2 unusual poses of Great Blue heron (to me)

[Nancy Moran G]

I posted another Heron photo a couple of weeks ago, and it was suggested I read tutorials on White Point. I did read tutorial here, and a couple of folks sent me instructions. geez, I still don't get how to change it.

I see the eye dropper and black scale, but nothing happens....So, feel free to edit this.
I also only have a laptop, so my edits may not look right to you either.
they look good to me, but open to cc.
Thank you.
Nancy


1- What is this squat? Sat for about 3 minutes.


2-Briefly spread his wings, surprising me..


3-

[chauncey]

Nancy, it might be my ignorance but, I cannot understand why anyone would do serious PP on a laptop.
I equate my calibrated monitor to be as important as my body and glass regarding my finished product.

[jprzybyla]

Hello Nancy, nice Great Blue Herons. I have seen that post before especially when it was hot outside. I thought it might be involved in the bird cooling down. I have an image of a very similar pose that I thought was strange for a Great Blue Heron.

There are two settings used in post processing that have white in their names... White Balance and White Point. White Balance is used to set accurate colors in an image where by a grey card would be included in one of the images to use in post processing. White Balance has the eye dropper tool. When I shoot my orchids and want accurate color I include the grey card as part of the first image. In post processing I use the eye dropper tool to click on the grey card which sets the color temperature for accurate color in the light I am shooting. White Balance is also used to cool or warm an image. More towards the blue side of the scale gives a cooler image. more towards the amber side of the scale warms an image.

The other white is White Point which is a slider in the Basic Module used in post processing in Lightroom (also in Camera Raw in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements ). This is used to set the white point in an image. Normally one would slide the white point to the right until the white in an image shows clipping and then back off until the clipping goes away. That allows for as much of a range in white tones without clipping them. The same is true for the Black Point slider.

P.S. the Great Blue Heron on the beach is so Florida....

[Geoff F]

I can't see a lot wrong with those photos, Nancy.

Personally, I've never got on with using any of those droppers, or any of the auto corrections for that matter. The only thing I use is to check the RGB readings using Curves or similar options providing I can find an area of pure white (or close to it). And check the black areas for shadows.

In most cases, I simply make those checks to prevent over or under exposure but it also gives a guide as to whether an image is too yellow or too blue for example.

So after looking at your first image. It is a fraction on the yellow side, but that would be natural for a morning or late afternoon light. However, I have fractionally increased the blue highlights and done a slight crop to remove some of the distracting foliage.

And this is what I came up with . . .



Which isn't very different from your original photo.

[deetheturk]

Great images Nancy!

[Nancy Moran G]

Nancy, it might be my ignorance but, I cannot understand why anyone would do serious PP on a laptop.
I equate my calibrated monitor to be as important as my body and glass regarding my finished product.

I travel in an RV so there is NO space for a desktop option. Even though my screen moves, making the lighting different, I try and leave screen in the same angle and adjust 'that' image. I was fairly happy with these as I have been 'birding' just a short time. I hope they weren't too far off on your screen, as I thought feather detail was good (for me)
Thank you for looking and commenting
Nancy

[Nancy Moran G]

Hello Nancy, nice Great Blue Herons. I have seen that post before especially when it was hot outside. I thought it might be involved in the bird cooling down. I have an image of a very similar pose that I thought was strange for a Great Blue Heron.

There are two settings used in post processing that have white in their names... White Balance and White Point. White Balance is used to set accurate colors in an image where by a grey card would be included in one of the images to use in post processing. White Balance has the eye dropper tool. When I shoot my orchids and want accurate color I include the grey card as part of the first image. In post processing I use the eye dropper tool to click on the grey card which sets the color temperature for accurate color in the light I am shooting. White Balance is also used to cool or warm an image. More towards the blue side of the scale gives a cooler image. more towards the amber side of the scale warms an image.

The other white is White Point which is a slider in the Basic Module used in post processing in Lightroom (also in Camera Raw in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements ). This is used to set the white point in an image. Normally one would slide the white point to the right until the white in an image shows clipping and then back off until the clipping goes away. That allows for as much of a range in white tones without clipping them. The same is true for the Black Point slider.

P.S. the Great Blue Heron on the beach is so Florida....

Thank you Joe, I will give it another go.
Yes, the pose could have been the heat, as high 80's this time of year seems unusual. This was @9 am as I was getting ready to leave the beach and came upon him.
Nancy

[Nancy Moran G]

Great images Nancy!

Thank you David for your compliment.
Nancy

[jamn4ex]

Nice heron Shots I like 3 best. The processing looks very natural to me.

[chauncey]

Nancy, one of my inherited difficulties is ongoing "cerebral mandibular dysrhythmia"...apologies.

[Shadowman]

Nancy,

I did a quick levels test on your photograph and when using the black dropper, depending on where in the image you click, you may not get a change. When I clicked on the black in the bird's head everything changed to a blue hue (which was incorrectly sampled or area contained another hue). When I clicked on the wing area nothing happened.

By the way, nice image.

[FootLoose]

In Lightroom 5 you can just hold down the alt key while clicking on the any of the sliders circled in the screen shot here to show clipping. Then, while still holding alt key, drag the slider til the clipping blends into the background.

[Nancy Moran G]

Nancy,

I did a quick levels test on your photograph and when using the black dropper, depending on where in the image you click, you may not get a change. When I clicked on the black in the bird's head everything changed to a blue hue (which was incorrectly sampled or area contained another hue). When I clicked on the wing area nothing happened.

By the way, nice image.

Good info John, I will try this on other photos. It may be seeping in as to what I need to look for ;}

Stay warm!!
Nancy

[Nancy Moran G]

In Lightroom 5 you can just hold down the alt key while clicking on the any of the sliders circled in the screen shot here to show clipping. Then, while still holding alt key, drag the slider til the clipping blends into the background.

Thank you Greg. I have PSE 11 and will look at your suggestion knowing it may be slightly different from Lightroom.
Nancy

[Brownbear]

Hi Nancy,

I absolutely adore the heron on the beach... Just a gorgeous scene to set off the beautifully photographed heron. The colours look fine to me. Very nice!

[Nancy Moran G]

Looks like we both got Herons recently that we are happy with, yahoo, we're getting there
Thanks and looking forward to more photos from you.
Nancy