White-browed Woodswallow/2

[Colin Driscoll]

This time the bird is off the nest.
5D3 100-400 II @ 400 1/200 f16 iso500 430EXII -2/3

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Colin, I like the setting and even the dappled light/vegetation, the perch for me is cool. However, the image overall looks 'thin' with little or no real death, especially the subject, have you lighten it/used Shadow/highlight tool, or perhaps it's just the flash? Also why f/16???

Would welcome your thoughts.

Steve

[Colin Driscoll]

Hi Steve, f/16 because I was fairly close (about 5 m) and wanted to get maximum dof. Yes I did use some S&H, unfortunately the light was difficult to work with because the sun was directly overhead. I'll try a different process and see if it can be improved.

[Steve Kaluski]

Yes I did use some S&H, unfortunately the light was difficult to work with because the sun was directly overhead. I'll try a different process and see if it can be improved.

Hi Colin, I would certainly look to another alternative as you have lost a lot of detail, S&H can be a useful tool, but it can also be quite a harsh one and I personally have found a light hand is often required, good luck.

[Colin Driscoll]

Here's another go. Not cropped so tight as well and no S&H.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Colin it's going in the right direction, but the overall colour has changed from the OP? If you work as Smart Objects, Layer Adjustment, Marks & Layers after exporting from the RAW, then going back and making further amendments is far easier and retains all your hard work without any colour shift.

Without seeing the RAW it's hard to pinpoint further areas to explore, was the exposure based on the subject or background?

[Colin Driscoll]

Thanks Steve, the exposure was based on the subject. For the second post I altered the white balance to Cloudy from Shade in the OP. The raw image is quite flat. Thanks for the tips.

[Steve Kaluski]

Both camera settings & the way I shoot means the RAW is very flat, IMHO a great way to start as you are working from a blank canvas.