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Thread: Northern Cardinal female in snow

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    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
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    Default Northern Cardinal female in snow

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    I was hoping to get a winter-themed shot this month, but haven't done so. This one from 2017 will have to do for the monthly theme.

    D500, 80-400 VR @ 340mm, ISO 1000, 1/400s @ f/7.1 manual.
    Last edited by Bill Dix; 12-28-2020 at 05:02 PM.

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    Hello Bill, She has found just the right space to perch among the leaves, acorns, and clumped snow. I would suggest increasing the exp , she just seems a tad dark, WDYT? Excellent wintry image, looks very cold!

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Bill, love this, framing is spot on for me and all very well balanced.

    Overall I do agree it needs opening up a bit, however you then have the dilemma from the viewers perspective, was it dark, or slightly under exposed???? Certainly there is more detail to extract and the Cardinal, really sings against the bleak backdrop, no pun intended. If you get the opportunity again, try if possible shooting on a tripod and slowing the whole SS down. In addition, this is where you have to trust your Histogram and really push that ETTR, it's amazing just how much detail you can get, I was astounded when I first started doing Polar Bears all those years ago. When viewed on the LCD it looks pants, (albeit a JPEG not the raw you see), but once in your raw converter, bingo!!!!

    Bill, here's a comparison if you open it up, but I kind of like the OP, it has a nice winter feel/quality, may be somewhere between the two????

    TFS
    Steve

    PS Not sure about the removal of the snow on the rear tail feathers?
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    BPN Member Dorian Anderson's Avatar
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    Perch is a bit busy, but the bird still stand out nicely in the snowy surrounds. I think the image is a bit dark, and I think Steve's repost addresses that concern nicely (even if the snowy clump down and left is starting to glow a bit.

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    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
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    Thanks for the suggestions. It was somewhat dark and dull, as I recall; but I agree that the bird looks better a little brighter. Here I brightened just the bird and not the whole image. Steve's approach may be the better one. I also note that she looks too orange after converting to sRGB (the TIFF looked OK to my eye).

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    I also note that she looks too orange after converting to sRGB (the TIFF looked OK to my eye).
    Bill, there should be no colour shift after export for Web from Tiff to sRGB, if you have a shift then it's down to the configuration of Colour setting in PS.

    RP looks much better Bill IMHO.
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    Nice to see the female. The winter setting is very nice. Fits the theme perfectly. I like the framing. What's up with the eye?

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