Oystercatcher yet again!

[Nathaniel]

Halloween walk about 31st oct 2016 120 by Nathaniel Ramanaden, on Flickr

Halloween walk about 31st oct 2016 118 by Nathaniel Ramanaden, on Flickr

Halloween walk about 31st oct 2016 119 by Nathaniel Ramanaden, on Flickr

[Dave61]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

Very nice indeed Nat, 2nd one for me

[Nathaniel]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

Thanks Dave. Trying to compete with your big lens!!!!!

[tesarver]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

Nice set Nat, but IMO that all need a bit of a lift in their brightness. The 1st 2 you were able to get some of the light on the eye, but on the 3rd image the eye has all but disappeared.

Tom

[Nathaniel]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

Thanks Tom. I can certainly lift the shadows but I have been careful not to give the bird a wishy washy look. Yes, certainly the third one can be lifted.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

Shadows lifted. Are these better?

Halloween walk about 31st oct 2016 120 by Nathaniel Ramanaden, on Flickr

Halloween walk about 31st oct 2016 119 by Nathaniel Ramanaden, on Flickr

Halloween walk about 31st oct 2016 118 by Nathaniel Ramanaden, on Flickr

[the black fox]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

nope you have now washed out the blacks ,this is the problem when your faced with a whole photo action.if they had been my shots i would have dropped the highlights and applied spot lighting to the eyes,i do keep stressing nat that popping down the road for a couple of hours of learning easy adjustments will pay you dividends .!!!

[antoeknee]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

Hi Nat, oystercatchers are never easy to photograph, well birds with contrasty black and white plumage in general. Think the basic problem is the direction of the light. I know it's not something you can do much about but with the light behind the bird it just makes things harder to get a really good image.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

Thanks Jeff and Ant. I think the uplift of the shadows gives a better shade to the feathers as one can see more detail there. Yes, Ant, I am aware that black on black is very difficult unless the light catches the eye to give some catchlight. I also think that the orginal first two images are OK as I don't wish to burn out the whites.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

One more for the record. I have got the sun on my right!

Halloween walk about 31st oct 2016 121 by Nathaniel Ramanaden, on Flickr

[Stan]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

no amount of pp is really going to sort these shots Nat, which is a shame as the birds are quite sharp. Ant has hit the nail on the head with the light. In contrasty conditions like this there really is no point in pressing the shutter unless you can get in a position where the light is either behind or to your side.

All my recent shots from Brownsea are from a hide where to the right I would be shooting into the sun and would have ended up with shots like yours, but I waited until the birds walked across in front and towards my left o the sun was behind or to my side before shooting

[Nathaniel]

Re: Oystercatcher yet again!

Thanks Stan.