Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Cattle Egret

  1. #1
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Merseyside, UK
    Posts
    857
    Threads
    132
    Thank You Posts

    Default Cattle Egret

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    This was taken in Majorca last month on a blisteringly hot day. Fortunately I was the only person in the hide, so I was able to leave the hide door open in hope of a breeze.

    The Egret was clearly complaining about something, maybe the open door, who knows....

    C&C Welcome.

    Canon 1DMK4, 500mm, 1.4x, f5.6, 1/2500, ISO200.

    Cheers

    Austin

  2. #2
    Robert O'Toole
    Guest

    Default

    Austin,

    I think the poor thing is complaining about the heat!

    I like the habitat and the cool tones in the BG. I would run NR and use a mask to lighten the colors a little more.

    Are you sure its a CE? The beak and legs dont look right, is it a juvenile?

    Robert

  3. #3
    Robert O'Toole
    Guest

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Lightened with a curves layer and a simple layer mask. The darker version is more dramatic but the lighter version shows the BG colors much better I think.

    Robert

  4. #4
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,506
    Threads
    1,433
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Another good job by Robert :) I do believe that this is a young CAEG. I think that the bird is complaining because it is being stabbed in the wing by the stiff stalk of the plant. I like the prefect EXP, the head angle, and the open bill.
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

    Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  5. #5
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Brussels, Belgium
    Posts
    1,115
    Threads
    118
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Nice, sharp image of what I have always thought of as a grotesquely ugly bird.

    I thought the original post was too dark although preserving the whites; so prefer the brightened version from Robert.

    But, I remain confused by the "perfect EXP" comment. Is that saying sufficient to the right without blowing the whites, thus allowing for necessary adjustment of the mid-tones?

    Whites are tough!

    Regards,

    Gerald

  6. #6
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Merseyside, UK
    Posts
    857
    Threads
    132
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Robert, Thanks for the repost. It is a good alternative and I will take a look at a curves adjustment on my own computer.

    I agree with Artie that this is a young Cattle Egret.

    Thanks again

    Austin

  7. #7
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,506
    Threads
    1,433
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gerald Kelberg View Post
    Nice, sharp image of what I have always thought of as a grotesquely ugly bird. I thought the original post was too dark although preserving the whites; so prefer the brightened version from Robert. But, I remain confused by the "perfect EXP" comment. Is that saying sufficient to the right without blowing the whites, thus allowing for necessary adjustment of the mid-tones? Whites are tough! Regards, Gerald
    Hi Gerald, Good to see you here. First off, yes, a perfect exposure for me is one pushed to the right with possibly a few easily recoverable flashing highlights. (Remember, we are looking at the more contrasty JPEG on the back of the camera; it is more sensitive to blinkies than the RAW files. To my eye, the whites in the two images are very close if not identical. I prefer either the original post with the darker BKGR or possibly something in between. That does not make either Robert or me either right or wrong; the tonality of the midtones (as well as of the whites and blacks) are quite subjective :) As long as you have detail in the whites and in the blacks you are good to go.

    Does that make any sense?
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

    Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  8. #8
    BPN Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Brussels, Belgium
    Posts
    1,115
    Threads
    118
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Artie,
    Thanks for your thoughts. I hadn't thought in terms of the whites on both versions being close or identical. I need to spend more time on sharpening my PP skills, I think.

    Best wishes,

    G.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics