Pacific Golden Plover

[Mark Young]

I took this a few days ago at my local patch. The yellows in the RAW image were really over-saturated and hot, so I've pulled a lot of the yellow out. I think I've gotten the bird as normal as possible, but any input would be appreciated.

Canon 7D 300f4+1.4tc ISO400 1/500 f7.1

[Tom Rambaut]

Your right about the yellows Mark. I took some photos of these guys the other day and they were - the bird - really yellow. Just did not look right at all. I didn't use any of the images as I just could not get them looking realistic in PP.

This looks about right for this species.

[Mark Young]

That's interesting that you had that issue as well. I took this about an hour before sunset, so I put it down to the setting sun adding an unnatural yellow colour to the images.

This is what the unprocessed image looks like.

[Tom Rambaut]

This does not look too bad. Mine were worse than this. I too took them at sunset.

[Arthur Morris]

Hey Mark, You did a very nice job of optimizing the image. I like it. As for the color of the light, somewhere in between would work for me. Excellent image quality despite the substantial crop.

I had no idea that these birds go so gray in basic plumage as I have never seen one in winter. Thanks for the education :)

[Don Lacy]

Hi Mark, i would have left more of the warm light in the image but I prefer that color pallet, nice details on the Plover and I like the complimentary BG to.

[Grace Scalzo]

I'm not in love with the out of focus shells in the foreground. Might this have been one of those cases where raising up a bit would have avoided this, or would that have created other problems?

[Steven Kersting]

I took this a few days ago at my local patch. The yellows in the RAW image were really over-saturated and hot, so I've pulled a lot of the yellow out. I think I've gotten the bird as normal as possible, but any input would be appreciated.

Canon 7D 300f4+1.4tc ISO400 1/500 f7.1

I like the angle and the exposure....The colors look good to me.
A couple of things I find somewhat troubling:
The blue directly behind the bird kind of ruins it for me. And while I like the low angle, the OOF foreground is slightly distracting.

[Pieter de Waal]

Hi Mark as mentioned by Artie , great job on PP. Nice light on the bird with good detail. I dont mind the shells I think the suit the environment. I might consider cropping some of the blue strip below the shells.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I too think you did a good job post processing the image. Looks very natural. I'm with Grace in regards to the OOF shells obstructing the feet but of course love the low angle.

[Mark Young]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback. It was a tough one to try and restore it to some sort of normality

Arthur, I think I've taken a touch too much yellow out. They aren't that grey at all.
Grace and Stephen, Yep I could've been a touch higher in hyndsight.

[Arthur Morris]

YAW Mark. I'd love to see a repost that depicts the color somewhat more accurately.

[Mark Young]

YAW Mark. I'd love to see a repost that depicts the color somewhat more accurately.

As much as I tried, I wasn't able to replicate the colour of the bird accurately. I do have others images of this species in non-breeding plumage if you wanted to see them?

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks. Feel free to post one here at my request :)

[Mark Young]

Hi Arthur,

Here is one that looks as natural as seen in the field, or so I think. Though now I'm starting to second-guess myself as to whether I have actually captured the bird as I've seen it in the field!

As a rule of thumb I generally don't touch the saturation on the birds themselves. I can't remember what I have done here but I highly doubt that I have done so here, but I do up the contrast. The yellow in the rock looks very accurate, and if anything it does look a little dullish compared to how I remember it.
Looking through my images, the varying stages of colour of plumage really does vary quite a lot over the few short months we have this bird here.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Mark, this last image you posted is a much stronger one than the OP IMO (apart from the whitewash). Very, very nice. Check out the subtle but very important difference in HA too... I personally think that last image deserves a thread of its own!