Results 1 to 21 of 21

Thread: Courtship Display (Elegant Terns)

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member David Salem's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Riverside, CA
    Posts
    6,664
    Threads
    276
    Thank You Posts

    Default Courtship Display (Elegant Terns)

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Posted a shot last week of a pair with a food offering. Couldn't find this shot in my files as I was going to post it next. This display is fun to watch and photograph as the two climb high into the sky, then set there wings and do a spiraling coast down right next to each other.
    The real shot, that I haven't gotten yet, is both together with both Terns having their wings craned way up high. It looks really cool and I hope to get a shot of it this summer.

    1DMKIV---700mm---f5.6---ss1/3200---IOS400---HH@5:30pm

    Thanks as always for looking and for your input. Appreciated.


    Last edited by Peter Kes; 12-15-2012 at 07:58 AM.

  2. #2
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    South Texas
    Posts
    332
    Threads
    22
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Nice symmetry between the birds, I only wish for a little separation between the two individuals.

  3. #3
    Lifetime Member David Salem's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Riverside, CA
    Posts
    6,664
    Threads
    276
    Thank You Posts

    Default Seperated

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Thanks for the input James. I was wondering if the two overlapping a little would be bothersome but I thought it was better because they were so close. Here is one, probably the frame before, with them separated. Which one do you like?.

    Thanks again.

  4. #4
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    2,269
    Threads
    186
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    The re-post is real nice. Nice light, nice position of the birds. Love the open mouth of the first one! Great capture!

  5. #5
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Centurion, South Africa
    Posts
    21,362
    Threads
    1,435
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi David, your repost certainly takes the symmetrical flight poses up a notch with separation between the two terns. The one open bill adds interest. Well timed, and well captured.

    Seems as if Nick and myself were typing at the same time.

  6. #6
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    793
    Threads
    57
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Excellent pairing image with male leading and calling. I prefer the separated version, but the first version isn't bad either.
    this is a great example of tern pair bonding display.

  7. #7
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Dallas, Texas.
    Posts
    6,260
    Threads
    426
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I liked both. Symmetry is awesome. Good DOF coverage.

    Might be a good idea to play with white balance. I am finding the whites a bit too yellow.

  8. #8
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Fort Lauderdale
    Posts
    456
    Threads
    41
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    The symmetry is the main theme here. It is too bad the tail is behind the head, but I like the positions in the first post better. Would like to see more room in front to fly into. Some toning down of the yellows in the whites will give it a fresher look.

  9. #9
    Lifetime Member David Salem's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Riverside, CA
    Posts
    6,664
    Threads
    276
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. I take many shots of Terns and skimmers at this location but due to the gloomy mornings, most are taken in the evening. As the sun gets lower the terns get more of that yellow/orange hue. Not sure if it is undesirable but I like it in some shots. I adjusted the white balance a bit on this. Did it help? Thanks again for the help.

  10. #10
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Posts
    2,812
    Threads
    180
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Grace epitomized......beautiful symmetry. To be honest I cant decide which one I prefer , but I do think the extra close flight formation with the tail overlapping just seems to appeal a little more for my tastes. The slightly yellow tones are OK and I think the WB has improved slightly

  11. #11
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    793
    Threads
    57
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    David
    Could use a bit more whitening -- this was done with a simple Nik4 adjustment for white balance using their eyedropper on the end wingtips (greyish-white area)
    Name:  salem2.jpg
Views: 80
Size:  224.8 KB

  12. #12
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    26,311
    Threads
    3,979
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I'm in agreement with Clemens. Great tandem you got here, and I love the one open bill and matching wing poses. On the original post were there any blown whites before processing? There seems to be a patch on each belly that look like burned-in areas (sorry if I am wrong, just speaking from experience I've had before with the burn tool)

  13. #13
    Lifetime Member David Salem's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Riverside, CA
    Posts
    6,664
    Threads
    276
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks Don for the help. Looks great and sure is whiter. Think Im going to get some NIK software this weekend. What package do you recommend for the PP work involved with bird photography? I heard it is simple to use and intuitive. My buddy was showing me the same thing the other day. Put the eyedropper on a spot and shazzam, changed the balance to that spot.

