Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge, Illinois

[IzzieK]

Last weekend we decided to go to the first of a twice-a-month-winter event of the Eagle Watching Open House where we were accompanied by a ranger using our personal vehicle for a morning of eagle watching. Dressed in cold weather gears, we headed out to multiple places along the way hoping to see (and photograph) some eagles. It was one of those free event that the Great Rivers of Illinois put up for people who are interested in the history of the confluence of the rivers of Missouri and Mississippi meet called the Meeting of the Great River. Lots of places to go there around this time of the year.

We only saw a handful of eagles as it was not really a good time to go eagle watching in the early month of December but learned that the best time to go eagle watching is around February when no one wants to go outside because of the cold and miserable days but when it is that time of the year to go and migrate and stay for a while in the warmer areas of Missouri and Illinois.

1 We started off very early in the morning before the traffic caught up with us. Two Rivers is located about one and a half hour away from us and it was a miserable foggy day. Even before we left home, I had intended to take a shot of Clark Bridge and some other areas along the way.



The sky is of course abysmal but I can't do anything much to it…I have converted this one to B/W because I think I have enough to show for it. Clark Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge across the Mississippi River going towards Alton, Illinois. The bridge was named after explorer, William Clark (of the Lewis and Clarke fame).

2 To reach the other side of the river where we are supposed to go joint our ranger, we have to board our car to the ferry…we can hardly see anything across the river from our vantage point, if you can call it that…



3 After all the camaraderies were exchanged, we went to look for some eagles with barely seeing anything at all because of the fog. I espied these three gentlemen between the cracks of trees fishing…



4 I looked at the other side and saw this little dark thing so far away but I like the pattern it shows on the water so I took it. Zoomed in as far as I can and saw this little diving ducky bobbing in and out of the water so far away…converted this one to B/W too as there isn't much to see here anyway because of those fogs.



5 then this lonely pelican way out in the boonies it seems…



6 then two more around the corner swimming towards us…



7 waiting for something unusual behavior or pose to take. It did not disappoint…here is one.



8 and the same pelicans following each other close…looks like they are twins.



For C&C please – for those that wanted to comment and critique my shots..the harsher, the better I learn from all of you. Thanks.

[Brownbear]

Hi Izzie,

I always enjoy reading your posts. I like the 1st image but for some reason I feel the need to see a bit more of the bridge to lead me into the image. #2 very strong technically.

I adore all the pelican poses with # 5 (pose, reflection and the look on the birds face) and #7 (pose, beautiful capture of the action of the rear pelican for the nicer lighting and soft blue water contrasting with their pink bills) being my faves. Perhaps #7 could use a little more sharpening? #6 is sharp, some noise seen (more in the water)...#5 might be a bit purply (if there is such a word but the white balance is varying a lot in these images )or it could be my tired eyes. #8 love the moment but perhaps a bit noisy?

With respect to Dave's beautifully detailed critique I agree that the pelican images seem to be a bit underexposed and noise is seen. If you're inclined to send me one of the pelican images I'd be happy to give post processing one of them a try.

[Geoff F]

Exactly what I was thinking.

There does appear to be a little bit of an odd colour tint on all the pelicans. Maybe due to weather conditions? Perhaps a fraction more brightness?

[Shadowman]

Nice bit of variety in your captures. Capturing the atmosphere of fog is a worthy endeavor but bringing out the subject detail will make for a more dynamic image. I'd play with clarity a bit more for added impact.

[rtbaum]

Hi, Izzie. I like your shots and agree with others. I would play with sliders in LR to bring out contrast, maybe increase whites or exposure......heck.....do as I do and play with them all. Take a shot of bourbon, tweak, repeat. Pretty soon they will all look great!

[Bobobird]

Excellent series. Love how you made it a story.

Have nothing to add to what others have already said about lifting the birds a bit.

But still a nice set.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Izzie,

For C&C please – for those that wanted to comment and critique my shots..the harsher, the better I learn from all of you. Thanks.

Really? You're encouraging me? Is that wise?

#1 - I agree with Christina, I also felt I'd like to see more deck at the bottom edge of frame.

#2 - This gives a really good feel for the weather, I like it a lot, wouldn't change a thing.

#3 - Feels (to me) like it needs a slight nudge (rotation) clockwise, although quite difficult to prove it, in other respects, this is again very good for giving us a feel for the dismal weather conditions.

#4 - Vignette, be it effect or real, is a bit strong for me (in top corners), good composition though.

OK, the 'holiday' is over, time to be harsher

In the following ones, the subject is indisputably the Pelicans, not the weather, so now I'd have exposed, either in camera or in PP, to give brighter pictures.

