Tricolored heron portrait

Posted by Wil Hershberger on Thu Aug 21, 2003 9:39 am

All times are UTC-05:00

0 people like this post

First unread post

| 14 posts |

Page 1 of 1

©Wil Hershberger 2003
This was taken at the Alligator Farm in Fl in May. I really liked the light here looks almost like a studio shot. The biggest problem was keeping the white plume on the back of his head from being over exposed. Thank goodness for the histogram.
EOS 1Ds, 500mm f/4, at f/11, ISO 200, at -2EV, ff with BB at -1.7. In PS, minor crop, USM and levels.
Comments welcome,

Edit:
Here is the tweaked version. Is it over done? In PS, curves and some dodging of bright background elements.

[url=http://www.cricketman.blogspot.com][b]Wil Hershberger[/b][/url] | [b]NSN0025[/b]
[url=http://www.natureimagesandsounds.com/workshops/index.html][b]Nature Images and Sounds Nature Photography Workshops[/b][/url]

Last edited by Wil Hershberger on Thu Aug 21, 2003 4:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Posted by:
Wil Hershberger
Forum Contributor

Location: Eastern WV
Posts: 7577
Joined: 19 Aug 2003

Visit website

by Sandy Mossberg on Thu Aug 21, 2003 10:01 am

Sandy Mossberg
Lifetime Member

Posts: 5802
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Boynton Beach, FL USA

Visit website

A fine shot, Wil. You controlled the whites beautifully. Two of the BG stalks are slightly distracting. A few selective tweaks in Curves might make the bird pop a bit more and make the BG less prominent. Maybe yes, maybe no - I haven't tried it.

Sandy Mossberg
Boynton Beach, Florida, USA
[url=http://www.sandymossberg.com][b]SandyMossberg.com[/b][/url]
NSN 0015

0 people like this post

by Heather Forcier on Thu Aug 21, 2003 10:32 am

Heather Forcier
Site Co-Founder

Posts: 8188
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Vermont
Member #:00003

View portfolio
Visit website

I really like how the bird is presented here, I think it's framed extremely well. I agree that some elements in the background are distracting, but that's the Alligator Farm for ya! If you wanted to, it could be a fix in PS.

What I want to know is how you got one of the Tricolored Herons to sit still long enough for this photo, I tried for days and don't have too much to show for it - didn't you come for only one morning?

[b]NatureScapes.Net Site Co-Founder
[url=http://www.hforcier.com/][u]Website[/u][/url] | [url=http://www.500px.com/heatherforcier/photos][u]500px Gallery[/u][/url] | [url=https://plus.google.com/117191412635501853092/][u]Google+[/u][/url][/b]

0 people like this post

by matt kuchta on Thu Aug 21, 2003 10:52 am

matt kuchta
Forum Contributor

Posts: 1329
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: Western Wisconsin

Visit website

I'd agree with Sandy - some tweaks in curves would make the bird more lively. I'd also try selectively toning down the saturation in the yellows and greens and boosting the blues.

A very nice portrait - you captured the tonal range of the bird well.
-matt

0 people like this post

by Wil Hershberger on Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:30 am

Wil Hershberger
Forum Contributor

Posts: 7577
Joined: 19 Aug 2003
Location: Eastern WV

Visit website

I will have to try the curves manipulation.
Heather, yes I was there for just one day

I guess that this fellow was just excited to have his photo taken.

What are the guidelines for posting a tweaked image? Does it or can it go in this thread?

0 people like this post

by Heather Forcier on Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:39 am

Heather Forcier
Site Co-Founder

Posts: 8188
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Vermont
Member #:00003

View portfolio
Visit website

Hmmmm, I guess I forgot to address that part, didn't I?

If you tweak an image, please feel free to either add it to your original post identifying it as an "Edit: Revised image" and putting it under the original image. OR you can put it in a subsquent post on your thread.

Does that sound okay?

