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Thread: Hoatzin

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    Default Hoatzin

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    Seeing hoatzins was one of the highlights of my time in Ecuador. Noisy, smelly and often down-right strange in their behaviour.

    This was taken from a tripod in a canoe on one of the oxbow lakes around which they live.

    7D
    500mm f/4
    Manual 1/200 f/5.6
    ISO 1600

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Hi Ben, now this is a species I havent seen before, and I bet you were happy to have seen and captured this image. Good pose looking down the line of the diagonal perch, and just love the raised crest. Looking at all those layers of feathers, it should have quite a type of fanned tail when displayed. If anything, I would tone the BG a touch.

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    BPN Viewer Dave Leroy's Avatar
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    It is an odd looking bird with a pose to match. Very well done on pushing the 7D and sharp at 1/200 from a canoe. I really like the look back pose and raised crest. Good suggestion about toning down the bg.

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    Thanks for the comments. I agree about the bg, and had thought about it, but when there are fine feathers, like the crest here, it is hard to get the separation to look natural. I will try though!

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    Wonderful shot. I really like the diagnol perch, excellent pose, and I love the lifted crest.
    Well done.

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    What a cool bird and pose! I really like the accordion look of the feathers, that look back at you, and the crest standing up. I would try to desaturate the BG just a little bit so it doesn't compete for attention. Wonderful portrait of an eccentric looking creature; I can understand why this was a highlight of your trip.

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    I am fine with the BKGR. I cropped a bit off the top to get the bird more into the ulc of the frame. It looks as if you did some sloppy painting with NR on the BKGR especially near the head. I cleaned it up with an Average Blur Layer and a HIde All mask. Then I painted in the whole BKGR which smoothed out the remaining noise. You will need to download and look at them large to see the differences. Bird and pose very cool.
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    Wow you saw Hoatzins! Such strange birds. They eat leaves and shoots of all things. I think you got a terrific shot especially from a canoe. I wish the light wasn't so strong on the top of the bird but great look back pose.

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    awesome

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    Ben,
    This is great shot of beautiful looking bird with lovely crest.Love the colors and pose.

    Regards,
    Satish.

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    Thank you all for the encouraging comments and suggestions.

    Artie, many thanks for putting in time to show how I could improve this image. I will go back and redo the NR layer.

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben_Sadd View Post
    Thank you all for the encouraging comments and suggestions. Artie, many thanks for putting in time to show how I could improve this image. I will go back and redo the NR layer.
    You are most welcome Ben. I have never seen one of these.
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    BPN Member Steve Uffman's Avatar
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    Almost lost me at Noisy and Smelly...HA...Never seen one before...very nice image improved with Artie's techniques. Always good to see good work with the 7d and in a canoe no less...thanks for sharing

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    What a cool bird...a new one for me, too! Neat plumage, good colours, and I like the diagonal perch. I could go for a tad less yellow in the BG, but looks OK as is too.

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    Wow, neat bird. I like the repost from Artie. The crop worked well, although I couldn't see the NR around the head being different. I think I would need to download them both and take a closer look.

  16. #16
    Nico Steenberg
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    Great detail and eye contact well done !

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