Really tough conditions for shooting today, backlighting and near impossible to get the light at my back. Given the circumstances I figured I'd try some silouhette shots. This isn't the typical silhouette with the setting sun in the bg..but something different. I'm not entirely sure what to think of it myself. I never changed the BG color at all, just darkened the white spots that were created by the backlighting.
Canon 30D 300mm @ f 5.6
1/4000 sec, + 2/3 ev
ISO 200
Hi John Interesting and do like what you are trying to do here !!!
For the conditions its the only thing to do You can experiment with different settings. For getting detail in the bird with a strong light behind could go -2 or more and +3 on the flash (max output) or a conventional as you did here. Not sure how strong was the light looking at the settings.
Did not like the top line so I cropped some for proportion, then adjusted the bg with curves making it lighter since I want the bird to stand up well. Also darken the bird a little more. Hope to see more or these if you manage to have the sun out again :) !!!!!!!
Hi Dave, I like this image a lot. I agree with Alfred reg. cropping out the top line, but I like the darker original image better than Alfreds lighter one. The orignial has a much more "watery" feel to it due to the details in the water and the light spots of the surf, which adds a little excitement to the scene. I think the bird stands out well enough as it is, although I would have liked the top of the bird black as well. What's up with the blurry spots in the water in the foreground? It almost looks like you got some water on your lens. It would have been a killer image if the reflection of the bird was complete! Again, I like it a lot, great composition!
- Jerry -
Dunlin Silhouette
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