Juvenile Crested Tern

[Colin Driscoll]

Just because I haven't posted for a while, here's an average shot of a young Crested Tern banking in the early morning sun.
5D4 600 f4 III HH
1/2500 f8 iso500
Manual

Cropped, NR to BG, light sharpen to bird. PS2020

[arash_hazeghi]

I like the dynamic pose, the details look grainy and crunchy, it seems from this and other images that you have some trouble with post processing ?

TFS

[Colin Driscoll]

It would seem so Ari, but not sure what might be the problem.
It could be my sharpening process start with DPP4 Sharpness 3 and save as 16-bit TIFF.
After getting the lighting to my satisfaction I have been using a plugin called Focus Magic.
I will try something different.
Thanks

[arash_hazeghi]

If you use DPP your results should be much better, I would avoid using the plugins. they typically make things worse. If an image is tack sharp in RAW it needs very little to look good. Kind of like a lean high quality sirloin, don't need much slat, don't need much pepper don't need any sauce and any of that :)

[Colin Driscoll]

Nice analogy, yum!
I will try a more gentle recipe.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Colin ... can only echo Arash´s thoughts here .

It also depends on the edits you make in DPP , if you push the contrast already in DPP followed by further edits in PS image might become crunchy and coarse at the output .

Just for the sake of interest ... why are you using this Focus Magic ????

In a normal routine there should be only two steps of sharpening necessary , first in DPP / ACR / C1 etc , second step after final down or upsizing , IMHO. Some folks , including me are using sometimes LCE as an intermediat step . But use this very controlled ....

TFS Andreas

[Colin Driscoll]

Thanks Andreas, much appreciated. The other issue I have is with locking onto and holding focus.
So some raw images are just a little off critical sharpness. Not practiced enough yet but slowly getting there.
Also getting closer to reduce the crop size.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Colin ... no software does help , as Arash more or less said , if the image is not sharp .

Even the magic of ... Focus Magic not !!! Waisted money ....

[Daniel Cadieux]

I never thought viewing a tern image would make me hungry for some steak!! I won't comment on the IQ as you got enough on that aspect, but I will say that you did get a nice pose and exposed properly.

[John Mack]

Great pose on this one. Agree with the other comments already.

[gail bisson]

I hare commenting on images when I am late to the party. Have to agree with all of the above but like the incoming position very much.
I am looking forward to seeing your images with the 1 Dx 3 and your thoughts,
Gail

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks Andreas, much appreciated. The other issue I have is with locking onto and holding focus.
So some raw images are just a little off critical sharpness. Not practiced enough yet but slowly getting there.
Also getting closer to reduce the crop size.

Hi Collin when an image is no sharp it has no cure, nothing on earth can save it.... think of burnt steak. you have to delete them and try another time :)

[Colin Driscoll]

Thanks folks for an informative and enjoyable thread
Ari I am much better at cooking steak than I am at BIF.
Gail, yes the anticipation is killing me having sold the 1DX2!