[Mbaez]

Nice picture!
Just curious: what were the light conditions, I would say flash was used but it seems not in your album. Or did you add some postprocessing?

Thank you. Definitely not flash, it was partly cloudy, the sun was hitting perfectly that tree, not so harsh.
I think what you are seeing is the contrast between the green of the pine and the green of the grass in the background.

[Des]

Thank you. Definitely not flash, it was partly cloudy, the sun was hitting perfectly that tree, not so harsh.
I think what you are seeing is the contrast between the green of the pine and the green of the grass in the background.

Nicely done Marcos. I think there's some good processing there too, bringing out the contrast without sharpening.

Here's a free tip for everyone to take or leave. I've said it before, but I often find it's worth finishing processing with Nik Color Efex Pro (you can still get the free Google Nik Collection if you don't want to buy the DxO version - there's very little difference). Export to tif from your main processor (DxO PL has a button to export directly to one of the Nik Collection programs, which saves one step), edit in Color Efex Pro, then save either as jpg or tif. Most of the photos I have posted here in the last couple of years have been processed this way.

Color Efex Pro is fairly intuitive, although it's worth watching a tutorial or two. CEP consists of a series of "Filters" - really adjustment tools, which you can apply alone or in any combination. There are also "Recipes" where someone has put together a set of filters and adjustments to achieve an effect - you can just select a Recipe and it will be applied to your image, and you can tweak it as you like. It allows for a lot of creativity - and even B&W conversion. I have made a recipe of my own as a starting point for wildlife images. (PM me if you are interested.)

One of my favourite filters is "Darken/Lighten Centre". You can choose the "centre" point, and the size and shape of the area affected (square or rectangular). It allows vignetting but more importantly lightening your subject. You can use two instances of the filter to lighten different points. You may be able to do this in your main processor, but I find it easier and more effective to use this filter to do it.

[Mbaez]

Nicely done Marcos. I think there's some good processing there too, bringing out the contrast without sharpening.


Here's a free tip for everyone to take or leave. I've said it before, but I often find it's worth finishing processing with Nik Color Efex Pro (you can still get the free Google collection if you don't want to buy the DxO version - there's very little difference). Export to tif from your main processor (DxO PL has a button to export directly to one of the Nik Collection programs, which saves one step), edit in Color Efex Pro, then save either as jpg or tif. Most of the photos I have posted here in the last couple of years have been processed this way.


Color Efex Pro is fairly intuitive, although it's worth watching a tutorial or two. CEP consists of a series of "Filters" - really adjustment tools, which you can apply alone or in any combination. There are also "Recipes" where someone has put together a set of filters and adjustments to achieve an effect - you can just select a Recipe and it will be applied to your image, and you can tweak it as you like. It allows for a lot of creativity - and even B&W conversion. I have made a recipe of my own as a starting point for wildlife images. (PM me if you are interested.)


One of my favourite filters is "Darken/Lighten Centre". You can choose the "centre" point, and the size and shape of the area affected (square or rectangular). It allows vignetting but more importantly lightening your subject. You can use two instances of the filter to lighten different points. You may be able to do this in your main processor, but I find it easier and more effective to use this filter to do it.

Right, I did local sharpening with Nik Sharpener in the bird and brown leaf, plus the Vignette filter from CEP to emphasize the bird. I need to check the difference with "Darken/Lighten Centre". I remember having recipes long time ago but now I don't have any. Nik use to have them available for Download, but that was before Google, and way before DXO.

[Mbaez]

Here's the version straight from ACR with auto levels:

[mlag]

Thank you. Definitely not flash, it was partly cloudy, the sun was hitting perfectly that tree, not so harsh.
I think what you are seeing is the contrast between the green of the pine and the green of the grass in the background.

OK, I overlooked the most evident source of light, the sun ... the illumination was perfect.

[Des]

Here's a yard bird example of what I was talking about. Juvenile Grey Shrike-Thrush, K-S2 + DA 18-135. Taken in 2016 and recently reprocessed.

1. RAW file, converted with no correction, cropped.


2. After processing in DxO PhotoLab 5

I have adjusted the levels and curves, shifted the WB, reduced the overall microcontrast and applied clarity and microcontrast to the head using Control Points.

3. Final, after treatment in Nik Color Efex Pro.

Various adjustments, but the most significant is Darken/Lighten Centre. Also used a touch of the Glamour Glow filter, which I thought worked surprisingly well.

For anyone interested in the Nik Collection, the free Google version is available here: NIK Collection of Filters (Mac/Windows) 1.2.11 : Google/NIK : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

DxO's updated version (Nik Collection - 8 powerful plugins, endless possibilities) has some worthwhile tweaks, but if you are interested wait until it's on sale.

[pepperberry farm]

red tailed hawk, closer to the house than normal

[bspn]

One of my favorite winter visitors to the feeder, the tufted titmouse. K3iii 55-300 PLM crop and resize otherwise sooc.

[Weevil]

One of my favorite winter visitors to the feeder, the tufted titmouse. K3iii 55-300 PLM crop and resize otherwise sooc.

Nice ! they are not easy to catch ! They dont stand still for very long !

[bspn]

Nice ! they are not easy to catch ! They dont stand still for very long !

That for sure. I love their big eyes. We have a feeder on a window and there have been times one gets on/in there and looks in the window, looking curiously friendly.

[normhead]

Finally, a nice shooting day with good light. All the usual suspects.

Chickadee


Blue Jay


Hairy Woodpecker


Downy Woodpecker


Pine Grosbeaks and Goldfinches prefer feeding on the ground.

Male Pine Grosbeak





Female Pine Grosbeak


Red Breasted Nuthatch

[steamloco76]

Male red bellied woodpecker. DFA 150-450/KP

[steamloco76]

Male ring necked duck. DA* 60-250 with HD DA 1.4X WR @ 350mm on KP

[Arjay Bee]

The evening walk featured a beautiful sunset -with many waders using the last light to top off their seafood intake.



K3 & DA 55-300 HD

[pepperberry farm]