Eurasian Griffon Vulture

[Richard Unsworth]

Hi

should make a good learning example for others

Captured Algarve, Portugal

ISO 250
SS 1/400
Ev +1.67
100-400mm @ 400
Handheld

100 crop to remove sky all round

Harsh full sun: looking up!

actually reworded - self critique, should have used higher ISO and EV >2.0?:p

Rich

[Richard Stern]

Hi Richard.

Lovely bird, sharp and has a purposeful look. The light must have been harsh. I agree with your self crit, but I wonder if an EV >2 would have over-exposed the head? I haven't done it but I wonder if a bit of highlight/ shadows work would bring out some detail in the underside of the wings? I wouldn't have cropped quite as much, as for me the wing tips are a little close to the edge. Some slight rotation so that the wings form a true diagonal might also make it even more dramatic. These are minor points, and overall I like this image.

Richard

[Julie Kenward]

Nice points made my Richard. I believe you are probably right about needing +2 to get the darks correctly exposed but I also think with the harsh lighting that would have blown your head area as well. Maybe split the difference and recover what you can in pp?

I opened your image up and created a levels adjustment layer, sliding the midtones to the left (1.44) and that instantly brought out more detail in those underwings but it also created a huge amount of noise. You can always run NR but then you'll lose some of the detail in the feathers.

My guess is the harsh light is the problem here. If it were more overcast you'd have been able to produce a more even exposure. Let's see what the others have to say, though.

[Richard Unsworth]

Hi Julie/Richard

I am going to rework this one though as I do like the bird and....

Yep, I tried levels too but got hit by noise. Ran NR in CS5 but too much sharpness lost.

I probably did as well I could have giving it +1.67 but at midday sun is so powerful in Portugal.

We had stopped the car as these guys floated over so no real time to change positions - always the same isn't it lol

really appreciate your inputs

Rich