Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: THEME: Baby Early Bird

  1. #1
    Avian Moderator Brian Sump's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    Golden, CO
    Posts
    2,658
    Threads
    230
    Thank You Posts

    Default THEME: Baby Early Bird

    Name:  2020-06-01-Baby-Killdeer-WORM-Brian-Sump-D850_560-SIG-FORUM-sharper.jpg
Views: 155
Size:  580.9 KB

    This little baby early bird got the worm. And let me tell you, he seemed so proud of himself.

    It is along the same shore as the nesting Killdeer I posted on Sunday.

    D850
    600mm f4e + 1.4TC
    HH
    ISO 800
    1/3200
    f5.6


    C1P. Then cleaned up the ground and some color and curves adj in PS.
    Last edited by Brian Sump; 06-03-2020 at 07:54 PM.

  2. #2
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,688
    Threads
    1,296
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Hi Brian, I like the capture and the framing, but the saturated colours, strong light and the 'fur ball' plumage lacking the tonal sharpness/definition isn't really working for me, however... just trying to work out why.

    1. Is this a big crop, might be worth posting a FF version?
    2. Are the focus points much lower in frame ie on the outskirts of the AF points, rather than in the centre, if you know what I mean
    3. Black look heavy and the sharpening too much, sharpening halos especially around the beak

    The light looks tough and so lowering the exposure for the whites helps, do this with mask & layers so you can be more specific, you can then see more tone coming through. A better WB (although I'm trying to balance your posting compared to the Raw will help) especially loosing some of the blue in the whites. If it's a crop, having more below helps IMHO. Remember, saturation only works in the top 50% of the colour range and Vibrance is geared more towards yellow. May be a bit more DoF too, say f/7.1 but will let the more experience Avian bods comment on that and at ISO 800 no need for any NR.

    Hope this might be a starting point in moving this forward Brian.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

  3. #3
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    26,311
    Threads
    3,979
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Wow, what a cute little fella, and it caught the worm all by itself?? What a a great leaner :-) A fun scene, with the low vegetation giving a clear view of it all. These fuzzballs are tough to get just right as far as sharpening goes as they are by nature, well, not very sharply defined plumages. I like the extra warmth of Steve's repost, but I am ok with your dof - you don't want the FG vegetation strip to get to much definition, and the surrounding plants have just the perfect balance of sharp and soft leaves IMO. I've never lucked out on a young killdeer like this, so I am enjoying this from my chair :-)

  4. #4
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,688
    Threads
    1,296
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    am ok with your dof - you don't want the FG vegetation strip to get to much definition, and the surrounding plants have just the perfect balance of sharp and soft leaves IMO.
    Hi Dan, thanks for chiming in here on the DoF aspect and totally agree, my only thought was, without seeing the raw was..., is the body of the fluff ball just lost through PP, or is it a case of DoF & PP, as the legs & eye appear 'sharp'?

    Brian, did you apply any sharpening to the worm, if not it could do with some and help break from the BKG, again, just a thought.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

  5. #5
    Avian Moderator Brian Sump's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    Golden, CO
    Posts
    2,658
    Threads
    230
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Realized I had a masking issue that was affecting the photo. Here is one with a corrected mask :-/

    Steve, the focus point was right at bottom of head at start of the beak.

    Name:  2020-06-01-Baby-Killdeer-WORM-Brian-Sump-D850_560-SIG-FORUM-reducehigh.jpg
Views: 310
Size:  585.1 KB
    Last edited by Brian Sump; 06-04-2020 at 11:54 AM.

  6. #6
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,688
    Threads
    1,296
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Certainly much better compared to the OP Brian, well done.

    Going back to my original thought, is it a big crop, whereabouts does this fall within frame.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

  7. #7
    Avian Moderator Brian Sump's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    Golden, CO
    Posts
    2,658
    Threads
    230
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Here is the whole frame:

    Name:  NIKON CORPORATION_NIKON D850_26122384-26169133_560.jpg
Views: 45
Size:  566.8 KB

  8. #8
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in the world
    Posts
    20,688
    Threads
    1,296
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    For me Brian, that’s a big crop, others who shoot with the 850 may disagree. Getting closer without causing distress To the chick or Mum would have been better, however that might be in an ideal world.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

  9. #9
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Ithaca, NY
    Posts
    10,421
    Threads
    1,708
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I don't know after seeing the original the crop held up pretty good. I know the moment would have been gone if you did nothing. A fun image for sure.

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