Taken on Staple island with the young, Jon A accompanying me. I should have predicted he/she was going to flap their wings and spun the lens round to landscape mode, but...
Thanks to those who posted or viewed on the last posting.
Steve
Subject: Young Puffin (Fratercula) Location: UK
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
Lens: EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x III Twinshooter/Flexline pro & Gitzo
Exposure: 1/3200s at f/8 ISO2000
Original format: Portrait, FF on width, crop from top
Processed via: LRC 9.4 & PS2020
Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.
Hi Steve .... very cool , love these little characters .
Very nice posing and you got him in perfect wing position in combo with a super smooth BG .
Nicely processed , think the light has helped to get all the superb details visible .
If this was mine , I would think about to darken the rock a bit and give the 3/4 tones in the subject a tiny bit more depth ..... as I think they are slightly darker in real life . But this is just my view
The issue is that it should have been shot landscape in the first place, however... Flip as presented doesn't add anything, tried it on import. 'Loads of canvas' - without the rock, easy, however the rock has minimal detail, plus the dip, therefore, yes you can replicate say 88%, but you do have some repeat patterns, but because of the dip it lacks the details. Yes you can tweak the setting in the process of replication, but it really isn't worth the effort in my book. For web, you could get away with it to a degree...
Yes, the stone could go a tad darker.
Thanks.
Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.
I think we are talking not about the same thing , maybe ???
My funny thinking was .... make it a landscape ( from the original portrait ) and add canvas , so the words " flip it " might have been wrong .
Technically the image looks about perfect. I'd like a bit more contrast and/or color saturation, but that's mostly personal preference. Yeah, a landscape would have left more room to the left. But that's life. These guys are such obliging subjects!
Hi Dorian, Paul & Brian, many thanks for commenting and suggestions.
I'll try expand on my take/thinking and why, I hope it doesn't sound condescending, it's not intended, it's just my style, I'm not a Byron, as I much prefer to talk & exchange rather than 'hunt & peck' on a keyboard.
So, why do we look to having a high SS, expose to the right and try to frame in camera (with a little latitude all round for final framing at PP stage)?
We want the image to be sharp, obtain as much data as possible to process with and avoid cropping to retain IQ so we can present our images to the best we can, which we all here strive to do. Now if we then look at the histogram with a well exposed image because we have used ETTR we have a 'black' point and a 'white' point, everything in between is a tonal grey/shades of grey just like the Greyscale or Calibration strip you'll see at the foot of this page. Now in there are your Mid Tones, this is where all your lovely detail is and so retain these means more detail and less aggressive sharpening to pull them out is required and so Halos are history. This is why I personally endeavour to keep my images as 'open' as possible.If I then add Contrast or Levels adjustments as the basic go to (better results with Channels coupled with those adjustment, or Luminosity masks), you then can start to clip the darks and Mid tones, as theses are basically Contrast sharpening adjustments, loosing IMHO detail and adding additional sharpening. Now I do hear what folk say, that sometimes images look/appear thin because I don't push these adjustments, (albeit there is a Black and White point) the image just doesn't appear so rich in a contrast manner, because I want to retain as much as I can and perhaps to the detriment of looking punchy on screen, but printed it's all there. However and my final point is... beware that anyone who uses LR will have added Contrast whether you like it or not, behind the scenes because that's what it does, hence why some images posted are quite overly punchy.
I hope this helps gives insight into my thinking and process.
So, taking onboard the thoughts here is a RP, but selectively masking and still avoiding clipping the darks, WDYT and yes, Andreas the rock is darker thats a five second blend change.
Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.
Steve .... I rather like this version better , more life overall and more form in the subject . But leave it to you and others what is best ........ as there is not THAT BEST .
Surprised that it take that long .... to darken that rock ..... but forgot the age .....
Andreas the rock is darker thats a five second blend change.
Yes, it's a sign of getting old, but also need to rebuild 'Whopper' with some new stuff, hence not upgrading currently, but once Lockdown is lifted then the rebuild will be done, plus will take it up to 96GB RAM too!!!
Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.
Sounds like an investment .... my " Whooper " is coming to the limit , not sure which route to go .... as that big machine is way too expensive IMHO .
Will wait what is coming this year .... some interesting rumors are going along . My MBP is also very old now .... so have to make a decision .
Steve, really appreciate your comments. They really add to the user experience here and I believe expounding and explaining helps us all grow. Kudos amigo!
That said, it makes a lot of sense. That also said, the RP is so sweet man. LOVE it!
Cheers Brian, it means a lot. I know I've pushed you and been tough at times, but you've stuck with it and it's really paying off. Now you have mastered Ducks, time for a new challenging subject I think, perhaps even a Wildlife one or two?
I too prefer the RP.
Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.
Life is tough enough ...right now .... so going the funny way at times , might help !!!
At least when Steve has to pay the bill .... but I am also willing to pay , when the time is right
The Puffin...
Reply With Quote
. But leave it to you and others what is best ....
.... as there is not THAT BEST 
Originally Posted by Steve Kaluski
