Hi - Big warm welcome to the BPN Family and these guys and Gals here are very special - very much like a family.
Do not hesitate to jump right in and leave comments on other peoples images - do better or faster way to improve your own - all we ask is that you say what it is you like or dont like about the image :)
Nice first post - good to see you using exposure compensation! The bright highlights in the BG do draw the viewers eye away from the subject a little - but those things will come with patience and practise.
Good Head Angle - so congrats on that - one of the commonest issues - there are many fine threads in the educational resources forum about Head angles.
I wont overload you with info - make sure you have your over exposure warnings turned on in camera and make use of your histogram.
Nice first post. I agree with Lance about bg. You can get a multitude of guidance with the tutorials and education resourch forum.
Good luck and keep them coming
Welcome to the ETL forum, Ann! It's a lovely first image...you have many good things going for you. I will tell you that learning the basics in Photoshop is almost as important as learning the basics in proper camera useage these days. Almost everything you get in comments will be PS-based as far as post-processing so start with the basics and work your way into the more fancy stuff. I'd suggest getting a good PS book - one that's easy to read and based on the version you've purchased. I really like "The Missing Manual" series that are out for each version of PS - they really go step by step.
You're definitely a little overexposed in areas and then the head is a bit soft and dark compared to other parts of the bird. Make sure that histogram warning gets turned on and use it to help guide your exposures. Processing your images in the RAW file can make it easier to recover those little blinkies (as we refer to the blown out whites) but getting it right in camera will save you valuable time in post-processing.
Don't be afraid to post and critique - the more you do the faster you'll learn!
Welcome aboard! Wonderful first photo - as Lance said, you got the head angle thing DOWN! I'm wondering - what time was this photo taken? The light does seem a bit harsh, so I was thinking it may have been high noon? One thing I quickly have learned is to try at all costs to avoid shooting when the sun is high in the skyi and bright - very tough conditions to get exposure right due to the high dynamic range. Much better to shoot in the wee early morning hours or late afternoon "golden hour".
Hope you come to learn as much as I have from this forum - we look forward to many more from you!
Brian
Hey Ann,
Yeah....the landscape/macro mod hangs out here occasionally! Welcome to the forum!!! Great observations and comments above! I have that lens myself and find it quite versatile! In this case the sun angle was agains you ....but that isn't always a deal breaker! In the field you could sacrifice some DOF with that lens at 400mm....to say 6.3 or 7.1......to give yourself some extra SS.....because these little guys rarely sit still....so always a nice luxury to have some extra speed to keep them sharp. If you are faced with this angle again......don't be shy to use the flash.......this will bring up the shadow side. The advice on checking out the tutorial is a great one.....but also hang out in macro......where many people use flash! Priciples are the same very often.....just different subjects!
Welcome to the forums again and you have a great group here you will gain some great knowledge from!
1st Post: Dunlin
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