Also, (personally) I'd have standardised the White Balance, so the series didn't alternate between grey/blue and yellow - even if there were reasons for it to be different at the time, such as being shot at 90 degrees to each other, or with a different sky reflecting in the water. I note the EXIF shows the same White Balance (Cloudy) for all four, but I did wonder whether it might have been changed in PP (which I don't think would be visible in my EXIF data).

#5 - Looks a natural colour, but under exposed, decent composition.

#6 - Noisy, I wondered why they are over to the left of the frame though, also under exposed.

#7 - Good (awkward) moment captured, very dim, their position in frame works here for me.

#8 - Very noisy, good grouping of subjects and their identical poses, I might have centred them in this shot too.

In the last three, where you have two subjects arranged like this, DoF at 500mm, even using f/13, isn't going to be enough, I cannot complain about this as I know it's all but impossible to get both subjects sharp.

Just as the WB changes in these pelicans, so do the noise levels; the two yellower (not sure that's a word either) shots (6 & 8) are more noisy than the blue ones (5 & 7). I'd use Neat Image on noise like this.

Not sure if the noisy ones were also greater crops from the whole frame, but since all pelican shots were at 800 iso (1/400s and f/13 at 500mm), that shouldn't have been a problem for a D810.

I'm sorry you had foul weather and didn't see any Eagles.

Hope that helps (and is harsh enough), Dave

PS, if it makes you feel any better, I feel mean after reading other's comments
Gosh I can be harsh (in a good cause)

[IzzieK]

Hi Izzie,

I always enjoy reading your posts. I like the 1st image but for some reason I feel the need to see a bit more of the bridge to lead me into the image. #2 very strong technically.

Whoops! I think it was covered by the frame...I will remove the frame in the first light of the morning...

I adore all the pelican poses with # 5 (pose, reflection and the look on the birds face) and #7 (pose, beautiful capture of the action of the rear pelican for the nicer lighting and soft blue water contrasting with their pink bills) being my faves. Perhaps #7 could use a little more sharpening? #6 is sharp, some noise seen (more in the water)...#5 might be a bit purply (if there is such a word but the white balance is varying a lot in these images )or it could be my tired eyes. #8 love the moment but perhaps a bit noisy?

With respect to Dave's beautifully detailed critique I agree that the pelican images seem to be a bit underexposed and noise is seen. If you're inclined to send me one of the pelican images I'd be happy to give post processing one of them a try.

I do have google drive but I do not know how to use it...the noise was because I used too high an ISO because I thought the condition is dark enough to merit it. This is my first time to deal with foggy foggiest day out. If you noticed too the pelican shots were using my 150-500mm lens and I got lazy to take out my tripod from the car. I was just glad that Bill was with me because I thought that other guy who has a camera is a weirdo...he wasn't taking any shots of anything at all but us women. I became self-conscious...

Thanks Christina...I appreciate your critiques and comments.

[IzzieK]

Nice bit of variety in your captures. Capturing the atmosphere of fog is a worthy endeavor but bringing out the subject detail will make for a more dynamic image. I'd play with clarity a bit more for added impact.

Geoff and John...the odd colour was because my monitor needed calibrating. I just bought Spyder Studio the other day and was not able to do any calibration until last night before we went out. I will edit the images in the morning...thanks for the insight.

John, what I did wrong was stay away from the clarity in ACR but I did do a little bit of structure in Viveza...just a bit...

Thank you both for commenting --- I appreciate it very much.

[IzzieK]

Hi, Izzie. I like your shots and agree with others. I would play with sliders in LR to bring out contrast, maybe increase whites or exposure......heck.....do as I do and play with them all. Take a shot of bourbon, tweak, repeat. Pretty soon they will all look great!

I don't drink any alcoholic or spirits nor beer. Perhaps beer once a year or a sip here and there in Bill's can. Good idea though...my image will edit itself while I go to bed...

Thanks for the wake-up call...I'll upload some good ones tomorow...

[IzzieK]

Excellent series. Love how you made it a story.

Have nothing to add to what others have already said about lifting the birds a bit.

But still a nice set.

I was hesitant to do more edits than I already have because of my monitor losing its calibration for a few days...but now that I have a new calibration machine, I'll do better. Thanks for passing by and commenting...appreciate it a lot.

[IzzieK]

Hi Izzie,
Really? You're encouraging me? Is that wise?

#1 - I agree with Christina, I also felt I'd like to see more deck at the bottom edge of frame.

#2 - This gives a really good feel for the weather, I like it a lot, wouldn't change a thing.

#3 - Feels (to me) like it needs a slight nudge (rotation) clockwise, although quite difficult to prove it, in other respects, this is again very good for giving us a feel for the dismal weather conditions.

#4 - Vignette, be it effect or real, is a bit strong for me (in top corners), good composition though.

