White Ibis

ebwest

Here's a couple shots. Any suggestions on how not to have the white so blown out?





Here's one that didn't get blown.

Harryb

Hey E.B.,


Excellent question and one I struggle with at every shoot. I will usually shoot in aperture priority and make EV adjustments to get the exposure right. On a normal day I will usually shoot at an EV adjustment of -0.7 when shooting white brids. I will normally take a fast shot and then check the histogram and highlights. If I'm still getting blown highlights at -0.7 I will then make further adjutsments.

The drawback to this is that you may underexpose the background. I handle that in my post by making a duplicate layer. I will bring out the detail in the uderexposed areas in PS using curves and/or the shadow/highlight tool. I will then apply NR to that layer to handle any noise caused by this. I will then make the new layer a mask. I then go to the original layer and apply my final sharpening to that layer. I then go back to the duplicate layer and "paint" in the subject.

This works OK with birds that are all white but when you have birds that have white areas and dark areas then thats a whole different ballgame.

Rohirrim

I also shoot in Aperature Priority Mode most of the time and find that with White Birds I have to shoot at -2/3 to -1 1/3 exposure compensation. As Harry said checking that histogram after your first couple shots gives you a good idea how negative you'll need to use.

Shooting them earlier or later in the day when the sun is not quite so bright is also helpful.

Osprey Whisperer

If the under exposing doesn't work. This works great.




:uhoh

ginger_55

I underexpose egrets and most other white birds by 1. Shoot in AV. But Snowys, are too white at underexposing by 1, so I do them at -1 plus a tad.

The histogram always, in my 20D says that I am underexposing at those numbers. Probably if I could see the histogram better, I would see the very white areas at the right end, but as I see, there is nothing at the right end. I have had people yell at me that I am totally underexposing.

Being the nervous constantly newbie type, I have then gone by what I can see of the histogram, thereby blowing all the white birds that day. I now go by the numbers totally. I am familiar with how they work and don't work.

I have no idea about this masking business and stuff Harry was talking about. I also fix mine in post. It usually is not that big a problem as the background can go dark and be fine with me.

As it gets later, the sun gets lower here, and burns those birds so they are brighter than ever. In the summer just before sunset, if I am not careful the birds will blow white. It is not true for me that it is darker as it gets later. Not as long as the sun is shining on the birds.

And don't forget that Snowys are the whitest of all those birds, in my experience, I have to compensate for them.

That is just how I do things. I recently purchased one of those noise things. Probably it would be better if I were to do things Harry's way for the noise reduction, but I freak when the word "mask" is used. I have just learned how to blend the stuff. (Andy, I will get it sometime, I do have that info saved.........but it just freaks me.)

ginger

howard

I'm afraid that there is no single or simple answer
it sometimes seems as if everyone has their own method(s).

The trick I think is to understand how your camera or separate meter will read differing situations and how that affects whether or not the white or dark areas on a bird will be exposed.

Some factors which will affect the accuracy of the exposure of the bird.

• How much of the frame does the bird take up when composing (not cropping in PP) the shot?
• How strong is the contrast between the bird and the BG?
• Is the scene back lit, side lit or is the sun behind you?
• Is the bird in shadow?
• Is the bird in strong sun?

Exposing for white birds or birds with some white areas drove me crazy for a long time, and I'm still susceptible now

For what it's worth here's my normal practice.

• If I'm stationary and/or expect to shoot in a certain direction I will use manual and meter off an area of the scene with the same light I expect to shoot into. Take a test shot and check the histogram. The benefit of this is that if your target bird moves across different BG's your exposure doesn't change as it would if you were in AV or TV mode. Remember you want to expose for the bird. An example of this would be if an Egret moved from the bank to an area where the BG is dark mud. In this case your EV compensation would be different but in manual you wouldn't have to change.
• If I'm walking around looking for opportunities I generally use AV mode wide open for the highest SS I can get and then dial in EV+/- according to need based on experience. e.g. a Cormorant in flight which is pretty much over head would get +2 because the underside is dark and in shadow. A Cormorant in flight (still with sky as a BG) but lower and lit from sum behind me would get +1. A cormorant against a "normal" BG I'd try first without EV comp.
• Now to those nice easy Egrets and the like If the BG is "normal" say trees or reeds and the bird is not in full sun and fills most of the frame, No EV. Remember you meter thinks it's looking at a neutral scene and may even under expose the Egret. The same scene with strong sun would probably get EV-1 and if the bird was small in the frame EV-2. If the Egret is in flight and is almost above me usually no EV because under the bird is in shadow. In flight side on with sky behind and sun behind me the two shots one at EV-1 and one EV-2.

Nice and straight forward isn't it

Moose Peterson recommends the use of teddy bears (I think one white and on brown) so that you can practice under controlled conditions. I think the secret (if there is one) is to practice a lot and to study your EXIF and images both good and bad to understand what happened and why. You must know your equipment and how it meters in different situations.



Hope some of that helps a little. I don't say I'm right just saying what I do.




Howard

ebwest

Thanks everyone VERY much for your replies and suggestions. After reading all of them several times, I've decided that I'm goin out and buying a can of the spray paint. That sure seems the easiest.

While I'm waiting to get to the store, I'll try the EV adjustments and see how thry work out. Fortunately I'm staying at a place that has tons of Ibis and Egrets around, so I should have a lot of practice time. There are also a couple of bald eagles hanging out here, more on them later.

Thanks again.

howard

One thing not many talk about is the camera bracketing function. If you set the camera to bracket one stop each side and then set the EV to -1 you should be safe that one will be good. Plus you can study the results of each setting afterwards.

Rohirrim

ebwest wrote:

Thanks everyone VERY much for your replies and suggestions. After reading all of them several times, I've decided that I'm goin out and buying a can of the spray paint. That sure seems the easiest.

While I'm waiting to get to the store, I'll try the EV adjustments and see how thry work out. Fortunately I'm staying at a place that has tons of Ibis and Egrets around, so I should have a lot of practice time. There are also a couple of bald eagles hanging out here, more on them later.

Thanks again.

Another helpful thing is checking out the preview image after taking the shot. As Ginger noted sometimes there is such a small area overexposed on the histogram it can be tough to see. On Canons and I assume other brands overexposed areas will show a "blinking" area that is overexposed. Hard to explain without seeing it, but you can easily see it by taking a picture of a bright light and then look at the preview.

Good luck and have fun shooting.

ebwest

Thanks Steve, the amazing thing is that I've had the camera (D Rebel) for over a year and I just started using the preview with the histogram. Yes it blinks, blinks like crazy on those birds:):.

Rohirrim

ebwest wrote:

Yes it blinks, blinks like crazy on those birds:):.

:lol4