Great spotted woodpecker

[Jonathan Ashton]

Taken from my back garden hide,
Canon 5D IV, Canon 500mm f4 l IS II, Auto ISO 640 (-1/3, probably got away without it), 1/2500 sec, f8
ACR + PSCC

[Steve Kaluski]

Lovely set up Jon and the distance between Silver birch and the BKG aided with the 500 creates a very pleasing backdrop. Great detail, but I still feel tweaking the Contrast & Blacks just lifts it. Nice POV being at just above eye level.

TFS
Steve

[Jonathan Ashton]

Lovely set up Jon and the distance between Silver birch and the BKG aided with the 500 creates a very pleasing backdrop. Great detail, but I still feel tweaking the Contrast & Blacks just lifts it. Nice POV being at just above eye level.

TFS
Steve

Thanks Steve, I was curious to see what the reactions would be. The colours on the 5D IV seem to be more intense and the contrast is high too. I did reduce contrast and lifted the darker areas somewhat but I am inclined to agree the image is a little intense/heavy. I will bare this more in the forefront of my mind for future images.

[Steve Kaluski]

The colours on the 5D IV seem to be more intense and the contrast is high too.

Hi Jon, it all depends on: what you have your camera set too, if you use DPP or ACR and if you use ACR then if you are using those 'crazy' options they have installed in LR too. If the engine is the same as LR then you will have the same issues I think on what is running in the BKG, but as I don't use ACR I have not tested it. If you really want to 'process' your images, then strip everything back in your settings within the camera. i'll give you a call alter, but you will enjoy the 5D. BTW do you still think there is no need for any AFMA for both static & moving?

[Mike Poole]

Perfect GSW pose, love the look we get at the tail strength. Its a very good setup with the pleasing BG. My first thoughts were it could use a little more 'pop' with deeper blacks and brighter whites - but then its probably very accurate as presented with our light!

Mike

[Lorant Voros]

Nice woodpecker frame with a good perch and BG and nice shooting angle. Well done, Jon.

[William Dickson]

Looking good Jon. Lovely detail you have here with the Mk4. the bird looks real good against the BG and a nice looking perch. Lovely POV.

Will

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Jon, nice soft light, and I like your comp with the branch winding vertically through the frame. The GSP looks good to me, sharp, and overall, well exposed. Well timed to show a hint of the tongue.

Surely you haven't run out of Kruger images.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Surely you haven't run out of Kruger images, not quite Stu. I am wary at present because I am trying new processing algorithms. I have some carmine bee eaters that are surpisingly very dull yet attractive (well to me any way)

[Dorian Anderson]

This is one of my favorite Eurasian birds and you present it absolutely perfectly. Trunk and composition are awesome, as is the light and feather detail.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Love this image Jon.
Really colourful, fantastic background and I love the wood shrapnel in the bill.
Congrats and TFS.

[Isaac Grant]

This is very nice Jonathan. Great pose and perch. Details are excellent. To my eye this is your best processed image. Colors are vibrant and rich. If anything they could be pushed a little more and not toned down with contrast lowered. That will just wash out the image more.

[Jonathan Ashton]

This is very nice Jonathan. Great pose and perch. Details are excellent. To my eye this is your best processed image. Colors are vibrant and rich. If anything they could be pushed a little more and not toned down with contrast lowered. That will just wash out the image more.

Thanks Isaac glad you liked it, I don't think we are poles apart in what looks acceptable/good, I tend to strive for most natural as opposed to most visually pleasing, also of course I use an Eizo screen I think you use Mac so they never will look quite the same in any event.

[Isaac Grant]

You raise an interesting point Jonathan. I don't think there is a difference between natural and visibly pleasing. Reality is that Great spotted Woodpeckers are black and white and red birds. Their colors are bold and not muted at all. Of course they are not jet black but they are not flat and dull or lacking contrast at all. I feel there is a tendency for many of the UK shooters that I have seen (not just on this site) to present images that tend toward the flat side but birds are not flat. Even dull and bland birds like your warbler s when seen in good light have shades of olive and greens that are not flat. I do the vast majority of my shooting in full morning or evening light and always have to tone down the images because they are super saturated. But I bring them back to what they look like in the filed and what is natural. Maybe it is all a function of the light we are used to seeing the birds in most of the time. Where I need you guys need

[Jonathan Ashton]

You raise an interesting point Jonathan. I don't think there is a difference between natural and visibly pleasing. Reality is that Great spotted Woodpeckers are black and white and red birds. Their colors are bold and not muted at all. Of course they are not jet black but they are not flat and dull or lacking contrast at all. I feel there is a tendency for many of the UK shooters that I have seen (not just on this site) to present images that tend toward the flat side but birds are not flat. Even dull and bland birds like your warbler s when seen in good light have shades of olive and greens that are not flat. I do the vast majority of my shooting in full morning or evening light and always have to tone down the images because they are super saturated. But I bring them back to what they look like in the filed and what is natural. Maybe it is all a function of the light we are used to seeing the birds in most of the time. Where I need you guys need

Yup wouldn't disagree regards the light.