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Thread: First Post: Purple Gallinule

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    Default First Post: Purple Gallinule

    Name:  2018-0739.jpg
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    This was taken at Shark Valley in ENP (Everglades Nat. Park) back in October of '18. About 25% crop. Looking forward to the forum's feedback!

    Canon 5D MIV
    100-400 5.6
    1.4 TC
    1/800 @ F8
    ISO 1250
    Edited in LR & PS
    Last edited by John LeClair; 11-01-2019 at 06:14 AM.

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    John:

    A big welcome to BPN! A colorful fellow to start with. Excellent action, wings up, like the balance on the Lilly pad, the slight head angle our way, composition.

    I would try to tone down the whites a bit on the rump, and the yellow water Lilly flower just ahead o f his feet, both are a little overexposed and show some loss of detail.

    The background is a bit busy, but that is his world, and in order to get more of him in focus, the trade off was sharper background as well. You could very gently soften the background, particularly in the left upper corner, as it tends to draw my eye.

    Overall, a really fun image. Look forward to more.

    Cheers

    Randy
    MY BPN ALBUMS

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    Thanks Randy! Great feedback. I agree, the background is busy, but yeah, those guys are hard to find without one in my experience. I will go back and see about getting a few more highlights and a bit more blur on the background. All great suggestions. Thanks.

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Hi John,

    Nice first post and a huge welcome to BPN. Thanks a stack for your membership support. I like the image and the soft light. It is sharp and the near-underwing detail is superb. Bummer that the REDs on the bird's face and the rest of the colors are somewhat faded. My repost addresses Randy's excellent suggestions (and a few of my comments as well).

    with love, artie
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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    ps: I tried to fix that WHITEs on the tail but some of them were too hot ...

    a
    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.

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    Thanks for the feedback and the attempt to correct blown whites Artie. Sitting here at work and looking at it, I suspected that would be what I found if I tried. Highlights blown. Certainly on the water lily, but the whites also. Should have checked by blinkies and cut exposure a 1/3 or so.

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    Welcome! Good looking first frame! Good in-habitat view of this wonderful bird. Sharpness look good but TC on that lens is tough as you're at f/8. Woulda been nice to have another stop of freeze on the bird. I
    hardly mind whites on tail. They're minor/peripheral as our eye goes right to his. Yellow legs are money.

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Awesome action indeed, and although busy I like the habitat. Good suggestions and advice so far. I have an additional one, and it would be to remove the small black speck in front of the bill. Although tiny, my eye keeps going to it. I'm sure you will enjoy it here on BPN!

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    Geez, didn't even notice it but can't look away now! Thanks Daniel. I'll pull out the RAW file this weekend see if I can tweek a few improvements.

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    Thanks Dorian. Yes, I am lens challenged! :)

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    Lifetime Member Mike Poole's Avatar
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    Welcome John, lovely first post.

    All nits already mentioned, so for me, the positives are the low shooting angle, leg and wing positions, and as a fan of environmental shots, I also like the BG

    Mike

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    Thanks Mike. I appreciate everyone's feedback. The skill level on this forum is humbling, everyone's comments mean a lot. Hopefully I can continue to improve and close the gap a bit.

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    Looks great to me. Love the pose and the setting. Great colors in this one. Keep em coming.

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