Egret with Breakfast

[Lance Peters]

Hi - well I have been struglling with exposure - but hopefully this one is better, at least the histogram tells me so (no whites after 249).

I let the shutter fly on this one so have a range to choose from, this is maybe the best.

O.K so onto the details..

D3
Sigma 300 - 800 5.6
2 X Teleconverter

shot at 1600 mm manual focus
F11
1/1000th
+0.3 EV
400ISO

Just have to say a big thanks to everyone who has been helping me get to grips with this here - THANKS HEAPS.

Lance

[Robert O'Toole]

I think the timing is perfect and the detail in the eye of the fish is intense. Well done.

Well first thing that comes to mind is that the image needs leveling. Good job with the exposure but contrast like this is very hard to tame. Combining 2 images is really the only way other than an HDR.

Robert

[Alfred Forns]

Congrats on the exposure Lance !!! Also like the crop at the bottom !!! I'm amazed at the sharpness of this combination !!! Just the leveling mentioned by Robert !!! Good Job !!!

[Lance Peters]

Hi Robert - Bugger I did forget to level it - I had another one ready to upload as well - leveled it but not this one.

Levelled.

Thanks for the comments - will keep the contrast in mind.

Thanks

Lance

[Harold Davis]

i cant believe the sharpness of this combo either!! very nice, and the angle of the fish in his mouth is just perfect! 1600mm? how far away was he? half mile?!!!! nice compo here, lance.

[Lance Peters]

Hi Alfred and Harold - thanks for the comments - I am amazed at the sharpness as well, have to say though have a new tripod and read every thing I could find on here about long lens technique.

He was a little way away which was good as I didn't upset him from going about his business.

Thanks
Lance

[Nonda Surratt]

Lance,

I REALLY like this! Nice job

[Gus Cobos]

Very nice image, good timing, and great exposure. Love the action...:D

[Robert Amoruso]

Lance,

Try a reverse s-curve. I created two curve adjustment layers, each with a reverse s-curve to knock back the high contrast plus it opened up the shadows.

[Lance Peters]

Hi Robert - Wow that has improved the contrast - don't know how to go about the reverse S Curve - guess I can google it and start from ther. Thanks for the tip.

Lance

[Robert Amoruso]

Lance,

Just like it sounds, instead of a standard s-curve, it is a reverse of the slope. I posted a screen grab here. The drop down menu (circled) can be used to save it as a preset.