Macaw: Lots of Learning!

[Eric Patdu]

Shot at a local zoo

Shooting Info: Canon EOS 70D + EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II, f/5, 1/400 sec, ISO 320
190953

[Paul Burdett]

Hi Eric. Wow...that's a stunner. Love the amount of detail you've captured here, and the colours really pop! Just thinking that cropping a little bit more off the RHS to eliminate the bird's wing part showing would be my only suggestion. TFS

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Eric, a nice head shot and agree with Paul on cropping a little off the RHS to loose the wing creeping in. The slight head turn to the viewer helps and have a clean backdrop separates the subject nicely. There is some nice detail in the main body plumage, but hidden I feel where you have perhaps pushed the reds, both beak & face can do with some selective exposure just to pull that detail out, likewise a bit more selective sharpening on the eye. Just watch you blacks don't go too dark in the shadows, again concealing detail & clarity. The framing/choice of crop works, remember to add if you have cropped or the image is FF, it does help. In addition, the file has an embedded RGB colour profile, you need to change this to sRGB for all web or projected images after cropping, but then Save As, do not Save unless you give the file a different name.

TFS
Steve

[Brian Sump]

Eric, beautiful look at this Macaw!

I agree with Steve totally on both saturation/brightness of the reds (masking some good detail there) as well as the underexposed face. Often, with backlit or rim lit photos to get the brighter feathers exposed well we underexpose the face or shadow areas and that requires some post work. Selective screening and/or dodging can help.

The points on crop are noted, I'm just not sure cropping to remove the wing will allow the pano crop to suffice but worth a shot.

Overall a great canvas to work with. TFS!

[Eric Patdu]

Thanks for the feedback. I have changed the cropping and it does look better without the part of the wing showing. For post-processing, I need to learn how to do selective exposure as I mainly do simple levels adjustments. :bg3: Regarding the embedded RGB color profile, I wasn't aware of that and will always remember it; but I did some googling and hopefully, I have correctly converted the image to sRGB. Appreciate your feedbacks a lot!
190966

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Eric, looks like you have mastered the embedded issue, well done. The RP is better, but I still think you can push the face & bill a bit more and sharpening, but that depends on how sharp the raw is. The 7D may not be the most forgiving camera body, although in Dan C's hands he just nails it, but perhaps upping your ISO to 800 to increase the SS may also have helped?

[John Mack]

Nice and sharp. Detail is excellent. That red and greeen go great together.

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Eric, Zoos are excellent places to practice your skills. The repost is much better but the REDS on top of the head are still quite hot ... I tired adding CYAN to the REDs in Selective Color but that only helped a little. If you would like to send me the raw file by large file server I'd love to take a crack at it. Head angle and sharpness are spot-on. I am not a fan of the blue halo atop the bird's head.

with love, artie

[Eric Patdu]

Hi Arthur, it would be my honor to have you process the photo. I'm sending you the raw file via email. :S3:

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Eric,

Better late than never :) I converted the image in Adobe Camera Raw. To tone down the REDS I reduced the Luminance of the REDs by 6 and increased the Luminance of the ORANGEs by 3, those under the Color Mixer tab. Under the Basic tab I went -9 on the Highlights and +20 on the Shadows. I kept the original crop because I like the wing in the frame. Once in Photoshop, the key was to add 12 points of CYAN to the RED channel. Everything above (plus tons more) is detailed in Digital Basics II (https://birdsasart-shop.com/the-birds-as-art-current-workflow-e-guide-digital-basics-ii/). See more below on Topaz DeNoise.

When I get a good internet connection I will send you the master file.

with love, artie

ps: It looks as if the top of he head is much better :)

[Steve Kaluski]

Where it needed to be Artie, nice RP!

[Arthur Morris]

Topaz DeNoise AI

As with almost every image I process, this image was run through Topaz DeNoise AI as the first step after being converted. I use Low Light for this one. For images made in sunny conditions, I use DeNoise (that is now called Standard) without even comparing.

Great Topaz News!

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with love, artie

[Arthur Morris]

Where it needed to be Artie, nice RP!

Thanks, Steve! You are fast.

with love, a

[Arthur Morris]

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[Eric Patdu]

Thanks a ton Artie! I knew that membership is all worth it. I am learning a lot from the master himself!

Thanks for taking your time in looking into improving my photo.