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Avian Moderator
Woody strutting up the beach
I debated not posting this as the Wood Duck bar is set very high here. But you can't learn if you don't get out there.
I'll call out the elephant in the room, very hard light. It's from a month or so ago and I knew far less then than I do now so I did my best to process it anyway.
Chose to leave the sticks on bottom right since it's a Wood Duck, and well, it's wood.
D850
Sigma 500mm
HH
ISO 125
1/2000
f4
Post in C1P and PS. Very minimal crop, removed a bunch of bkg debris.
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Self critique is spot on. I would add great handling of that harsh light as you caught some nice iridescence. I also like the BG and would try to brighten the shadow and slightly tone down further the bright spots on the ground. TFS
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Yes to your self-critique. I like the pose, HA and raised foot. Feels just a touch oversharpened in places.
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Avian Moderator
Thanks guys.
Bill, which areas specifically please?
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Originally Posted by
Brian Sump
Thanks guys.
Bill, which areas specifically please?
The back and flank. But only very slightly. Mind you, I don't always get it right. I do the final sharpening of the resized file on a layer, and if I see an area that looks slightly jaggedy (is that a word?) I use the Eraser at low opacity, say 15 or 20%, to brush over that area and reduce the amount of sharpening.
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Avian Moderator
Originally Posted by
Bill Dix
The back and flank. But only very slightly. Mind you, I don't always get it right. I do the final sharpening of the resized file on a layer, and if I see an area that looks slightly jaggedy (is that a word?) I use the Eraser at low opacity, say 15 or 20%, to brush over that area and reduce the amount of sharpening.
Thanks Bill. I was very cautious in sharpening this one but certainly always room to improve
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I think David and Bill make some nice points; specifically with respect to brightening the shadow and the sharpening, the latter rendering the bird a bit 'crunchy' as presented. You did get some decent color despite the light, and you held onto the whites nicely.
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Super Moderator
Yes, that harsh light is bummer. But now you know to get there earlier (or later) for that sweet light, or all day during cloudy ones. Good low angle, and I like the profile walking pose.
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BPN Member
Brian,
If you are Processing in C1P, use Arash setting for sharpness.
If is it not sharp, it wont matter, delete.
If it is sharp, that setting is fine for the TIFF file you save.
When you post for web, use web sharpening defaults, I use TK panel,
there are others for PS or C1P I am sure.
It is not that complicated, if you are sharpening specific areas very much,
get a better shot.
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Avian Moderator
Originally Posted by
dankearl
Brian,
If you are Processing in C1P, use Arash setting for sharpness.
If is it not sharp, it wont matter, delete.
If it is sharp, that setting is fine for the TIFF file you save.
When you post for web, use web sharpening defaults, I use TK panel,
there are others for PS or C1P I am sure.
It is not that complicated, if you are sharpening specific areas very much,
get a better shot.
Dan, I did almost exactly as Arash prescribed in his guides: 180/.8/1 in Capture One.
Then, I did even less than normal in PS @ 40/.3 because I feel like 1/3 of my images posted here are critiqued for over-sharpening (which is perfectly fine). Arash recommends 60-130/.5 in PS.
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BPN Member
Brian,
Then it has to do with your last step.
You just sharpen After downsizing correct?
Most people are criticized for not being sharp enough.
I know my files are better when not downsized if I want
to print them.
Usually you lose sharpness if the Tiff file is sharp.
In other words, I can sharpen a sharp full size Tiff file with my own
sharpening better than a downsized file is.
Web posting is deceiving, you can get by with a lot.
Make good full size sharp files.
Posting for the web should not be hard.
Last edited by dankearl; 05-27-2020 at 10:43 PM.
Dan Kearl
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I have never seen a wood duck on the beach or a picture of one on a beach. You handled the light very well. The raised foot is nice as well.
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Avian Moderator
Originally Posted by
dankearl
Brian,
Then it has to do with your last step.
You just sharpen After downsizing correct?
Most people are criticized for not being sharp enough.
I know my files are better when not downsized if I want
to print them.
Usually you lose sharpness if the Tiff file is sharp.
In other words, I can sharpen a sharp full size Tiff file with my own
sharpening better than a downsized file is.
Web posting is deceiving, you can get by with a lot.
Make good full size sharp files.
Posting for the web should not be hard.
Correct. Sharpen RAW in C1P and the TIF AFTER resizing in PS
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Super Moderator
agree with self critique, the harsh contrasty light does make the image look over sharpened even when the steps are followed to the letter, the micro contrast is just too intense ....not much we can do except for wait for the sun to come down :)
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