Tree Sparrow (1 Viewer)

[Saphire]

Do you think this works No1 is the original with very blown highlights and background.
Which is the better edit No2 or No3 or should I scrap it.

 

[Tree Sparrow]

I much prefer number 3 but I'm afraid I'm no expert lol.

TS

 

[Bird-Nut]

Do you think this works No1 is the original with very blown highlights and background.
Which is the better edit No2 or No3 or should I scrap it.

Hi Christine,

No. 3 is the best one of the trio. I've altered No. 3 a bit more (hope you don't mind) I've cropped some of the picture to exclude some of the surroundings to focus more attention on the sparrow. I've reduced the effects of the out of focus left hand bottom corner of the picture by using photoshops' 'magic wand' and reduce the contrast and saturate the colour within it. I used 'curves' on the bird to improve the overall contrast, and saturated the whole picture to try and pick up the colours; similar to what you were achieving in picture 3. Then finally 'sharpen' to complete it.

I don't know if my version has necessarily improved the photo, but it was worth a try.

 

[Saphire]

Nice one Bird-Nut, I was a bit gutted I couldn't get a decent shot it was sitting on the branch and not bothered about me being there. I did a lot of histogram checking trying to get the right exposer. I couldn't take it from a different angle without lots of leaves and branches in the way so had no control where to place myself in relation to the sun. I did try fill flash but that didn't help the blown highlights.

 

[Bird-Nut]

Cheers for that, Christine. I enjoyed having a go with your photo. For a future occasion if you are faced with similar circumstances of position and lighting conditions - if you have it; I would try Spot Metering. If so, try it out directly on the bird and don't worry about the correct exposure for everything else e.g. sky trees etc. You can always try and retrieve the latter's detail via post production.

Hope that helps.

 

[Saphire]

Cheers for that, Christine. I enjoyed having a go with your photo. For a future occasion if you are faced with similar circumstances of position and lighting conditions - if you have it; I would try Spot Metering. If so, try it out directly on the bird and don't worry about the correct exposure for everything else e.g. sky trees etc. You can always try and retrieve the latter's detail via post production.

Hope that helps.

Bird-Nut thank you for your help and suggestions. I do only ever use spot metering I haven't been able to work with any other modes. I think it was the angle, the low harsh sun and was to much for the metering to handle. I will just have to wait and see if there are anymore youngsters around in a better environment.

 

[lmans66]

I think anytime you can get in the color of the sky or even whatever background might be blurred (almost better than sky)....you are onto something. Number two has just a white background making it look almost like it was taken using a backdrop in a studio!... I like three... the bird is still shadowed, have you tried to lighted up the shadows?

 

[Saphire]

I think anytime you can get in the color of the sky or even whatever background might be blurred (almost better than sky)....you are onto something. Number two has just a white background making it look almost like it was taken using a backdrop in a studio!... I like three... the bird is still shadowed, have you tried to lighted up the shadows?

Hi Imans66. The first photo is the original no editing apart from crop, the sky was completely blown out. The last edit has a graduated fill layer added in photoshop to give the blue. I did lighten the shadows a tiny bit, any more than that and noise starts to creep in so stopped there.