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Thread: High Key Hoatzins

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    Default High Key Hoatzins

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    Nikon D7000 w/Nikkor f/4.5-5.6 80-400mm vr lens @ 400mm, hand held from skiff
    ISO 1600; f/8.0, 1/640 sec; MM +2.33
    PP: PS CS5 Camera RAW luminance NR; crop, levels, curves, SH, sharpen; cloned out some branches and leaves

    I was struck by the beauty and elegance of this pair of Hoatzins, during a recent excursion to the Peruvian Amazon River.

    Norm
    Last edited by Norm Dulak; 06-13-2012 at 12:17 PM.

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    Norm, really like the composition and their poses. beautiful birds indeed. high key effect is nice. The crest feathers are looking a bit too jagged though.

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    Excellent high key effect, comp and poses. Very nicely composed and executed. A very unique and interesting species that I hope to see some day. Well done!

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    Agree with Sid, wonderful job bringing out the details in the birds with what was a tough background. You made it look natural and I too hope to see these birds.

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    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
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    Hi Norm,
    I have never even heard of this bird until now. Very very cool! The crests are amazing ( and oversharpened)
    I like the front/back view and the left/right gaze.
    I see a lot of noise in the birds feathers and some red fringing around the right side bird.
    IQ just doesn't seem to be there in this image.I wonder if the issue is PP or in camera?
    I would love to see more of these amazing looking birds!! I hope you have more to show us,
    Gail

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    Quote Originally Posted by gail bisson View Post
    Hi Norm,
    I have never even heard of this bird until now. Very very cool! The crests are amazing ( and oversharpened)
    I like the front/back view and the left/right gaze.
    I see a lot of noise in the birds feathers and some red fringing around the right side bird.
    IQ just doesn't seem to be there in this image.I wonder if the issue is PP or in camera?
    I would love to see more of these amazing looking birds!! I hope you have more to show us,
    Gail
    Hi Gale.

    The issue was shooting hand held from a moving skiff with less than optimal light.

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    An amazing composition, a reversed mirror image, a little grainy but understandable under the conditions.....looks and sounds like an enviable species to have in ones collection

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    BPN Viewer Dave Leroy's Avatar
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    Really nice poses and good to see both birds in focus. High key worked out well. It might be an idea to add a bit of a border.
    An excellent image to have from your trip.

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    Thanks everyone for your comments thus far.

    But there is another aspect of Hoatzins you should know about; they are also called "stinkbirds". That's because of their diet, and the way that they process their food. Hoatzins are vegetarians that process their food by foregut (the esophagus and the crop) fermentation. The food is broken down by bacteria, much as it is in cattle. And the result does not smell good. Thus, it has been said that Hoatzins smell like a herd of cows because they eat like a herd of cows.

    So for those of you who wish to see a Hoatzin one day, by all means do so. But don't get too close!

    Norm

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    Forum Participant Richard Unsworth's Avatar
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    Two in focus against the light, brilliant love it

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    Thanks everyone for your comments!

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    Great capture of very curious birds, Norm.Thanks for the interesting comments about them.

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    BPN Member Tony Whitehead's Avatar
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    I love high key images and this one is a beauty with the interesting poses, colors and textures. A bit of NR may be worth considering on the darker areas.
    Tony Whitehead
    Visit my blog at WildLight Photography for latest news and images.

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