    Daniel, you sure have a good eye. Yes there was a small area on both birds on only the original post that was blown and Yes I did use the dodge tool. I am still working on my PP skills and hope it didn't look to obvious. Been using it at only 2% opacity and sweeping it over the area to tone it down a bit. Thanks for the help and comments on my posts. Always appreciated

  14. #14
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    43
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Dave,
    Really nice capture. I do like the white balance rework but the original was good too. If the light was yellow it was yellow.
    I prefer the original overlap. The closeness of the birds adds an intimacy that gets lost in the 2nd image. Could look into fixing that up.

  15. #15
    Forum Participant John Cooper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Australia - New South Wales
    Posts
    2,065
    Threads
    241
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi David - Lots of interesting dialogue stimulated by this post. I must admit I very much like the separation of the 2 Terns and love the symmetry displayed here. The warm tones produced by the late sun are quite attractive but the Whitening given by Don's treatment also looks good to me. A lovely capture David. I'm no guru when it comes to PP but can't the whitening be achieved just as well in PS?

  16. #16
    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    SW Michigan
    Posts
    14,127
    Threads
    821
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    David:

    The symmetrical poses are excellent, slightly prefer the repost with a bit of separation. Yes, they are a bit yellow, and I would neutralize the whites a bit, but probably not all the way.

    Look forward to more of there lovely harmony.

    Cheers

    Randy
    MY BPN ALBUMS

    "Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" Sir Isaac Newton

  17. #17
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Guelph, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    8,509
    Threads
    827
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great shyncrony between them. I like both versions; the fully separated and the overlapping one. Great work David.

  18. #18
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    793
    Threads
    57
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by David Salem View Post
    Thanks Don for the help. Looks great and sure is whiter. Think Im going to get some NIK software this weekend. What package do you recommend for the PP work involved with bird photography? I heard it is simple to use and intuitive. My buddy was showing me the same thing the other day. Put the eyedropper on a spot and shazzam, changed the balance to that spot.
    Nik has both a complete package as well as individual pieces. While I've got the complete package, the one used here was simply Nik Color Efex Pro 4. You can also apply control points to only do certain regions. yes, you could do this in photoshop -- especially with this image that isn't very complex. But Color Efex Pro 4 also has some incredibly useful tools like Tonal Contrast and Detail enhancer which work exceptionally well. Yes, you could do this with complex masking and adjustment layers, but its pretty easy to treat Nik tools as just another filter within the photoshop environment. You cannot eliminate photoshop for other features. And you'll also want DPP(for Canon) for high ISO image noise removal at Tiff creation (which you import into PS and convert to smart object) and Lightroom for some of the convenience features.

    So bottom line, you'll use Color Efex Pro 4 the most; some use Viveza for color enhancement, and the output sharpening tools are useful for printing (but I use PS for display output sharpening). You don't have to get the complete package.

    disclosure: I don't have any association with Nik or Google, nor Adobe.

  19. #19
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Pune, Maharashtra, India
    Posts
    7,409
    Threads
    469
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    David:
    Great flight poses captured.I like the whites in the re post by Don.Rest every thing has been said about this excellent image.
    Love the beautiful symmetry.

    Regards,
    Satish.

  20. #20
    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    12,487
    Threads
    1,892
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great synchronized poses in both frames - like others, I like the tight flying poses of the first, and the separation of the second, but I guess you need both frames to have it both ways. I don't mind a little yellow if that's what it was, but that's personal taste, I guess. Daniel's sharp eye always amazes me. A little more room in front would help.

  21. #21
    Lifetime Member David Salem's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Riverside, CA
    Posts
    6,664
    Threads
    276
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thank you everyone for the nice comments and the PP help. Appreciated.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics