White Breasted Nuthatch

[Warren Spreng]

This little guy posed for me awhile on one of my latest walks but didn't quite get into the light that I wanted him in. I have a number of poses but this one best showed off these little birds antics as they scurry up and down trees looking for insects. They often stop in this pose as they look around for any threats. This is mid morning, mostly overcast but fairly bright skies. The one challenge I have with this one is the highlight on his throat against the OOF leaves in the BG. I think I managed the green reflection that was on his throat, but I'll take suggestions on those highlights. Maybe it's not as big a deal as I am making of it but it bugs me!

In LR brought up highlights a tad, in PS CC, cloned out an OOF branch, NR to BG, selected greenish cast on throat and balanced colors to get rid of the cast.



Canon 7D Mark II, Tamron 150-600mm, 600mm, ISO 800, 1/800, f/6.3, HH, AF

[Diane Miller]

We have these little guys too and they don't sit still -- great catch and so typical a pose!

I love the rimlight on the throat. Good work dealing with any green cast -- reflected colors can be hard to deal with.

Just a thought -- how does it look if instead of bringing up Highlights, you bring up Exposure and/or Whites? Then maybe lower Blacks if necessary.

[Warren Spreng]

We have these little guys too and they don't sit still -- great catch and so typical a pose!

I love the rimlight on the throat. Good work dealing with any green cast -- reflected colors can be hard to deal with.

Just a thought -- how does it look if instead of bringing up Highlights, you bring up Exposure and/or Whites? Then maybe lower Blacks if necessary.

Thanks Diane, I guess I was making too much of that rim light! Oops, I did almost what you suggested, I was looking at the history of a different pose when I did this write up, I actually brought up Exposure, and shadows a little bit on this one to bring out the highlights on his back.

[Glennie Passier]

Yes Warren. I looked at your image, and loved the rim light straight away! Certainly not a bother to me. Is he grey and white or grey and lighter grey? I think there could be a little CA on the tree below his belly. This is such a nice image Warren. If it were mine I might also be tempted to see if I could lighten the tree around his leg to make his leg and lovely feet stand out a little more.

[Warren Spreng]

Yes Warren. I looked at your image, and loved the rim light straight away! Certainly not a bother to me. Is he grey and white or grey and lighter grey? I think there could be a little CA on the tree below his belly. This is such a nice image Warren. If it were mine I might also be tempted to see if I could lighten the tree around his leg to make his leg and lovely feet stand out a little more.

Thanks Glennie! They are grey and white although it is often a "dirty" white, not really a bright white, although it depends upon the lighting. In another shot the white stands out more but then the beak disappeared into the trunk of the tree! Which is the problem with trying to bring out his leg, as it is exactly the same color of the tree and trying to bring it out made it look pretty funky. You are right about the CA, I didn't notice that, thanks for pointing that out!

[Jim Keener]

Congratulations on the closeup. I have yet to capture a small bird at anything other than a distance rendering them a speck in the frame. So. I'm envious. I had noticed the CA going up the length of the RH side of the tree. Is it the kind of thing that can be removed in LR? Result of sharpening?

[Warren Spreng]

Congratulations on the closeup. I have yet to capture a small bird at anything other than a distance rendering them a speck in the frame. So. I'm envious. I had noticed the CA going up the length of the RH side of the tree. Is it the kind of thing that can be removed in LR? Result of sharpening?

Thanks Jim! Yes to both questions, it can be removed in LR and sharpening (in my case deconvolution using a High Pass filter) can enhance it and I missed it in this shot. Will do a RP soon to see if I can fix that.

[Adhika Lie]

Luvvvv the pose! I am only bothered by the CA but other than that, very well done!

[Sandy Witvoet]

Cooler than "classic pose", Warren! Love it! I'm not sure, but what looks like CA, may actually be an odd reflection of the reds/greens from the tree... assuming it's an oak? I've found the same think happening on shots like this in the lighting (rather high and to the left?) .... it's a bear to get rid of. And, yeah.... they are pretty "dirty" this time of year! Feeding all those kids takes a toll on the feathers! Sweet shot!

[Warren Spreng]

Cooler than "classic pose", Warren! Love it! I'm not sure, but what looks like CA, may actually be an odd reflection of the reds/greens from the tree... assuming it's an oak? I've found the same think happening on shots like this in the lighting (rather high and to the left?) .... it's a bear to get rid of. And, yeah.... they are pretty "dirty" this time of year! Feeding all those kids takes a toll on the feathers! Sweet shot!

Thanks Sandy! I think you might be right, anyway, I just got really aggressive and used the brush tool and painted that color out of there! Here is the RP.

[Diane Miller]

Good work!

My first strategy would be to go into quick mask mode, paint a thin stripe over the colored area with the brush tool, go back out of QM to get a selection, and do a hue-sat adj layer and desat blue or cyan, since those colors don't appear adjacent it should be a decent cleanup.

[Warren Spreng]

Good work!

My first strategy would be to go into quick mask mode, paint a thin stripe over the colored area with the brush tool, go back out of QM to get a selection, and do a hue-sat adj layer and desat blue or cyan, since those colors don't appear adjacent it should be a decent cleanup.

Thanks Diane, good strategy, I'll try that as well!