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Thread: Muntjac buck UK Munticus reevsi

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    Icon1 Muntjac buck UK Munticus reevsi

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    A little help in the grey,well maybe, I sort of doubt that I could have made this with my 1Div.

    I've gone out close to home in the hope of catching a roe at sunset,it's a cloudless day and very still,so I've added on the 2x ext iii as it will be incredibly difficult to get close in to roe under these stalking conditions. Naturally my best laid plans fall apart when I spot this little fella dancing about in the deep shade of a railway embankment. I make my approach and sneak out from cover on my stomach in the hope of a more environmental small in frame type of image. I can out do Roe fairly consistantly(and get very close oft staling wise),they don't seem to have very good eye sight,especially up close. Our little beer barrel of a deer the muntjac,are the opposite. Their eyes seem incredible he had me almost instantly,even though i'm using every trick I know full camo wind right ,no skin showing, lying down,he still spotted me. Now normally that's it game over,but this time was different,he came to find out what I was. Their are a few brits posting here,I'd be incredibly surprised if anyone else has ever had a muntjac come to check them out,without the use of hide or cover.

    So this encounter is/ was very very special to me. As you can see the area is damp and very low lying,so much so that cold damp air is also causing huge vision problems for me with my glasses steaming up. I simply shouldn't have had the extender on ,but sadly I simply didn't fore see any chance of getting close to him,it's a real shame,because although I've done my best the iso is so high I feel the frame/s are compromised,and this I feel was a unique chance that will be along time coming again.

    I made this just before I had a few eye probs I had started to process,but have gone back again and started over. i've tried very hard to get the WB /colours right in DPP,done a bit of NR there also aswell. then I moved into PS and using layers done a separate pass of nr to the bkg and sharps to the buck using masks,sharps amount 500 radius 0.2 threshold 0. I'm not completely happy.

    I guess at this time fundamentally I don't know whether the RAW is simply good enough to perserveer with,which is a shame as these chances are few .

    Image is made with a canon 1dxmark ii 400DO is ii 2xextiii the image is not cropped as framed Techs 1/200 f8 iso 25600

    As I say if I'd of had a chance then the EXT wouldn't be there,but one takes what one is given and this was a gift !! An absolute first for me with a munty and no cover,he had me smiling for days afterwards

    My apologies for me not being about,hopefully if I can survive next week,I might be able to contribute a bit more. Thanks for all the help on my previous images,hopefully I'll be able to share more of my exploits with this amazing new camera,despite the odd setback it's been seeing some use

    take care all

    stu

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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    Hi Stu, you were up against it from the word go. You need a longer prime lens, a 500 & 1.4 TC III and you would have been rinky tinky. My Advice dump the 400 asap, having said that you have the image that I have never been able to get so I take my hat off to you. I want an image of a roe deer more than anything - including a tiger!
    Given your limitations the only significant improvement I could suggest would have been to shoot in portrait mode. Keep on trying and don't worry about ISO - get Neat image as soon as you can, ( I am sure some folks would disagree but hey ho) meanwhile whilst in Photoshop don't forget you can make an adjustment layer and go back to ACR to deal with NR in the background.
    I like the image but noise is a factor and sharpness, primarily due to ISO has suffered a little. This would be a good image to share to see what different approaches people have to optimise. I think you have my email, I am sure you will have Steve Gabriela and Rachel Sanjeev Jay and John ... and Andreas where the **** is he? etc, WDYT?

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Stu, nice encounter.

    I see Jon has similar thoughts to the set-up as I did prior to your purchasing the items with some £££ left over, but no point looking back . I also agree that going portrait might have been the better option, albeit the more predictable route, however if you had pulled back a bit more and having more above I think landscape is the better option. Going to such a hi ISO you need to nail the exposure as noise will be more evident if you have to correct things, however as presented this does also appear soft, with little overall depth. You can get more out with overlays, exposure blends and some additional sharpening, but based on the techs I would have expelled more from the file. Like the raise front leg illustrating a 'frozen' moment.

    I would take up Jons offer to reassess the file and perhaps create another option with some guidance.

    Stu, I'm on the laptop so things might be a bit hefty in the RP, but hope it may illustrate some of the points mentioned.

