White-rumped Sandpiper

[Daniel Cadieux]

Another fun-in-the-mud low angle shorebird photo, this time of an adult White-rumped as it foraged along the Ottawa River. I was happy to see the tiny drop in front of the foot and the bluish band above (which I gave a small dose of sponge tool to) while reviewing the images on my computer!

Canon 7D + 100-400L @400mm, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/500s., f/6.3, ISO 800 (histogram checked), natural light, handheld, about 85% FF, a few tidbits cleaned from the water surface via patch and clone tools.

[Grace Scalzo]

Wonderful image, and you are right, the tiny droplet as well as the green leaves add that little extra that make an image complete. Sweet, plump little sandpiper, looks like he or she had a good summer.

[gail bisson]

Perfect oncoming, foot out of the water, good HA pose.
I have never seen this bird in real life so I may be wrong but I see a bit of a magenta cast.
Also did you do some cloning around the birds' right knee? Looks a bit weird.
I love the green foliage and the water ripples on the left.
Gail

[Tom Rambaut]

Like it all - the subtle natural light is nice - looks quite content with you being there. Like the midtone colours with the hint of the green leaf. TFS

[PhilCook]

Very nice Daniel, lovely soft and peaceful feel to this one, the highlighting of the blue strip I think is a nice touch, loks excelent in all aspects....but admit to not be able to decide if it needs a little more canvas on the left or not...could happily live with it either way

[Ofer Levy]

Sharp with good detail. Nice pose and eye contact. Light wasn't great and I feel the image needs some levels and contrast adjustment. The eye looks "doctored" to me.

[Melvin Grey]

Another very nice clean presentation - good angle on the bird and the raised foot gives some 'action' to the image. Perhaps the 'weird' look around the bird's right knee commented upon by Gail was due to slight localised subject movement as the bird was raising its foot? I like the inclusion of the grass into the composition. The soft lighting, coupled with its reflection from the water surface, has enabled very good plumage detail and a nice large natural highlight reflection in the eye - it certainly doesn't look "doctored" to me. I only wish we could get this close to individual shorebirds with just a 400mm lens here in the UK! - well done.

[Ofer Levy]

....and a nice large natural highlight reflection in the eye - it certainly doesn't look "doctored" to me. .

Melvin, I am pretty sure the iris was selectively brightened as sandpiper's eyes are darker especially in such dull light.

[PhilCook]

The eyes look perfect to me, if they are doctored it is done very well and not obvious...all images posted on here are "doctored " to a degree with blurred backdrops, sharpening, and a host of tweaks... why not the eye

[Ofer Levy]

The eyes look perfect to me, if they are doctored it is done very well and not obvious...all images posted on here are "doctored " to a degree with blurred backdrops, sharpening, and a host of tweaks... why not the eye

If I can tell the eye was "doctored" it means it wasn't done that well. Changing the way parts of the bird actually look (iris in here) in reality is not a great practice IMHO. You don't have to agree with me.

[Ofer Levy]

To explain my view on selective brightening of the iris here is an example:
Image # 1 is the master file after standard processing.
Image # 2 same as #1 with only selective brightening of the iris.
Image # 3 shows how much image #1 had to be brightened in order to get the effect on the iris in #2.

EDIT: just noticed that Bill's image of the same species (14 images below this one) shows the iris completely dark although it was taken in better light....

[Ofer Levy]

Image # 1

[Ofer Levy]

Image # 2

[Bill Dix]

Very nice pose and great low POV. I like the inclusion of the blades of grass even if pushes the bird into the middle of the frame. I personally like the soft light as presented.

[Ofer Levy]

Image # 3

[arash_hazeghi]

looks nice I like the details and low angle. I have to say the eye does look a bit unnatural to me as well , perhaps it was brightened or it may just be the light but typically the pupil in these species is really dark, but it may be due to light angle or some reflection , only Dan knows! :)

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the low angle, details, sharpness, body angle and raised foot. Well done Daniel.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks guys. As for the eye, it's no secret that I "doctor" the eyes one way or another in 99% of my wildlife images. I can see the iris in most of the images I review on my computer, I just like to enhance it. I've explained why before in other threads and I'm sticking to it. I'm comfortable with it and I like the results it gives. If some of you do not like it I am OK with that and respect your opinions. Arash, I'm sure you meant "iris" rather than "pupil" as the pupil is pitch black here :-)

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks guys. As for the eye, it's no secret that I "doctor" the eyes one way or another in 99% of my wildlife images. I can see the iris in most of the images I review on my computer, I just like to enhance it. I've explained why before in other threads and I'm sticking to it. I'm comfortable with it and I like the results it gives. If some of you do not like it I am OK with that and respect your opinions. Arash, I'm sure you meant "iris" rather than "pupil" as the pupil is pitch black here :-)

yes I meant iris, thanks for indicating what you did to the eye.

[Ofer Levy]

Thanks guys. As for the eye, it's no secret that I "doctor" the eyes one way or another in 99% of my wildlife images. I can see the iris in most of the images I review on my computer, I just like to enhance it. I've explained why before in other threads and I'm sticking to it. I'm comfortable with it and I like the results it gives. If some of you do not like it I am OK with that and respect your opinions. Arash, I'm sure you meant "iris" rather than "pupil" as the pupil is pitch black here :-)

No worries Daniel.You are of course entitled to do whatever you like with your images. However, since you are a moderator and since young and/or less experienced photographers learn from you and even follow your example I feel it is important to discuss this issue. I feel that birds are beautiful enough without the need to selectively and un-naturally changing their colours. A friend of mine who is a great bird photographer said that changing the colour of the iris in bird photos is like whitening the tooth on a model in an ad......