Bald Eagle at ISO 1600

[gail bisson]

Canon 1D MK IV
f 4 500mm and 1.4X
Hand Held
Cropped top and left by 20%
ISO 1600
SS 1/1600
f 6.3
I got a chance to try my new camera under conditions I would never have tried with my 7D, that is- dark subject, dark day, dark BG and high ISO
I like this image because it has a "film noir" feeling., but may not be to everyone's taste.
In PP I used the sliders in LR3 then to CS5 for NR of 10 on BG and then NR on bird of 2 with 20% detail.
What do you think? Yay or nay with this image.
Comments and critiques always learned from with thanks,
Gail

[Mital Patel]

Gail this is really beautiful image you have got .. surely yay for me.

Sorry without asking i have tried something for you. As the bg is a same tone but that heavy patch on top is big distraction i have tried here to reduce the tonal values by using Selective Colors White's + Black's + Neutrals changed bit by separating the eagle and added bit of usm to the eagle.

[Randy Stout]

Gail:

I do like the overall feel, pose,framing. Mital did a very nice drop downplaying the top area of BG and getting a bit more detail into the bird, without a significant noise penalty.

Sounds like you are having fun with your new toy. You obviously have some pull with Santa. Could you have him send a D4 along for me

Cheers

Randy

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Gail, Its a yah from me too. Going up to ISO 1600 has managed a relatively fast ss to get the eagle sharp enough. In the conditions described, you have also managed to bring out detail on the near wing and head nicely. I do like what Mital has done with the repost.

OH, can you put a word with Santa for me too.

[Jerry van Dijk]

Hi Gail, very nice! Mitals work screws it up an additional few notches. This would work well in B/W.

[dankearl]

A big thumbs up from me also, The noise is not that noticeable, It would look very nice printed.
One of your better photo's, IMO.

[Grace Scalzo]

A good image to start with that now sings with Mital's processing. The limited color palette pulls me right in to his eye and beak. I suspect that you will be producing some great work with your Christmas present if this is an example.

[gail bisson]

Thanks Mital and all for your helpful comments. I really like what you have done to my picture Mital. I had not done any sharpening because I was afraid to increase the noise. I will do exactly what you have done for my final version,
Gail

[gail bisson]

My repost

[Geir Jensen]

I like it, a lovely images. Congratulations on your new toy, I'm not envious

[Sachin Saraf]

Gail I have already congratulated on new toy...now I am congratulating you for getting the results from it...I really liked this one and Mital did great job in getting the best out of it...

A definite "film noir" :-)

[Marina Scarr]

Congratulations on your new camera, Gail. Looks as though you got off to a good start. In the OP, I am a yay for the bird but a nay for the BG. I think Mital has managed to soften up the BG a bit more in his repost than you have in yours b/c yours is quite a bit darker which I find distracts more from your great sharp eagle than the lighter BG that Mital has created. Looking forward to seeing more images made with your new toy.

[Bill Dix]

A definite Yay! Beautiful image, improved by Mital's repost. I had the same reaction as Marina, before I read her comment -- Mital's BG is just a bit softer and thus detracts less from the beautifully captured eagle.

[Yves Guillot]

Nice shot Gail. Don't know why but I do not see it in full : your name is cut on the right side. I prefer the MItal version too : the contrast is less strong and I prefer that. My personal taste.

[gail bisson]

Thank you all. I agree that I didn't quite hit the mark in trying to replicate what Mital did. I agree that my version is more "hard edged" because it is darker.
Is there a way for me to place my repost beside Mital's repost on the computer screen to make it easier to view side by side?
Gail

[Doug Brown]

Usable ISO 1600 is one of the great things about the Mark IV. I like what Mital did with the repost, but I'm going to take it a step further. I did a curves adjustment on the bird to brighten it up a bit, and also dodged the iris. How do you like it?

[Robert Holguin]

Wow!!! What a beauty. Excellent flight pose and the detail is just superb. I really like Doug's post.
Well done.

[v.p.nurdeen]

Hi Gail,
superb flight image taken to the next level with Doug's re-post
VPN

[arash_hazeghi]

great details and top side view, one of your best to date. Glad you are enjoying the MK4, as you have figured in capable hands it is a huge step over the 7D.

I prefer Doug's repsot.

[Vikram Agrawal]

Definitely a yay for me. The reposts are an improvement.

[gail bisson]

I really like your repost Doug. You guys are killing me with all this PP. Mital kindly emailed me the workflow he used but I don't have a clue how to do what he did. I struggle with layers and masks! I will work on it this weekend!
Gail