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Thread: A boy and a girl

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
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    Default A boy and a girl

    Once in a great while you have a special encounter with a bird, or in this case two birds. Artie recently posted an image of a Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan in classic habitat, which doesn't always make for a nice BG. Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a pair of these beauties building a nest about 20 feet from my room in Costa Rica. The hotel landscaping created a considerable distance between the birds and the rainforest BG. And the birds were perched quite low, maybe 15 feet off the ground. They would perch on this branch and take turns hollowing out a nest cavity. I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with them, but I did manage a number of nice frames. PS work includes cloning out one branch and creating a little space where the tail feathers of the bird on the right touch the bird on the left. We'll be visiting this location on my Costa Rica tour in 2010, and Chestnut-Mandibled Toucans are regular visitors at this hotel.



    Canon 1D Mark III, 500mm + 1.4x, f/6.3, 1/160, ISO 800, tripod
    Last edited by Doug Brown; 08-29-2009 at 10:06 PM.
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    this is too much to handle for my self. what a shot. expo, compo are at its best. dof is just superb. wish for those dark brownish patches to be tone down on the bg.

  3. #3
    Axel Hildebrandt
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    Very cool to have two birds in the frame and an unobstructed BG. I would only tone down the highlights and try to get more details in the blacks.

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    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Axel Hildebrandt View Post
    I would only tone down the highlights and try to get more details in the blacks.
    As I look at the JPEG, I think I've since reprocessed the image. This may be an older version. I think the new version does some of what you suggest. I'll have to check when I get home later.
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    Axel Hildebrandt
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Brown View Post
    As I look at the JPEG, I think I've since reprocessed the image. This may be an older version. I think the new version does some of what you suggest. I'll have to check when I get home later.
    I'm pretty sure that this is a jpg conversion issue and that the TIFF looks perfectly fine.

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    Doug,
    The branches nicely frame the birds. I like this image. Thanks for sharing.

    Cheers,
    Sabyasachi

  7. #7
    Erich Stevens
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    Doug,

    A very special image. Great bokeh. Good details in the darker areas except for the belly of the bird on the left, but that probably could not be helped. I like that they are looking to opposite edges of the frame. Thanks for sharing the story of how you got this. Better late posting than never!

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    Just fall down from chair , will need some time to recover
    amazing shot , what a beauty
    TFS

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Hi Doug, which is the boy, and which is the girl? Why do I ask, as their colours look very similar. I do see some detail in the blacks, and both are nice and sharp. Great sighting and capture.

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    Forum Participant Manos Papadomanolakis's Avatar
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    Beautiful differents positions of the birds.....nice poses too!

  11. #11
    Bryan Hix
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    Wow, very nice. The colors and BG are awesome.

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    A very beautiful image from you Doug. Both the birds are quite sharp and well composed.
    Agree with Axels comment on bringing on some more black especially in the second bird i.e. one toward left of the frame.

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    Hi Doug!
    Awesome image - brings back happy memories even though I did not bring home a shot like this!
    Thought you'd be pleased to know that I am working hard and saving harder for that 500 lens...:D:D Now what I really need is a sponsor :cool:!!
    Best regards,
    Nicki

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    Marvelous looking subjects. Nicely done on capturing the graduated chestnut color of their beaks. Maybe a couple of degrees too steep and the left ones eye looks "glassy". TFS , I really like this image.

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    Oh, nice, that's a great one, to get 2 of them on clear branches,
    the birds make very nice composition even though they have their backs turned.
    You've got nice HA on both of them at the same time.
    I like it a lot.

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    Just two good Doug, Loved the opposite of the birds... Big Congrats...

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    Very nice shot Doug, a slight highlight-shadow adjustment will improve things a bit but it is excellent as presented. exotic birds!!!

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    A fascinating capture Doug, I especially like how the bird face opposite directions.

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    I missed this one Doug, it is just fantastic :-)

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