Results 1 to 20 of 20

Thread: White-Throated Kingfisher

  1. #1
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Kelowna, BC, Canada
    Posts
    42
    Threads
    9
    Thank You Posts

    Default White-Throated Kingfisher

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    A White-Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) perched on a wooden pole situated in the middle of a lotus pond. Taken on February 27, 2014 in Plaeng Yao, Chachoengsao, Thailand. Taken around 5:30 PM with a very orange/red sun (as it sets here in parts of SE Asia it gets very orange/red due to haze).

    At 840mm the subject was too close to fit into a single frame so I took two photos and merged them in Photoshop as a vertical panorama.

    Since I am new here I am posting my lightroom settings if anyone has any feedback on them.

    Minimal processing done in Lightroom 4.4
    -WB Set to daylight
    -Exposure increased +0.4
    -Blacks decreased -12
    -Sharpness amount set to 40 with masking set to 45
    -Luminance noise reduction set to 12

    Canon 7D
    Canon 600mm L F4 IS II
    Canon 1.4x Teleconverter Series III
    Shot from my car using an Apex Low-profile Bean Bag and Wimberly II Gimbal
    ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/640
    Manual Exposure mode
    Center-weighted average metering used only as a guide since Manual mode was used

    Based on my previous post I have made some changes to my laptop monitor calibration that I hope will correct the issues I have been having with my images looking overly saturated to everyone but me.

    I have another version which has more room on the right side of the bird but ultimately decided to go with this version.

    Ron
    Last edited by Ron E Racine; 03-04-2014 at 03:40 AM.

  2. #2
    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    12,731
    Threads
    910
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Ron,
    You have a beautiful subject and terrific colors.
    IQ is excellent and the PP work is excellent as I cannot tell where the merge line is. Was this shot as a vertical? Where is the merge line?
    I still feel the colors are a bit over saturated but I have never seen this KF in real life so will trust your version.
    Compwise I would like a bit more room up top if you have it ( easy canvas extension if you don't)
    Great bird,
    gail

  3. #3
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Kelowna, BC, Canada
    Posts
    42
    Threads
    9
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thank you very much for the feedback Gail. It was shot as two horizontals. The merge line is about 3/4 up in the frame. I agree with you on the headroom, I am just getting started with vertical panoramas and will definitely keep this in mind.

    As for the color I feel the picture cannot do this KF justice as the blue is very bright and intense. I am however still trying to get my monitor calibrated properly so what you see could indeed be overly saturated.

    Regards,

    Ron

  4. #4
    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    12,731
    Threads
    910
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    In hindsight, you should have turned your camera to a vertical orientation and that would have allowed you to get the whole bird in the frame and saved you the trouble of merging! But maybe you didn't have time,
    Gail

  5. #5
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Lincolnshire UK.
    Posts
    4,951
    Threads
    187
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I would love to see a bit more of that super BG at the top, that apart the colour of the bird looks fine making a great looking image.

    Keith.

  6. #6
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    26,266
    Threads
    3,976
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Love that almost iridescent blue on the plumage. Neat head angle, and since it is looking up I agree a bit more room up there would work well. Terrific BG, and the processing is well done. Saturation looks OK here.

  7. #7
    Forum Participant Richard Unsworth's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Ourique, Beja, Portugal
    Posts
    2,115
    Threads
    495
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great colors and pose. Clever work indeed resulting in a unique image. No sat on reds/blue imho

  8. #8
    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Cheshire UK
    Posts
    17,017
    Threads
    2,604
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Looks very nice to me good detail and exposure the colours look great also. I agree a little more head room would be beneficial.

  9. #9
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Stoney Point, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    6,868
    Threads
    512
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I like the pose, perch, sharpness, details, exposure and complimentary BG. Excellent PP work and image. I would add some canvas up top as well.

  10. #10
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    3,869
    Threads
    170
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Excellent colors. Bg is just superb and having seen and photographed this species, I think the colors you've presented are perfect. Agree with the comp suggestions. Excellent work and looking forward to more Ron.

  11. #11
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Edmonton, AB, Canada
    Posts
    506
    Threads
    49
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Saturation looks fine here too! Ideally, the HA could be be better, but if there's a story to it as to why it's looking up, then more canvas at the top is needed.

  12. #12
    Forum Participant christopher galeski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    ENGLAND LANCASHIRE
    Posts
    5,106
    Threads
    360
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    nice image Ron,love the BGand pose,sharp,agree with more room above.

  13. #13
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Kelowna, BC, Canada
    Posts
    42
    Threads
    9
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Thanks everyone for the great feedback. Here is a copy where I have added some additional headroom. Let me know if you think this is sufficient.

    Ron

  14. #14
    Lifetime Member David Salem's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Riverside, CA
    Posts
    6,664
    Threads
    276
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    The repost is perfect. Very nice frame with beautiful colors and details. Love it.

  15. #15
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    26,266
    Threads
    3,976
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Repost does it for me, you've added the right amount at top.

  16. #16
    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Cheshire UK
    Posts
    17,017
    Threads
    2,604
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Repost spot on!

  17. #17
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Santa Rosa, CA
    Posts
    9,587
    Threads
    401
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Gorgeous image, and I like the added room -- good job on that and excellent jog on the panorama! I love being able to get more pixels. I don't know how vivid the colors should be, but wonder if it would be a good comparison to reduce the reds just a little?

    Some laptos just won't calibrate well, despite claims of the folks who sell the equipment and software. I think if the screen auto-adjusts its brightness that would throw things off (it does if you change brightness with a monitor after calibration) and of course viewing angle changes everything.

  18. #18
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Kelowna, BC, Canada
    Posts
    42
    Threads
    9
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Thanks everyone for your comments and feedback.

    Diane, I have uploaded a copy with the red channel de-saturated by 20 points in LR. let me know how this looks for you now.

    Ron

  19. #19
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Santa Rosa, CA
    Posts
    9,587
    Threads
    401
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    I had to stack the two in PS to see any difference, and there is just a slight change in the bottom of the beak. Trying color variations here would be best done in LR, with the color temp adjustments. And I'm only suggesting that they can be tried, for comparison, not that the colors are not correct as presented.

    But if the bird was in any sort of shade, setting a WB to daylight will give a noticeably warm color cast. Here's a "correction" to some degree (which may not be accurate for the bird) just to show the variation in possibilities. I moved the blue and magenta sliders a little to the left, moved the Shadows lighter and the Highlights darker. An Auto WB will really kill the colors, but will make any color cast evident.

  20. #20
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Pune, Maharashtra, India
    Posts
    7,409
    Threads
    469
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Excellent image. Very nice pose, beautiful colors,great details, BG and composition. I like the re post by Diane,where blacks are opened up and colors are perfect.

    Regards,
    Satish.

Tags for this Thread

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