Smoking red necked grebes #1

I am just back from THE most amazing workshop in Nome, Alaska with Matthew Studebaker. Feel free to PM me if you want all the amazing details.
I am exhausted ( 18 hour days and a red eye home) but knew that I wanted to process this one shot immediately. The other 5000 pics can wait! Exposure was tricky and I opted for a bit of blow out on the side of right hand grebe to get a half decent exposure on the shaded side of grebes. A call was used.
canon 1DX
600mm II and 1.4x
ISO 800
SS 1/1250
f 5.6
I cloned out some grasses in the water ( I know...I said I was trying not to clone anything in my shots but this one is special!) and added 3% canvas on the left. Cropped top and bottom.
PP- NR on BG. S & H, levels, DE at 10% on side of left bird's body and 3% on the rest of the grebes. USM at 40% and 0.3 pixels.
Comments and critiques always learned from and appreciated with thanks,
Gail

You are obviously trying to corner the image of the week market!
Stunning.......

Thats beautiful Gail. You reallly got low for this one. The vapor just takes the shot over the top. You made the right call on the exposure. I hope to seem more from this trip.

It's a beauty.

I can see why this was first on your list to process. The unique lighting, calling poses and breath just put this one over the top. The fact that they are interacting makes it even better. The BG color is also quite unique.

Since you already did a bit of cloning, I would clone out the spot on the right just above the water line and maybe clean up the edges in the lower RHC.

Mmmm, this is so nice! I agree that this is a special image! the exposure looks tricky but you did a graeat job.

Wonderful! It is indeed special!

Wow, just wow! So much here to like. The "smoke" puts this over the top and you did very well with a difficult exposure. Did I saw WOW?! :cheers:

Don't they know smoking is bad for their health !!!!


Beautiful shot :)

A Master Piece. Wonderful lights ,environment and great composition.

Regards,
Satish.

Truly stunning image, it looks like the two are conversing with each other about you :-) The vapor takes this ta another lever!!! Well done Gail.

Awesome moment, the low angle rocks. The interaction and arousal of both birds is great. Of course the atmosphere elevates the image from good to top shelf good. Can you describe the speaker that was used, and were you concealed at all?

Beautiful image Gail,you can feel the atmosphere,lighting and low angle great,the breaths coming out of the beaks,is magic,well done.

No wonder you were so excited! these types of shots are rare and go far beyond the norm, extremely well done!........dreamy and delicious, an absolute classic

Lovely shot and good call on the exposure!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shawn Zierman

Awesome moment, the low angle rocks. The interaction and arousal of both birds is great. Of course the atmosphere elevates the image from good to top shelf good. Can you describe the speaker that was used, and were you concealed at all?

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Hi Shawn,
Matthew used his Ipod for this shot with no speaker and we were not concealed. We walked up slowly through the marshy waterand set up our tripods. While we did this, the grebes moved to the other side of the small pond but the call brought them back to us,
Gail

Nice image, i may not change a thing in this image
its simply the mood it creates, wonderful

I think the darker tones add to the cool effect on this one, nice mood...refreshingly different Gail

Just breathtaking.... no pun intended!!
It really doesn't get any better than this, Gail. Happy for you while also green with envy...

A smokin' hot image! lovely low angle with great IQ & wonderful sync in the calling poses.
Looks like Marlon Brando had a swim with his cigar & just left the scene:t3

I can see why you couldn't wait to get this one processed and posted. It's a beautiful moment captured and would certainly make the entire trip worthwhile just to get this opportunity.

Simply stunning! What an experience this must have been, and you've obviously made the best of it, even if this was your only keeper. I can't wait to see the other 5000.

Hi Gail, glad you are back safe, and another successful trip. Super low angle, good interaction between the two grebes, and the darker BG shows up their breaths so well - off course their breaths 'floating' in the air puts this over the top. An opportunity well used, and congrats on a fine image.

An amazing image, I love the lighting here.
Curios, at f5.6, I assume this is probably a considerable crop since you were able both sharp in such a difference in depth. Love to know more about this part of the image.

Hi Troy,
It is 70% FF. I got a series of about 10 shots and one was sharp of both birds. I did sharpen the head of right grebe at USM 70 at .3 pixels vs 40% on the rest of the birds bird.
Here is the original image without any work on it at all,
Gail

Gail, thank you for the info. You did not have to post the original, thank you for doing that.
It was worth the time to process it and do some cleanup.

Welcome back Gail, figured you were on some photo safari. Sounds like you had a good trip. As my 19 year old son would say, Thats sick! It means awesome :) I can see why you were exited to process it. Love the whole scene!!

Impressive post processing. Thanks for the info regarding the approach. The main reason that I asked is because I have access to this species in my neck of the woods and will eventually try this...

That is a beautiful image Gail. You have made great use of the light.

Gail - this is stunning, the atmosphere really takes it to another level. Congrats!

TFS,
Rachel

Wow!!!
Beautiful image.
Love it!

Love this Gail and did I mention how jealous I am? Sounds like such a great trip and this image rocks. I just love the lighting and the fog mist. great job with PP.

Wonderful lights & great composition.