Bird flu check. Say aaaahhhh

Posted by Neil Fitzgerald on Fri Nov 04, 2005 5:13 pm

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Got this during morning tea yesterday. These gulls are always very clean. They are very white and don't scavenge like most spp. Consequently I have found showing detail in the white quite hard. The feathers are not blown at all. I ended up doing a straight linear conversion in DPP and using levels and curves in CS2 to bring it back to normal. This is about the 5th time I worked this image, trying to balance retaining some detail and keeping it looking white. Thoughts on how others achieve this (I've seen loads of brilliant examples around here) would be appreciated.

I added a little to the top and shaved a bit from the right.

Cheers,

20D, 300/2.8, 2xII, 1/250 f11, ISO 200, fill @ -2 1/3

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by Van Hilliard on Fri Nov 04, 2005 6:13 pm

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Neil,
I love this. I see subtle detail in the whitest parts so you have done a superb job of retaining information there and the bed, the shades of pink and the outline and background in black make for a stark, beautiful, rivetting photograph. Absolutely beautiful.

Van

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by KK Hui on Fri Nov 04, 2005 6:47 pm

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An amazing pose and you handled the exposure beautifully, Neil!

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by whf4 on Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:06 pm

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Your work was well worth it. Great pic!

4 down, 2 to go.

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by Vince Thomas on Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:23 pm

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Don't think I've ever seen better detail of the back of the throat of a gull Neil!

Your PS work paid off the whites are brilliant... including it's eye.

Vince Thomas
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by RichardMittleman/Gon2Foto on Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:27 pm

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Wonderful image. Agree with Vince about the great detail and light in the back of the throat

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by Rich S on Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:45 pm

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Smashing pose all around; love the way he's looking at you while yawning. Whites look spot on. Nice composition and fine processing.

Rich

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by Ligia on Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:39 pm

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Agree with every thing it has been said above. This is wonderful every way you look at it!

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by Christopher Dodds on Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:06 pm

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Awesome shot, Neil. I love the light in the throat too. Something to try.... in selective color, add 2% black to both whites and neutrals...not that the image needs it, but you asked for a way to bring up some detail in the whites.

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by Mike Wilson on Sat Nov 05, 2005 1:13 am

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What a clean looking gull as you said. Would love to see more images of this bird. Sometimes adding fill to a white gull has given me the same trouble keeping any detail in the whites even when it is dialed down as you did at -2 1/3. Try it without the fill and you may get more detail.

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by Haim Ziv on Sat Nov 05, 2005 1:49 am

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Amazing pose

great timing and detail. :) :)

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by Trevor Quested on Sat Nov 05, 2005 2:52 am

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Absolutely beautiful Neil. :)

Trevor Quested

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by sbourne on Sat Nov 05, 2005 1:56 pm

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I'd say the detail here is amazing. Perfect!

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by Arthur Morris on Sun Nov 06, 2005 7:33 am

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I like the image and would love to see more pix of this grogeous birds. It looks like it has a tad too much flash for me. Here is a trick for everyone to try (especially those using the 580). When working with digital at point blank range, remove your better beamer, lower the diffuser on the flash head (it is built in), and set the flash at -3 stops...

best and love, artie

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by Neil Fitzgerald on Sun Nov 06, 2005 3:05 pm

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Thanks for the comment and tip Artie