Tri-colored Heron

[Joseph Przybyla]

No Topaz on this one, only Lightroom. The newest update of Lightroom has a new AI powered noise reduction tool, easy to use and works good. I captured this image at Circle B Bar Reserve in Polk County, Florida. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D500
Nikon 500mm PF, camera and lens supported by a Oben carbon fiber monopod with a Wimberly MonoGimbal head
1/2500 F/8 Matrix Metering EV 0 ISO 500 Auto 1 WB, image captured at 500mm (750mm 35mm Equivalent)
Post processed using Lightroom Classic
Cropped a little for composition and presentation

[Jonathan Ashton]

Super shot, I like the framing details are excellent. If mine I would adjust the mid tones to add a little pop, it looks a fraction bright/thin to me.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Joe ... have you posted this bird before ?

Nice portrait with lovely details , colors looking good .... sun full in your back , well creating a rather flat looking plumage :w3. One of the reasons why I do prefer many times off angled light .....
But you can overcome that " flatness" with some gentle plumage editing ....

Nice one with potential for more editing

TFS Andreas

[Joseph Przybyla]

Super shot, I like the framing details are excellent. If mine I would adjust the mid tones to add a little pop, it looks a fraction bright/thin to me.

Thanks Jon, I think the image needs more contrast, see my response to Andreas for a repost.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hi Joe ... have you posted this bird before ?

Nice portrait with lovely details , colors looking good .... sun full in your back , well creating a rather flat looking plumage :w3. One of the reasons why I do prefer many times off angled light .....
But you can overcome that " flatness" with some gentle plumage editing ....

Nice one with potential for more editing

TFS Andreas

Hi Andreas, thank you for viewing and commenting. I may have posted this before, sometimes I can't keep track of them. I posted this image using the new Lightroom noise reduction tool, no Topaz. I don't think I will be using Topaz anymore, I think the new noise reduction in Lightroom is better with less or no artifacts. Regarding the flatness of the plumage I think the contrast was too low, I increase the contrast on the subject. Maybe increased the contrast too much, let me know. Here is a repost.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Joe ... your edit is not what I meant , you have cranked up the contrast ( in whatever way ) and I think you have added it to tonal ranges that did not needed it , IMHO . Like the HL and and blacks at least it looks like you did it . Just mask out the darks and lights .... and you have made an improvement .
What have you used ?

[Arthur Morris]

I love the neck feathers! The bill? Not so much. But whaddya gonna do, the bill is the bill.

with love, a

[Kurt Bowman]

Nice and sharp portrait you managed Joe! Nicely done! I agree with others about adding some punch to the plumage

[Daniel Cadieux]

Beautiful portrait - love those feathers and colours. A bit thin, I agree. The dodge and burn tools are so underrated - here I used the burn tool, set to shadows, 8% opacity, with a soft 30% brush. One of many ways, but one of my preferred methods.

[Dorian Anderson]

This is a super frame which others have helped you improve. The layered feathers on the neck are great, and the details are outstanding. I'm curious about this new NR in LR - it is available on the Classic version as carried on the Creative Cloud? Thanks!

[Joseph Przybyla]

This is a super frame which others have helped you improve. The layered feathers on the neck are great, and the details are outstanding. I'm curious about this new NR in LR - it is available on the Classic version as carried on the Creative Cloud? Thanks!

Hi Dorian, thank you for viewing and commenting. Yes, to available in Lightroom Classic. Update your Lightroom Classic in Adobe Creative Cloud. Since I updated I am not using Topaz anymore, doing everything in Lightroom unless I need Photoshop for cloning etc.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Thanks everyone for viewing and commenting, much appreciated.

Dan, I'll give your suggestions a try. Thank you for posting the numbers you used.