0 people like this post

by Larsen on Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:40 am

Larsen
Forum Contributor

Posts: 1606
Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Location: Vermont

Very nice portrait. I'm not bothered at all by the environmental aspects of this shot, but then I like more environment in avian shots than most people do.

0 people like this post

by Anthony Medici on Thu Aug 21, 2003 12:07 pm

Anthony Medici
Lifetime Member

Posts: 6879
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Champions Gate, FL
Member #:00012

View portfolio

Heather Forcier wrote:If you tweak an image, please feel free to either add it to your original post identifying it as an "Edit: Revised image" and putting it under the original image. OR you can put it in a subsquent post on your thread.

Does that sound okay?

That seems reasonable to me.

Tony

0 people like this post

by Wil Hershberger on Thu Aug 21, 2003 1:18 pm

Wil Hershberger
Forum Contributor

Posts: 7577
Joined: 19 Aug 2003
Location: Eastern WV

Visit website

Heather,
That sounds terrific and a very sensible way to do it.
I do not have the full version of PS here so I will post a tweak later tonight.
Thanks,

0 people like this post

by AlexC on Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:24 pm

AlexC
Forum Contributor

Posts: 5948
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Member #:00024

View portfolio

Very nice, good exposure, fine detail and a nice pose as well!!
Hard place to shoot and you have done well!! Congrats!!!

[b]Alex Calzadilla[/b]
[b]Miami, Florida[/b]
[b]NSN-0024[/b]
"At the feast of ego everyone leaves hungry." - Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, Tucson, AZ

0 people like this post

by Laura Stiefel on Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:37 pm

Laura Stiefel
Lifetime Member

Posts: 4184
Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Location: Northwest, Ohio
Member #:00229

View portfolio

Love the tweaked version. Very nice Wil!

Laura Stiefel
[b]NSN 0229[/b]

0 people like this post

by LHays on Thu Aug 21, 2003 10:30 pm

LHays
Lifetime Member

Posts: 12363
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Northern Kentucky
Member #:00040

View portfolio
Visit website

I like them both....perhaps the second just a tad more. They didn't want to pose that much for me, either. When they did it was a pretty distracting background. You've got a nice one here.

Lana Hays
NSN 0040
[url]http://www.lanahays.com/[/url]

0 people like this post

by Greg Downing on Thu Aug 21, 2003 10:49 pm

Greg Downing
Publisher

Posts: 19318
Joined: 16 Aug 2003
Location: Maryland
Member #:00001

View portfolio
Visit website

Wil, great to see you here

Nice image and well composed/exposed. These guys never cooperated with me

I agree with the other comments and some curves work would really make this sing.

BTW we have decided to allow two subsequent posts of the same image to demonstrate crops, PS adjustments and the like. These should be posted in the original thread by the author or by someone else with the authors permission only. We should be adding this wording to the guidelines shortly.

Greg Downing
Publisher, NatureScapes.Net
[url=http://www.gdphotography.com/]Visit my website for images, workshops and newsletters![/url]

0 people like this post

by Juli Wilcox on Fri Aug 22, 2003 3:42 am

Juli Wilcox
Editor in Chief

Posts: 3373
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Upper Great Plains
Member #:00010

View portfolio
Visit website

Nice, sharp detail, Wil. I like lots of BG for some birds, too; I like the toned down second version as you have posted.

[b]Juli Wilcox[/b]
[b]Former Editor in Chief, NSN[/b]

0 people like this post

14 posts |

Page 1 of 1

Return to Birds

Tricolored heron portrait

The Resource for Nature Photographers

Sign up for our newsletter

Community

Forums, Galleries, Portfolios

Membership

Editorial & Advertising

NatureScapes.net is the trusted source for nature, wildlife, and outdoor photography gear at the best prices!

Categories

Tricolored heron portrait

The Resource for Nature Photographers

Sign up for our newsletter

Community

Forums, Galleries, Portfolios

Membership

Editorial & Advertising

NatureScapes.net is the trusted source for nature, wildlife, and outdoor photography gear at the best prices!