Thank you...that was good...now for the reality check....

OK, the 'holiday' is over, time to be harsher

In the following ones, the subject is indisputably the Pelicans, not the weather, so now I'd have exposed, either in camera or in PP, to give brighter pictures.

Also, (personally) I'd have standardised the White Balance, so the series didn't alternate between grey/blue and yellow - even if there were reasons for it to be different at the time, such as being shot at 90 degrees to each other, or with a different sky reflecting in the water. I note the EXIF shows the same White Balance (Cloudy) for all four, but I did wonder whether it might have been changed in PP (which I don't think would be visible in my EXIF data).

Actually I did a custom white balance in ACR...I barely use the Cloudy anymore...come to think of it, what I probably should use in my camera is the Kelvin temperature instead so they match in camera and pp...I wonder if...

#5 - Looks a natural colour, but under exposed, decent composition.

#6 - Noisy, I wondered why they are over to the left of the frame though, also under exposed.

#7 - Good (awkward) moment captured, very dim, their position in frame works here for me.

#8 - Very noisy, good grouping of subjects and their identical poses, I might have centred them in this shot too.

I was thinking of the same...I just didn't know how to go about it because I would think someone will say they are too centered. The noise I can do something about in the morning...I might have forgotten something to do hence the noise..I am usually good at that for too zoomed in shots but the pelicans shouldn't be too zoomed in as I was at the top of bridge and they were not too far away really...will see what I can do in the morning...

In the last three, where you have two subjects arranged like this, DoF at 500mm, even using f/13, isn't going to be enough, I cannot complain about this as I know it's all but impossible to get both subjects sharp.

Just as the WB changes in these pelicans, so do the noise levels; the two yellower (not sure that's a word either) shots (6 & 8) are more noisy than the blue ones (5 & 7). I'd use Neat Image on noise like this.

Not sure if the noisy ones were also greater crops from the whole frame, but since all pelican shots were at 800 iso (1/400s and f/13 at 500mm), that shouldn't have been a problem for a D810.

I'm sorry you had foul weather and didn't see any Eagles.

Hope that helps (and is harsh enough), Dave

PS, if it makes you feel any better, I feel mean after reading other's comments
Gosh I can be harsh (in a good cause)

Yes..thanks Dave...always been helpful and making me think...actually we saw eagles but they were in the wrong part of the light, too dark to even attempt a shot. But there will be better days. I just need to practice more on doing fog shots or something as this was my first time to do it. I really on my exposure triangle too much that I probably should have a much lower ISO and use EC instead. I will give that a try while I am home...and practice...we can have some pretty good fog here too...and I have a long list of Eagle dates for this winter...and read up some more about photographing on foggy days...

Appreciate your comments and critiques as usual. I will upload some corrections...Thanks again.

[Sam W]

Hi Izzie - Nice series and discussion. I like #1 the best and nice timing of the twins in #8.

[Dave A]

Nice series Izzie. My favorites are the foggy ferry deck and the fishing boat.

Dave

[Wavelength]

Excellent shots with very nice narration; thank you for sharing, Izzie

[Ziggy]

Thanks for taking us along, enjoyed.

[Dave Humphries]

Actually I did a custom white balance in ACR...I barely use the Cloudy anymore...come to think of it, what I probably should use in my camera is the Kelvin temperature instead so they match in camera and pp...I wonder if...

In the same situation; a series of shots where I want the same WB (using PS ACR - LR should be similar) - I might arrive at a 'good' WB that I am satisfied with on one shot, then manually set those exact same numeric Temperature and Tint values for the remainder of shots.

In Custom, you should be able to type numbers in the boxes, or move the sliders to achieve this.
With the temperature numeric field active, you can even use the arrow keys to move one way or other in steps of 50 (or 500 if you hold down the shift key while 'arrowing').
Same goes for Tint, but I think it goes in steps of 1 or 10 (as the numbers are much smaller).

[Brownbear]

I was just glad that Bill was with me because I thought that other guy who has a camera is a weirdo...he wasn't taking any shots of anything at all but us women. I became self-conscious...

Been there... You should've turned your camera on him, preferably with flash... Easy to think of afterwards.

FYI I typically just set my camera to auto wb warm (+1) and adjust from there if needed. In foggy shots I try to expose to the right as far as possible.

I don't have any pelicans in the fog, but here is a screen shot of a white swan in heavy fog. Check out the histogram. I could've pushed the exposure even more.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Isabel, I like the pelican shots Some PP advice has already been given, so there is no need to repeat it

[chauncey]

FWIW Izzie, I've done some ducks that were in that position and had to shoot with a narrow DOF and
have one of them OOF. You can take several shots, focusing on one then the other and simply stack them.