Manipulation of Light

[Paul Marcellini]

Went out on Friday more on a landscape scouting but did run into this guy about midday. No way to get good light on him, I just gave it some +exp comp until the background was barely blinking just to see what I could do. The 5d2 files are amazing and I have shots at iso3200 that I will be using. This wasn't that extreme, but with some fiddling in the hue/sat/luminosity slider in ACR, 2 highlight mulitplies with masking of the darks on the owl, and dodging/burning I got this. Not something that I care to do anything with due to other elements, but I just wanted to show what it possible. And I'm sure it could be fine tuned much more.

5d2
Lens (mm): 400
ISO: 800
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/320
Exp. Comp.: +0.7

[Paul Marcellini]

And here's a jpeg made from the unprocessed dng. The starting point. And exposing to the right sure helps with noise, though the 5d2 doesn't need much help.

[Lorant Voros]

Very interesting and it looks like the 5DMKII is a great tool. I wish the AF would be better though; that's why I didn't go for it.

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Hi Paul.
Very good image of this stunning raptor. Your PS work did wonders here but as you state the 5DMKII does not need much help when it comes into noise. I see a green cast especially on the tree.

[Fabs Forns]

It looks like terrific p/p to me, and a nice one to have on file :)

[Ramon M. Casares]

Very nice comp, light, BG, pose, details and colors, great pp work here. Congratulations!

[Arthur Morris]

Excellent image optimization skills. I love the brnac that the bird is perched on and the leaves in front of it. Not so the branch by the tail...

[Randy Stout]

Paul:

Nice image and well processed. I might crop down just a bit from the top, and maybe brighten the overall image just a bit. However, the brightness balance in the processed file is a significant improvement. Very nice.

Randy

[Paul Marcellini]

Thanks for the comments guys, I am not planning to do anything with this due to the branches but just wanted to show what was possible. I'm not for cloning that much out. Just means I gotta spend more time out with the owls...oh the torture. =)

[Judd Patterson]

Paul, your Photoshop work here is really top notch...excellent restoration of shadow detail and taming of the spotty highlights. You are right that 5D MII files are fun to use!! :) I might suggest that the whitepoint seemed too gray, so I did a quick levels adjustment...and then noticed a green color cast. Just a couple thoughts...

It's been way too long since I've seen a Barred Owl!

http://www.juddpatterson.com/BPN/paul_barred_owl_repost.jpg

[Stu Bowie]

Great pp work Paul, and love the eye contact in this. Judd has done a good job with the green cast.