I'm away for a few days so thought just one more little "lori", "greenie" or "Scaly". One thing I have learnt over a short length of time, is, once you've found a subject, you've got to work the subject.
Same techs as the previous.
Canon 5D2
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM @ 400mm
1/320 sec @ f5.6
ISO 1600
Hand held
Adjustments in ACR - Highlights to left, Shadows, Whites and Blacks to the Right. Luminance sliders a tad to the right.
In PSC6 - Levels adjustment, cropped 37%FF resized and sharpened for posting.
Gorgeous bird, wonderful pose, great BG! Looks sharp on the eye and nicely detailed, with good tonalities.
One thing I would question -- with shadows, whites and blacks all to the right, how would it compare if you just increased exposure instead? But maybe then you don't have enough movement to bring down highlights... Also not sure which luminance sliders? The NR one, or the ones in HSL??
But I can't fault the appearance of the image at all.
My favorite of the series. I like the composition and background. What blows me away is the gesture. I think that any of us who have watched birds similar to this know that position. It makes the bird familiar to me. And the colors! Bright without being oversaturated. Very nice. Also a pretty effective way to show crop.
Thank you Stu, Jim, Jack and Diane (Jack an Diane...sounds like a Mellencamp ditty!)
Diane, I've used both HSL slider and NR slider for luminance, (but no sharpening). I found the exposure slider was just a bit hard for me to regulate the balance I was looking for. I hardly ever touch the exposure and contrast sliders now at all. I used the luminance HSL to bring out the almost iridecent, blue feathering on the top of the head and the green feathers without looking too over saturated.
Jack an Diane... Sounds like a coupla outlaws, to me. But then I've been reading too much Cormack McCarthy lately.
Balancing sliders isn't subject to any "guidelines" -- it's whatever works! Sounds like you have an interesting strategy here. I'll have to compare it to my usual of just bringing up Shadows and down on Highlights, with some Clarity if needed. I've admittedly gotten lazy. Have some iridescent Mallards that might be good for a look at the differences.
Last of the "Scalies" ... for a while
)
But then I've been reading too much Cormack McCarthy lately. 
