What’s Up?
If you celebrate Christmas, I wish you a joyous one. I hope that Santa brings you and yours exactly what you’ve been hoping for.
Today is Saturday 25 December, Christmas Day. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took less than an hour to prepare. It makes 45 consecutive days with a new one.
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This image was created on 5 January 2020 at San Diego, CA. While standing at full height, I used the no-longer available GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and the Sony a7R iv (now replaced, for me, by The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). ISO 640. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/800 sec. at f/9 (stopped down 1/3 stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:43:28am on a mostly sunny morning. Expand Flexible Spot S AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger higher-res version. Image #1: American Coot in holiday reflections |
The Stronger Image?
I feel that one of today’s featured images is by far the stronger of the two. Which one is it? And why?
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This image was created on 12 January 2020 at San Diego, CA. While standing at full height, I used the no-longer available GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and the Sony a9 ii(now replaced, for me, by The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). ISO 640. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 10:15:10am on a mostly sunny morning. Expand Flexible Spot S AF-C performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger higher-res version. Image #2: American Coot in holiday reflections |
Why Stand at Full Height?
I love water-level perspective duck shots as much as the next guy. But when you want to see the patterns of the reflections, standing is often best.
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The Saving the WHITEs (and lots more!) Video image |
The Saving the Whites (and lots more!) Video
If you are photographing coots, you had better have your saving the whites game in order. My #1 go-to technique for restoring detail in the WHITEs of an image worked to perfection with today’s feature photographs at Opacities of 50 and 80% respectively.
My two biggest challenges when optimizing images are getting the BLUEs just right, and restoring detail to the WHITEs and highlights of properly exposed raw files. There are four things that I do to accomplish the latter. All are covered in detail in this 21+ minute video, along with a dirty trick to try if the first four do not work perfectly. Sit with me at my laptop as I teach you how to save the WHITEs. I begin with the raw conversions of two different raw files, today’s featured Snowy Owl image, and Joe Usewicz’s spoonbill image that was featured in the Extraordinary Over-Exposed (?) Spoonbill/Saving the WHITEs Optimization blog post here.
In addition to learning how to save the WHITEs (in both images), you will learn how to expand canvas using the amazingly convenient Content-Aware Crop Tool, to set the White Balance (color temperature), to set the WHITE and BLACK points, see Digital Eye Doctor and RawDigger in action, learn to make a Color Range Selection, and lots more.
To purchase your copy of the Saving the Whites Video (and lots more!) video, you can send a PayPal for $37.00 to us at birdsasart@verizon.net, call Jim in the office at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand, or visit the item in the BAA Online store by clicking here.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
I agree that #2 is the stronger image for many of the same reasons Mo did. #1 suffers, I think, from the strongish wave line on the bottom that, when combined with the darker water, draws my eye away from the coot instead of towards the coot.
I liked #2 better also. The lighter background color separates the coot better from the background and the tilt of his head in my direction, enables me to make eye contact with him which draws me into the image.
I like the bird in #1 better, the water in #2. Overall I think I’d favor #2 over #1. Though the head position is a little awkward looking for my tastes. The water colors / colours & swirls in #2 are what continuously draws my eyes.
Merry Christmas!!!
Hi Artie,
Merry Christmas to you. I often find myself to be the contrarian, and today is no different. My vote is for the 1st image, and here is why. While both images have red & green in the holiday theme, there doesn’t appear to be enough blue to counter the R & G in the 2nd image. They appear almost overpowering. The 1st blue stripe in the 1st image is clearly a wave crest, while it’s difficult to discern wave shapes in the 2nd.
The head angle in the 2nd is interesting, but it leaves me wondering what is wrong with the bird, and for me, it detracts from the image.
While both reflections are distorted, the reflection in the 1st is still clearly the coot, but in the 2nd I’m wondering what is the refection.
Finally, on both imagines when I zoom in on my iPad I can see more filigree in the feathers along the body and in the head. Kudos for that alone. Coots are tough to shoot, especially in the drab months up here in the Pac. NW. Getting that much detail is tough.
Artie
Merry Christmas guru!
Love, Family, and Friends, and and to everyone who brings joy in life and above all LOVE!
The 70-200 is AMAZING!
Love ya Artie B
Merry Christmas, Artie. I also agree with No, but–as you would say–only 100%.
Mo. Grrr
Merry Christmas Art!
Mo, summed up my thoughts perfectly! The curious pose is wonderful and the lighter and brighter colors really amp up those glorious red and green reflections in the water.
I agree. low is not always the way to go.
A birds as art holiday classic IMO!
#2 is much better. I like the position of the coot in the frame, background color is better, & the tilted head position gives the image more interest.