Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: Woolly-necked stork

  1. #1
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,549
    Threads
    1,284
    Thank You Posts

    Default Woolly-necked stork

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    A few days before leaving for India I picked up a 5D4 to add to the kit, thanks Canon, but always hesitant about new kit without testing it and yes I was right, it needed 'tweaking' on the fly and on my return went back to Canon and have just picked it back up.

    The shot was taken on one of the last knocking of our 12 hour days in the reserve, full on, intensive, everything full of dust, but huge fun and great to spend time with some 'old friends'. One of the few shots with the 5D4, the work horses were the 1DX MK2's which performed and delivered in my book. The blue is the lake that butts to the old Palace and incredible location, full of history and great diverse habitat, and I think the best Tiger reserve in India.

    Thanks to those who posted or viewed on the last posting.


    Steve

    Subject: Woolly-necked stork (Ciconia episcopus)
    Location: India
    Camera: Canon 5D4
    Lens: 500f/4 MKII with 1.4 MKIII HH
    Exposure: 1/1000s at f/8 ISO1000
    Original format: Portrait, slight crop at top & width
    Processed via: LRCC Classic & PSCC2019

    Probably can afford to loose some off the LHS and increase the blue to the RHS.

    NOT baited, but perhaps the two most photographed subjects

  2. #2
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Lakeland, FL
    Posts
    7,510
    Threads
    2,037
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Welcome back, my friend. Beautiful bird. love the colors. The woolly neck and iridescent feathers make this bird unique. Thank you for sharing, Steve.
    Joe Przybyla

    "Sometimes I do get to places just as God is ready to have somebody click the shutter"... Ansel Adams

    www.amazinglight.smugmug.com

  3. #3
    BPN Member Jack Backs's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Ofallon, Missouri, USA
    Posts
    522
    Threads
    129
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Really like this one. Looks like it has a smirk on its face just begging for a photo. Excellent detail.

  4. #4
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Ithaca, NY
    Posts
    10,421
    Threads
    1,708
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Love the color on those feather. Nice pose with a nice background.

  5. #5
    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Cheshire UK
    Posts
    17,015
    Threads
    2,604
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Beautifully processed every detail is appreciable in the darks, a very minor consideration for me would be to see if it is worthwhile reducing the brightest highlights. .......... I am almost certain you will disagree!............... But have you had a look?

  6. #6
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,549
    Threads
    1,284
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    a very minor consideration for me would be to see if it is worthwhile reducing the brightest highlights. .......... I am almost certain you will disagree!............... But have you had a look?
    Probably just being a bit lazy there Jon, a quick layer Blend and it should better, but you have the RAW now, so lets see your thoughts.

  7. #7
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Centurion, South Africa
    Posts
    21,360
    Threads
    1,435
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Steve, excellent IQ, and it does seem he is looking at you. I really like the overall detail, sharp, and the iridescence on the upper body/wing shows off nicely. Your portrait comp works well. Glad you had a fruitful trip.

  8. #8
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ, USA
    Posts
    336
    Threads
    47
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Fantastic bird in great light. I don't know the bird but it looks like this image would benefit from a slight increase to the blacks.

  9. #9
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,506
    Threads
    1,433
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    This one is a stunner. Love the detail in the purple ruff.

    with love, artie
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

    Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  10. #10
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,549
    Threads
    1,284
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I don't know the bird but it looks like this image would benefit from a slight increase to the blacks.
    Hi Walker, I'll try and explain my rational here, as a lot of folk on the Wildlife Forum know, I am very 'picky' about Blacks, Contrast, Clarity, partly down to my background, but also knowing what LR & probably ACR (same engine I think) now do behind the scenes in recent updates. Plus, compared to Nikon's images, I find Canon's tend to be a bit more Contrasty, where as Nikon's have better, deeper blacks and having done a test many moons ago with a make-up brush in a black surrounding, Nikons images were superior to Canon's without a doubt.

    Personally I tend to process more 'open', in addition I keep all the Raw data (within camera ie I strip all settings like Sat, Contrast, Tone etc to zero) to a minimum and so the files look as dull as ditchwater, then at the initial proceeding stage I can control both the Contrast & Blacks, as adding Contrast will effect the mid tones, not what you want, because where is all you detailed held, in the mid tones. So when I read folk say push the Blacks, add Contrast, Clarity do it once you have control otherwise you chock areas and lose detail IMHO.

    The tools available now in PP are awesome, irrespective of what you use, but, it understanding what they do is paramount, pushing Contrast & Clarity is not always a good thing and seeing lovely rich, saturated, full depth images on screen is very rewarding, but it's when you try to print and match to what you see is the 'bench' test and you can never replicate it in full what you see on screen, partly down to some colours being hard to replicate and go 'muddy, plus Screen & Print are two totally different mediums.

    Sorry to ramble on, I just felt I should explain my own thinking rather than just saying NO (because I don't post much Avian) and so folk may not know why I do things, but hopefully this illustrates my thinking, which some may disagree, but exchanging thoughts, views etc I think is good because it creates a health Forum for debate, (if required) .

    Have a great Christmas and enjoy the festive period.

    Cheers
    Steve

  11. Thanks Walker Noe thanked for this post
  12. #11
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,549
    Threads
    1,284
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    This one is a stunner. Love the detail in the purple ruff.
    Cheers Artie, had to keep tweaking the AFMA, but I was prepared for this, although not always ideal at times, however I see you have done a very comprehensive guide for Nikon users, nice one.

    Have a great Christmas - 'mazel tov '

  13. #12
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Eagle Mountain, Utah
    Posts
    2,709
    Threads
    475
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Beautiful Colors.

    I love the eye and the Clean Background.

    TFS

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics