Pileated Woodpecker

[Steve Large]

Hi Everyone,
Hope you had a lovely weekend. This is the first weekend in a while with nice sunny weather (At least for one Day :o). I took this shot of a pileated woodpecker here in Nanaimo at Neck Point. They opened up a new section to include some Gary Oaks and a bit more of the beach. He came down to hunt for insects in one of the old driftwood logs and that was where I caught this pic.

Specs: Canon 50D, 500 f/4 + 1.4X, 1/200 sec at F/8, ISO 800, EC +.7

Thanks for looking,

Steve

[Joe Senzatimore]

Great subject to capture. I might take a little off the top and try to tone down the tree bark as it seems very bright. The subject looks good. Nice color and exposure.

[Dennis Zaebst]

Very nice capture at a natural location. Agree with Joe BG could use a bit of toning down....blacks on bird look a bit bright too. I would take it down about 1/2 - 2/3 stops in post.

[Steve Large]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the input. Here is another shot with a bit more black added and the wood toned down a bit.

Steve

[Randy Stout]

Steve:

Excellent capture to get this guy in the clear at a good shooting angle.
Nice display of the propping tail feathers.

Head angle mentioned, as was the log being too bright.
I think Peter got it just about right. I have taken thousands of pictures of these guys, and they don't have truly black feathers, at least not in Michigan.

Thanks for sharing, hope you have some more.

Randy

[Steve Large]

Hi Peter,
Thanks for the work on the re-post. What meathod did you use for the log? It looks much better. I will try some recovery in Lightroom to tone down the whites.

Steve

[Steve Large]

Hi Randy,
Thanks for your comments. It was a rare occaision to find him down so close to the water. Usually as you know, they are hanging off of a fir tree or some such position. There are lots there at Neck point but catching them in good light and unobstructed is a challenge.

Steve

[Steve Large]

Hi Steve - I made a careful selection of the bird only and put that in its own layer. Then I created a copy of BG. In this copy I darkened the whites (~40%), darkened the neutrals (~20%) (In Selective Color). Finally I selected the highlights (In Select->Color Range->Highlights and applied a mild linear burn (opacity 25%). I left the bird untouched as I don't know how it really looks ... :) never seen one.
Thanks Peter,
I do know some PS but my skills in it are limited to a few simple actions. I will try your meathod on my own and see if I can get the same results.

Steve

[Thomas Herou]

Very nice portrait!

[Edward Fisher]

Very nice Steve !
The only thing that I would change would be to clone out the distracting strands of blonde grass in the BG.

[Steve Large]

Thanks Ed,
Now that you mention it, I do notice them. I guess I was concerned with getting the log a bit darker but I think while I am at it I might as well get rid of them too.

Steve

[Ted Willcox]

Hi Steve, Nice image of a male Pileated. I am with Ed on the cloning. Well done.
Ted