Bird curved, comments please

ginger_55 · March 8, 2005

Does this still look as soft? I came in close on the eye and beak, they weren't soft, so I went to RGB curves. First I increased the contrast, plus increasing the dark end a bit. Then I went to the red and increased it. I went to the blue, figured out how to increase the yellow in the legs. I am going to have to remember to use curves, since I don't use contrast and bright. g (I will add the first version in a small below this)

I know this is no substitute for the right light, and it may be soft and I am not seeing it. But I do wonder if curves can make the soft shots acceptable:D , probably not. This one really is sharp in the beak and eyes in the first place.

Michiel de Brieder · March 8, 2005

It is soft, but I like it!

I think somehow it gives the bird a dreamy look as opposed to it's predatory nature. I would take out the leaves on the right though... but that's just my choice.
Well done Ginger!

lynnma · March 8, 2005

yes it's still soft ginger but it is nice...could the focus have hit those leaves in front?? I've been having that trouble myself a lot lately until in the everglades this big shot photographer (nice guy actually) suggested I spot focus (duh never done that) and it's been great.
I think if it's out of focus nothing will help.. did you sharpen at all?
Lovely bird tho..:D

Dixie · March 8, 2005

If you try to sharpen, go with Edge Sharpen. You can do a little more of that and get away with it rather than using the standard Sharpen tool which will sharpen everything.

It also appears to me that the focus was on the leaves whether in the background or foreground (I would suspect the background, but could be wrong).

A trick to try when shooting a subject like this is to use center spot metering, place the center spot on the subject, press the shutter halfway down to lock the focus and exposure then frame your shot. You have to already be zoomed to have this work. If you change the zoom after locking the focus, the focus will change.

ginger_55 · March 8, 2005

lynnma wrote:

yes it's still soft ginger but it is nice...could the focus have hit those leaves in front?? I've been having that trouble myself a lot lately until in the everglades this big shot photographer (nice guy actually) suggested I spot focus (duh never done that) and it's been great.
I think if it's out of focus nothing will help.. did you sharpen at all?
Lovely bird tho..:D

Thanks, Lynn, Michiel. I like that shot, too. I guess the dreamy look suits me. I understand those birds are at that place a lot. I thought of the spot focus. I did think of that. But I have never used it on that camera, so I will look it up today......................sometime.

And I will look to see how many more of that pose I have, maybe one less soft, but I do like that one, too.

I think it was the day before with the marsh weeds, I wanted the spot focus, gotta find that thing. I hate it when the lens goes in and out. Then I lock it, I could move after that, and it would get the leaves, too.

ginger, thanks for commenting.

gotta get ready to go.......

ginger_55 · March 8, 2005

Oh, yes, I sharpen once....... at about 60.

Dixie · March 8, 2005

Ginger, the focus and metering point is selected by a button on the top righthand back corner of the camera. Easy to control with your right thumb. The focal points will change with each push of the button and the LCD display on top will show you which focal point(s) are chosen. Try selecting the center focal point and put that on the subject when you are focusing and taking your meter reading by pressing the shutter halfway down and holding it and that will lock both the focus and the settings. Then move the camera to compose the shot while holding the shutter halfway down. When composed, just fire away.

Steve Cavigliano · March 8, 2005

Ginger,

I think Lynn hit the nail on the head. Somehow, it looks like the camera focused on the leaves to the right. They are tack sharp and your bird is soft :cry I don't know what focus point(s) you used, but on sitting duck/hawk/eagle shots, I usually use center point. Then I take multiple shots moving the focus point over the subject. IOW, where you'd like to focus is sometimes not the area of greatest contrast. So you can bet the camera will choose that area and leave you disappointed. So by taking multiple shots (if possible) you can either move the AF point over the subject (trying to get a sharp focus), or you can switch to MF and basically "do it yourself" :-)

Not to fret Ginger, I have a ton of "soft" or Semi-soft" shots of sitting birds too. It's one of the costs of doing business and/or using long lenses

:

Steve

Angelo · March 8, 2005

Ginger: You've been a busy girl these past days, huh?

This may be a little soft but it's a nice shot!

wxwax · March 8, 2005

Ginger, if you really like a shot that's soft, you might try playing with this technique.

It can make an amazing difference. Try playing with the values in Step #3. The directions recommend you use between .2 and .5 for the web. But I've gone as high as 1, then used the Opacity slider to adjust how much of the effect I wanted. I've also masked out areas where the heavy sharpening looked ugly.

Bird curved, comments please

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