Just another tern

[Hilary Hann]

This image was captured on my recent trip to Port Lincoln where I spent my time practising my BIF shots as I've never really tried to take them before.
This was shot from a floating pontoon, hand held. 30D, EF24-85mm lens at 85mm.
f13, 1/500 (+1) ISO 400

Slight crop on the right hand side and bottom of frame. Gradient filter used to warm the image as I didn't like the coldness in my original capture.

[Paul Randall]

This image works well for me Hilary. The use of the filter adds to this I think.
This is a Crested tern if you did not already know. Keep up the practice with the BIF photos and remember to swivel those hips:)

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks for the ID, I wasn't sure even with my bird identification book.

[Paul Randall]

No worries Hilary. You've given this bird a real angelic touch with your image.

Also 3 Australian birds in the last 4 posts!!! Go Aussies go!!!

[Harshad Barve]

beautiful image with nice use of filter , Lovely wing position
TFS

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks Paul and Harshad.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

HI Hilary,
I was thinking Crested Tern then thought what the? And checked that you are from Oz too. GREAT! More the better, we gotta give our Indian and South African friends a run for the money. :D

Love the sepia look as presented. I think there is a slight sharpening halo particularly visible around the head area.

Well done, let's see more!

[Stu Bowie]

Hey Akos, we will take you on any time mate.;)

Hilary, I like what you have done with the colours. Lovely flying posture showing the full wingspread and tail. The undersides of the wings and body lack detail ( too smooth ) and I would maybe tone down the lighter area of the sky upper middle. Keep them coming.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Haha Stu. Here cometh the BPN rugby challenge. Now I'd forget about cricket, that's a sheila's game. :D

[Harshad Barve]

Hey Akos, we will take you on any time mate.;)

Akosbhai , I am with Stuart here :D ;) :D

[Gerrie van Vuuren]

Nits covered. Still a very eye pleasing image!

Akos, you don't stand a chance mate!

[Morkel Erasmus]

this is a wonderful image - great tones, warmth and composition - bird nicely exposed too.

Akos - don't go crying when it goes sour for you Oz-folk :)
and don't shy away from cricket just cause your side has started losing again ;)

[Randy Stout]

Hilary:

I get to look at look at lots of nice images on BPN. On the top of my list of what I want to see is impact, then the tech. issues. You can have a technically perfect image that is boring.

The feel here is very strong, Paul hit it when he mentioned angelic. That is exactly what I thought when I first saw it. The tech. points mentioned are valid, and I might even consider trying a small crop from the left to decenter the bird, but its a winner on the impact meter. Good choice on the filter.

Nicely done.

Randy

[paul leverington]

Hilary --aside from loving the shot--and I do--do you feel the filter gives you a better warming effect over adjusting the white balance slider a little to warm the shot? To me the overall tone is too yellow. The sky maybe would look ok with that, but the bird and sky all the same tone does not feel realistic for any lighting that I have at least experiennced.

Paul

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

and don't shy away from cricket just cause your side has started losing again ;)

I never understood cricket at all and have no time for it bro, that's all. ;) Our cricketers are a bunch of yobbos anyway.

[Hilary Hann]

and don't shy away from cricket just cause your side has started losing again ;)

Hmmmm, who won the Champions Trophy?

do you feel the filter gives you a better warming effect over adjusting the white balance slider a little to warm the shot? To me the overall tone is too yellow. The sky maybe would look ok with that, but the bird and sky all the same tone does not feel realistic for any lighting that I have at least experiennced.

Paul

Paul, this is a good point. I found that by using the filter I managed to get more detail in the clouds which I wanted. I did remove a lot of the filter from the bird but wanted to leave some colour cast because the sky would normally reflect some colour. I was trying some different PP techniques and although I was pleased with the result I know that I haven't quite got what I want yet. I do appreciate being questioned though, because it makes me think hard about the treatment I give each image and possible alternatives, so thanks.

[paul leverington]

By the by Hilary, which filter did you use specifically? Did you try an 81A? You might try the standard contrast type curve boost to increase tonal separation of those clouds and brush it in on a masked layer.

Paul