Hummingbirds and backgrounds
Hi!
Hummingbirds are starting to arrive to my part of the world because of migration, so I am outside ready with my lens.
In this image I like the bird but I really donīt like the background. Is there anything I can do with it? Besides making a better image with other background? :)
Saludos,
Diana
Model: Canon EOS 40D
Lens (mm): 500
ISO: 500
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/250
Program: Aperture Priority
Are you dead set against the use of Photoshop and the like on your image? If not, then you can use it to blur your background, change its lightness, saturation, hue, etc., etc. Otherwise, there's always another opportunity, another background :)Originally Posted by Diana Zorrilla
I particularly like this photo for its natural look. Lots of details.
I'll leave the geometry to other folks here ;)
Last edited by Desmond Chan; 08-16-2008 at 05:17 PM.
Hi Diana:
I love your Hummingbird, first one I have seen. Did a fast clone of your background using large size (250), opacity 55 to do most of it and made smaller to get close. This not perfect by any means, however it might give you an idea. Your camera setting are right for stopping any motion, getting bird in focus while blurring background. You did a super capture on the hummingbird. Studying the background you got can get ideas of posistioning yourself to get a better background next time. It appears to me that the branch on the perch might be quite long because vertical perch support is so out of focus, Maybe if the horizontal branch was shorter the bird and the perch support would both be in focus. Keep up the good work . . Uncle Gus
Looking forward to more Hummingbirds from you.
Oh sorry! I meant to ask for techniques in photoshop to make the background better for this image... I guess my english can be sometimes confusing :) Let me say it in other words: I would like to know if there is something in PS I can use to make the BG better...What would you use to make it better? I tried a quick mask and the gaussian blur filter, but it leaves a halo around the bird that I didnīt like. So, any recomendations?
I can always take a new photograph and look for a better background, but this hummingbird in particular is not very good for perching in a good place...or for a long time.
Thanks Gus, I didnīt see your post untill now. I will try what you say. I will keep posting some images of the different species of hummingbirds to see if I can make better images of them.
Saludos,
Diana
Hi Diana - I think Gus is on the right track - personally I dont mind the G too much - Except for the light line that crosses the bird neck.
Good job with the exposure - the original is a bit soft - some more sharpening to the bird only would help.
keep them coming.
:)
My ideas
Hi Diana. Great, sharp, well exposed shot of a cool hummer! Do you know the species? Here's what I did to improve this shot IMO. First, I cropped to vertical, which eliminated a lot of the problem BG. Second, I darkened the bright perch, some of the bright green stuff in the BG and the bright branch at the bottom of the frame using Quick Mask and a brightness and contrast layer. Finally, I used the clone tool set at 60% opacity to clone over more of the bright green stuff in the BG, using the darker stuff as samples. This is one solution to your BG problem that doesn't seem to create any halo around the bird except in the breast area, which I am ok with!. The best, of course, would be to select the BG during capture if possible.
Dan Brown
After looking at my redo, I decided it did need sharpening after all, so I selectively sharpened the bird only. Dan
Last edited by Dan Brown; 08-16-2008 at 07:50 PM.
Hi Diana !!!! Where have you been ? Bienvenida !!!!!
The easiest way to blur the bg and keep it sort of natural would be making a new layer and using Gaussian blur to taste then create an adjustment layer and brush away the effect from the bird. Remember you can reduce the opacity as you work !!! Should do fine !!!
Really like the bird and pose Would try setting with a different bg so you don't have to work so hard after the image!!!!!!
Wow Dan! That is such an improvement! Thanks for showing it to me. I generally donīt do much with my backgrounds for fear that it will not look natural, but this adjustments you did really made it look so much better and natural. Thank you!
I hate to loose a good hummer because of a bad BG.
About the species...It is a Buff-bellied Hummingbird. You can find it all along the gulf of Mexico States, but only in Mexico. It is pretty common where I live in Monterrey, in the north of Mexico.
Gracias,
Diana
Hey Al!!
How are you? Iīve been trying to learn more about bird photography, practicing and reading all I could for this last months, and now I am ready for some critique and suggestions.
Thanks for telling me how to apply the Gaussian blur, seems I did it wrong when I tried it on the background, no wonder I didnīt like it ;)
ĄĄSaludos y ya los extraņo!!
Diana
Great capture Diana. Your bird is very sharp and colors are great.
Keep them coming.
Regards,
What a wonderful hummer! Love the pose and the eye. Super re-post Dan
Hi Diana,
Big Welcome to the BPN family...:) I like your capture. This is one beautifull bird. As far as your background goes, just keep on practicing and you will get it right. Dan's repost takes this image to a "10"...good job and keep them coming Diana...:D:cool:
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