High Key Osprey

[dankearl]

I posted another image from yesterday in the Avian forum (probably a mistake) and it was suggested I just make them High Key images.
So here is another, Does it work?
The IQ is not great, not large crops, but taken against a gray sky so I had to lighten the birds a bunch.
I really liked the poses, so decided they were worth keeping.
1/2500
f6.3
400mm
iso400

[Gerald Kelberg]

Never a mistake to post on the Avian Forum if you learn by it!

I prefer the symmetry of the wings in this pose versus your other post. If you have to lighten the birds more than a third of a stop you are going to start to see IQ drop off - which is why you need to add more compensation when shooting against the sky.

But you seem to have gone too far in just brightening the image and background - blown a lot of the detail on the subject, not just the background. The guys who are good at this control the areas where they brighten the background and the subject. You need to learn to use layers and masks - Artie is always talking about it so there is plenty of information around.

Finally, I'd suggest that when you do a high-key image like this, it will present a lot better if you but a key line around the image. As it stands, one can't see where the above image begins or finishes.

Hope this helps!

[dankearl]

Thanks Gerald and I understand what you are saying.
I didn't just brighten the image, I selectively brightened areas, but it was a dark bird against a bright sky.
I don't know how you compensate for that at the time.
He just flew into the pond I was at, hovered and I snapped.
I probably shouldn't have posted these, but you live and learn, but I do think the poses were good but this is a tough crowd!
I have about fifty shots and he was hovering for a minute at least.
Amazing and beautiful raptors, my favorite.

[Kerry Perkins]

Dan, we don't learn from our successes! Never hesitate to post an image here as you will learn more by doing so than by not doing so.

The word "key" in high key stands for the light on the subject. There seems to be a misconception around that "high key" means "overexposed background". That's not the whole story. For a successful high key image there needs to be, well, a high key! The key is the frontal light on the subject. This is a studio term (key light) that is used in both still photography and movie shooting. The biggest problem with this image is that most of the bird is in shadow, and the parts that are not are blown out. Oddly enough, the best lighting conditions in nature for the high key look are overcast but bright or even bright foggy days, if that makes any sense.

There wasn't much you could do in this case, due to the mixed light which will never work out. To get the proper exposure on the shadow areas you will have to blow out the highlights. While it is possible to do a bit of brightening in PS, it is not something you want to count on. Best to get the exposure right in the camera, which in this case would have meant pushing the plus EC even more.

[John Chardine]

Good explanation Kerry- comes from your years of stage lighting I guess?!

Dan- I think this image has a lot of potential. I really like the "pose" and wing position and eye contact. I think with some lightening of the subject (face and breast in particular) and another round of sharpening you have a winner here.