Back-lit finch

[Vincent Grafhorst]

Scaly-feathered finch (Sporopipes squamifrons)
Khutse Game Reserve, Kalaharti, Botswana.

I realise there are some hot highlights on its back. Personally I do not mind this at all here because it is a back-lit image and reflects what I saw plus it could not have been avoided, but I would like to hear what you nit-pickers have to say about this (that's a compliment btw) :D

Camera Model Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/200
Av( Aperture Value ) 13.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 1000
Lens EF500mm f/4L IS USM +2.0x
Focal Length 1000.0 mm
Flash On
Flash Type External E-TTL
Flash Exposure Compensation -1
Handheld
Cropped to vertical and added a bit of canvas on top.



Vincent Grafhorst
www.khwaiphotography.com (http://www.khwaiphotography.com)

[Tony Whitehead]

Hi Vincent. Blown highlights are a technical limitation of the medium with some backlit subjects so we have to live with them. Processing 2 versions of the raw file and then combining as a HDRtype image can work sometimes. This is a good image with a nice pose and feather details opened up with flash. I would clone out the seedhead emerging from the tail and smooth out the BG on the upper right.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great pose, details, BG and setting. I agree with Tony regarding PS work. Alternatively, you could tone down the highlights more starting with the RAW file using highlight recovery, exposure and curves.