Workflow Help

[DennyKyser]

I am a portrait photographer who loves to photograph birds and wildlife. I am realizing birds are an entirely different beast.

Here is my equipment/software/plugins and will see if you can help me with a workflow for birds.
Canon 1D IV, 1ds 3, 500 4.0, 1.4X & 2.0X, PS CS4, LR 2.XX, C1 Pro 4.XX Nik filters, Noiseware Pro,

I am thinking that is the majority of what I will deal with for birds.

When shooting portraits, I do not have to deal with high ISO because my lights do the work, keeping ISO low.

When shooting high ISO, when and how do you get rid of the noise. I know the IV does a great job, but still using the 500 4.0 in low light you really have to push the ISO.

Also when and how do you sharpen, seems that fixing noise, then sharpening just puts noise back in.

Would love a brief explanation of how you work through an image shooting in raw.

Thanks.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I run noise reduction only on the BG and only sharpen the bird to prevent these problems. To keep the noise low, exposing to the right makes quite a difference. If you have to increase the exposure in your RAW converter you introduce noise.

[DennyKyser]

I run noise reduction only on the BG and only sharpen the bird to prevent these problems. To keep the noise low, exposing to the right makes quite a difference. If you have to increase the exposure in your RAW converter you introduce noise.

Thanks a lot.

[Roger Clark]

Denny,
Here is my work flow:
http://www.clarkvision.com/articles/digitalworkflow

Roger

[brian simpson]

Wow..,Thanks roger.. that helps alot.