to have extras sitting in the wings.

[Alex Becker]

Nice one Steve -- good to get a clean background without a bunch of other puffins in it! Detail and all is handled well, and I noticed on my recent trip a lot more variation in feather color / plumage. No problem, I think I must've missed you guys by a day or two then. I also had some wild weather, pretty overcast with some light rain, but tides that made landing at Staples tough and then the 50-60mph winds yesterday which grounded everything. All part of the fun though and I think I got some nice shots and had a good time :wave:




Alex B - if you see this sorry we may not meet up, all last minute as the weather is just too variable, but hope you get some images over here, however if by chance you are at Farnes tomorrow email me and we will lookout for you. :wave:

[Steve Kaluski]

No problem, I think I must've missed you guys by a day or two then. I also had some wild weather, pretty overcast with some light rain, but tides that made landing at Staples tough and then the 50-60mph winds yesterday which grounded everything.

Hi Alex, if that was the case, what a bummer, would have been great to have met you. I was heading to Bempton and Jon said he was heading to the Farnes and so the Monday was the only option I had. Weather was overcast and the swell was brewing, so we were informed that we only had an hour, that then changed to longer, but meant we tried to cover a lot of ground in that first hour, not ideal, but.... I'm pleased to hear you got some shots in the bag, hope to see them at some point.

Next time you are over we will definitely get things booked in and hopefully get young Jon out too, perhaps stay over there as Jon knows a small 'bolt hole' and the breakfast is good too.

All the best and a safe flight home if you haven't already left.

Cheers
Steve