Yellow throated Euphonia

[Richard Unsworth]

Taken in Puerto Jiminez, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Canon 40D Canon 100-400 @ 400
ISO 400
f5.6
1/500
strong daylight

stunning bird to see - what comments

Rich

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Rich,
I remember enjoying thiese beautiful little birds whilst in Costa Rica last year. You have managed to hold on to the exposure well in strong sunlight and I like the head turn and the catchlight. As presented I feel that the BG is a little distracting, but if you were to blur it a little more (particularly the LLC) and tone it down a little I think that it would look rather pretty.

[Richard Unsworth]

Hi Nicki

thanks, any good links to blur techniques in PS CS4? n ot something I know a lot about :-)

Rich

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Rich, I don't know of any links, but this is what I would do.
- create a duplicate layer (this will be your background copy)
- draw round the bird with the marching ants and put this on a new layer.
- then click on the BG layer (from the layers panel in your workflow window). You will then be able to work on the BG without it affecting the bird that you have isolated. I would suggest a little gaussian blur.
- when you have done all you need to do to either layer, flatten the image and enjoy the results!!
Hope this helps.
Best,
Nicki

[Richard Unsworth]

Hi

Sounds like fun I will give it a try

thank you:)

Rich

[Daniel Cadieux]

It sure looks like a stunning bird to see! Nice small perch, and good comp. It would be worth running some NR to the BG, and the yellows are blown and oversaturated. Here is a link that deals with tough yellows:

http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...Yellows-to-Hot

[Dan Busby]

Beautiful bird well captured Richard. The yellows are difficult and this could use some de-saturation, as suggested by Daniel.

[Richard Unsworth]

Ok

Reposting after

reducing yellow saturation -10
Added blue filter



Still cant get detail into breast patches and under wing -anyone advise on that?
not dealt with BG as yet -

Rich