At the Backyard Feeder

[ScoutR]

Finally lured some Bluejays over to the backyard feeder. I think these are my best bird shots so far. I wish the feeder part was not so obvious, but I will keep them. These are uncropped and nothing weird with the PP. C&C welcome, I hope to get these guys tame enough to be able to get them to pick up peanuts away from the feeder, and not have to wait a couple hours until they come over.

#1

Nikon D3000: 18-200mm: 1/1250s: f8: ISO 800: 200mm

#2

Nikon D3000: 18-200mm: 1/1000s: f8: ISO 800: 200mm

#3

Nikon D3000: 18-200mm: 1/1000s: f8: ISO 800: 200mm

Wendy

[maloufn]

Dear Wendy,

Three good shots. You are lucky to have such beauty in your backyard. One of the problems with birdlife photography is getting up close. You need some serious telephoto lenses. However, if you capture is good you could also crop and enlarge. Thats what I would do particularly with the second shot. Get up closer- more definition more detail thats what it is all about. Good shooting.

Nasseem

[ScoutR]

Thanks Nasseem: I only have a 200mm lens, but I heard these guys in the area and I was pretty sure they would get there eventually for the peanuts. I was only about 5' away, but had to wait a long time in the cold until they came. In time I might be able to get even closer, as the blue jays get pretty bold after awhile - they did at my old place anyway. It was also a very dull day so I had to up the ISO. I'd be more inclined to crop if I had something in the 200 ISO range at the same distance.

Thanks again for the kind words and the feedback.
Wendy

[maloufn]

Dear Wendy,

Three good shots. You are lucky to have such beauty in your backyard. One of the problems with birdlife photography is getting up close. You need some serious telephoto lenses. However, if you capture is good you could also crop and enlarge. Thats what I would do particularly with the second shot. Get up closer- more definition more detail thats what it is all about. Good shooting.

Nasseem

Its still worth a try even if your ISO was a bit high. How high?? With our new digital cameras and noise reduction in PS you might get away with it. Worth a try?? By the way I love the colour detail in the open wings in the last shot.

Good luck


Nasseem

[ScoutR]

Ok, I had to try. What do you think. Is there anything else I can do in PP to get more detail in the feathers.

Love your pigeon and egret by the way. Now those are great bird shots. Is that your specialty?

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Wendy,

I think you have done a good job here. I suspect this little fella is keeping his feathers tucked in nice and tight. I don't think you need to do more.

[ScoutR]

Thank you Peter, for me this is a good bird shot. If they keep coming to the feeder I hope to be able to improve before the winter is over.

Wendy

[Peter Ryan]

You have a great subject to work with and set against the snow they look lovely. I look forward to seeing more.

[mythlady]

I agree -- I don't see how it could be much better. Very clear and sharp.

[ScoutR]

Thanks Elise, I think the feathers on the crown especially look a bit blurred probably due to the noise reduction. I'd also like to get away from the feeder and have more mood in the shots. Sounds silly but if you look at some of Nasseem's recent postings, the Egret and Flight come to mind, well, they are more than documentary, they have a certain mood. I like that

Wendy

[maloufn]

Wendy,

Thats a great improvement. Lovely bird. Did you sharpen after cropping??
.Ive never seen one of these in Australia. I am no specialist in anything yet- I am an amateur craving to improve my skills. Ive done a lot of reading and having a science background I am very curious and wanting to know why and how. Yes, Ive been thru a few books in the last 6/12 about photography. My God there is so much to learn. Slowly but surely we will all grow with feedback. Remember dont forget your camera. Invariably its when you dont carry it something special pops up.

Good shooting and happy Christmas

Nasseem

[Dave Humphries]

Ok, I had to try. What do you think. Is there anything else I can do in PP to get more detail in the feathers.

Hi Wendy,

This is better cropped, but at only 706px, I really cannot say what more could be done in PP.

However, because you did, just, break the 700px limit, notice how the image in the thread is softer than the image in the Lytebox? especially on those crest feathers, whereas in the Lytebox we can see they have been sharpened.

Good to see you back with birds and butterflies today - you must have a day off work

btw, what were you using for noise reduction?

Cheers,

[ScoutR]

Hi Wendy,

This is better cropped, but at only 706px, I really cannot say what more could be done in PP.

However, because you did, just, break the 700px limit, notice how the image in the thread is softer than the image in the Lytebox? especially on those crest feathers, whereas in the Lytebox we can see they have been sharpened.

Good to see you back with birds and butterflies today - you must have a day off work

btw, what were you using for noise reduction?

Cheers,

Thanks Dave - finally getting settled from the move

Noise Reduction was done twice, Once when the RAW file was brought into Lightroom 100% colour and Lum. and then again on the PSD when brought into Elements. I still have not tried Neat Image. Do you think it would have done a better job on the crest feathers?

Wendy

[ScoutR]

Wendy,

Thats a great improvement. Lovely bird. Did you sharpen after cropping??
Nasseem

Thanks Nasseem, Yes, this was sharpened after cropping. I cropped the adjusted PSD then resized and did a final sharpen like I normally do. All the other adjustments were already done on the PSD file

Wendy

[Dave Humphries]

Thanks Dave - finally getting settled from the move

Noise Reduction was done twice, Once when the RAW file was brought into Lightroom 100% colour and Lum. and then again on the PSD when brought into Elements. I still have not tried Neat Image. Do you think it would have done a better job on the crest feathers?

Wendy

YES, I believe it would.

I have reigned right back on using the ACR/RAW noise reduction (now use just 10 and 20) in favour of Neat Image - it really isn't that difficult to use; takes say 5 seconds and about four mouse clicks to use the defaults.

But do check as I suggest above because the crest feathers are mostly being softened by the image being 706px when viewed here.

Cheers,