    TFS
    Steve

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    Such a sweet looking little buck. I like the composition and the low angle. Looks pretty good for that thigh ISO. This would have made a nice vertical.

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Welcome back, Stu

    I truly enjoyed the story behind the image, thank you so much for taking the time to describe your experience - and stalking skills - at this sighting

    Love the hesitant pose front the subject with one front leg raised, as well as eye contact - it all adds up to a very intimate encounter, very special.

    Steve's RP adds so much life to this frame, as well as extra detail where needed. Good advice from Jon too.

    Looking at your techs I gather light was very poor and you did push things as much as you could. Err...welcome to the high ISO club, mate!

    Unfortunately SS is very low and has affected sharpness and image quality. I am pleasantly surprised to see to what extent Steve has managed to improve this frame, so maybe worth looking at the RAW again, Stu?

    Very happy to see you back and posting, thank you so much for sharing!

    Kind regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Guys I'm struggling to get a post up,please forgive. My reasons to share this file are basically two fold,first a deer species rarely shown here,and obviously an amazing experience that I'd lay a bet few will see

    Second I am very unsure whether this file is good enough,so if anyone would like to look at this RAW and have a go,please shout. I 'm a simply man,these are complicated tools. I'm basically trying to work backwards,find out what the camera/lens/EXTS can't do,and then work backwards.

    To me the EXP is too low,but raising that will decrease SS,has anyone got any thoughts on how my techs could be improved. Taking the ext off........ the obvious ..............was not an option at the time so isn't an option here,but I'd love to know how my techs could have been improved.

    john cheers for the reply Steve and Jon, I crawl 2- 3 hundred yards, to get to a hare a deer...............very simply I am unsure if I am physically capable of getting a 500 f4 where I get my DO. I held a 500is ii days back .I can HH it A friend finds it too heavy she is thinking of moving to the DO IS ii I have even mused maybe doing some form of exchange. For this image I agree a 500 would be great. BUUUT how much will that impinge on what I do??

    Steve thanks for the repost I have half a hunch you would consider it a bit hefty,but it show me an improvement on what I was able to present to you,which is wonderful...thankyou

    Jon one day when this insanity stops,I'd adore a chance at getting you in front of a Roe,I understand your post completely

    thanks guys !!

    stu

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gabriela Plesea View Post
    Welcome back, Stu

    I truly enjoyed the story behind the image, thank you so much for taking the time to describe your experience - and stalking skills - at this sighting

    Love the hesitant pose front the subject with one front leg raised, as well as eye contact - it all adds up to a very intimate encounter, very special.

    Steve's RP adds so much life to this frame, as well as extra detail where needed. Good advice from Jon too.

    Looking at your techs I gather light was very poor and you did push things as much as you could. Err...welcome to the high ISO club, mate!

    Unfortunately SS is very low and has affected sharpness and image quality. I am pleasantly surprised to see to what extent Steve has managed to improve this frame, so maybe worth looking at the RAW again, Stu?

    Very happy to see you back and posting, thank you so much for sharing!

    Kind regards,
    'Ello mate how ya doing?

    Gabriela,I just shouldn't have had that ext on,but sadly my craft was not good enough to read what might happen !! They are very very hard to get close to I just didn't even think he would come to find out what I was. Yes I too feel my Ss is low and I did try my best to push things,maybe I could have done better??

    What it most important is what Steve has given me an insight to...ie what can be got from a file like this that's really what I'm digging for here. Hopefully Jon might have a look aswell I came here hoping that this RAW might get examined,by folks whom know more than I. Bar the enforced lay off,i've been having a ball with my new toy,I have much to share,simply so little time
    It was a lovely special moment to share,I'm so glad you enjoyed seeing him, I just wish I had of read the situation better and not put myself between a rock and a hard place

    take care

    stu

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Stu, send the Raw to Jon, lets see what can be achieved.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Kaluski View Post
    Stu, send the Raw to Jon, lets see what can be achieved.
    In progress Steve,talk about hopeless I sent him a TIFF, I spent ages last night trying to work out why it was taking so long,(hangs head in shame couldn't make it up) . Mind I thought you might see the funny side Steve,which ever way I'll learn here !!

    hey ho onwards and upwards.
    I'll see myself out

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