Mark Schmitt
03-27-2010, 04:38 PM
This is a bird of very dry, desicated habitats. Though not uncommon, it is a bird one will have to go to specific habitats to photograph.
A recording of the song of this bird was used to pull it in. They respond almost immediately, so grabbing an image and then shutting down the recording is quick.
Self critique: I am pleased with the over-all results of the image with perhaps one exception. There could have been a little more deffinition to the throat (black area); but as I worked with this there was no acceptable results so stayed with this; might have cloned out the cactus spikes protruding from back of bird.
PP: dodge and burn layer on the FG cholla cactus and belly regions of bird; BG promoted to a layer and gausian blur used to smooth it out and reduce noise; cropped with the intent of leaving the cactus in as it is very much part of the birds habitat and, in my oppinon, adds a bit of interest to the image.
Shooting parameters:
Canon 30D
Canonf EF 500 IS L @ 4.0 + 1.4 T/C
Metering: PatternExposure: 1/5000 @ f 7.1; exp. comp -.66: fill in flash + .33
White bal: custom 5050 K
Location: Kelso Valley, Kern Co. Ca.
Conditions: Sunny, cool
A recording of the song of this bird was used to pull it in. They respond almost immediately, so grabbing an image and then shutting down the recording is quick.
Self critique: I am pleased with the over-all results of the image with perhaps one exception. There could have been a little more deffinition to the throat (black area); but as I worked with this there was no acceptable results so stayed with this; might have cloned out the cactus spikes protruding from back of bird.
PP: dodge and burn layer on the FG cholla cactus and belly regions of bird; BG promoted to a layer and gausian blur used to smooth it out and reduce noise; cropped with the intent of leaving the cactus in as it is very much part of the birds habitat and, in my oppinon, adds a bit of interest to the image.
Shooting parameters:
Canon 30D
Canonf EF 500 IS L @ 4.0 + 1.4 T/C
Metering: PatternExposure: 1/5000 @ f 7.1; exp. comp -.66: fill in flash + .33
White bal: custom 5050 K
Location: Kelso Valley, Kern Co. Ca.
Conditions: Sunny, cool