Critique Kestrel Hunting..... 3rd pic added :)

Phil-D

Phil-D

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•


I would love to capture other birds… like this
beautiful one here!

I know I should have taken more time but I just
wanted to show it is possible and you could do it!

Kestrel%20Huntingpp.jpg
​


 
Kodiak Qc said:
•


I would love to capture other birds… like this
beautiful one here!

I know I should have taken more time but I just
wanted to show it is possible and you could do it!

Kestrel%20Huntingpp.jpg
​
Click to expand...

Thanks Daniel, I do appreciate you taking the time to do an edit, but to be in a blue sky like that the image might as well be a composite :D

There was no sun, just a whitey geyish featureless sky, 10 minutes later it was actually raining :)
 
Phil-D said:
to be in a blue sky like that the image might as well be a composite :D
Click to expand...

You're right but it isn't. It happens to me too to get
boring sky with a correctly exposed bird… the only
thing that really matters to me is its true to nature
visual representation.

I did not suggest that you were wrong but I just
wanted to show it is possible! :cool:
 
2 very nice captures there Phil - you should be happy with them and you deserve it for all the hours you put in.

Pushing the ISO has enabled you to get a suitably fast shutter speed which has helped a lot in the sharpness stakes, good thinking.

I like the topside view, but the first is also a good frame with the little look back.

If you wanted to do something about the colours under the wings in the first, then open the image up in your Elements 10. Choose a hue/saturation adjustment layer. One of the options will be a drop down box that has 'master' as the initial header. Click on that, then choose 'yellow'.

Drag the saturation slider to the left until the colour under the wings looks like you want it. (At the moment this will affect the entire image but don't fret).

Press ctrl+I and the image will go back to it's pre-altered state, then choose a soft edged brush.

On the left of the screen is your 2 overlapping boxes - black and white. Make sure the white box is on top, then brush over the underside of the wings,

Job done!

Mike
 
Excellent shot. I have a kestrel that lives very close to me but I always struggle to get him. Would I be right in saying best is AV mode with spot metering?
 
Zen56 said:
Nice catch Phil.
Click to expand...

Thanks Gary

pooley said:
2 very nice captures there Phil - you should be happy with them and you deserve it for all the hours you put in.

Pushing the ISO has enabled you to get a suitably fast shutter speed which has helped a lot in the sharpness stakes, good thinking.

I like the topside view, but the first is also a good frame with the little look back.

If you wanted to do something about the colours under the wings in the first, then open the image up in your Elements 10. Choose a hue/saturation adjustment layer. One of the options will be a drop down box that has 'master' as the initial header. Click on that, then choose 'yellow'.

Drag the saturation slider to the left until the colour under the wings looks like you want it. (At the moment this will affect the entire image but don't fret).

Press ctrl+I and the image will go back to it's pre-altered state, then choose a soft edged brush.

On the left of the screen is your 2 overlapping boxes - black and white. Make sure the white box is on top, then brush over the underside of the wings,

Job done!

Mike
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike, I've been doing fairly well with this layers malarkey but I had a go at removing the green tint just on the underside but must have been doing sumot wrong :rolleyes:

I've just had another very quick go and did it no problem so might go back and remove it on a re-edit (y)

I suppose its one of those leave it or not. The bird hunts on a grass bank, although no sun it must be the white of the sky that reflects the green tint back up, I've had it on the owls in certain light.

Thanks again for the detailed help with the PP'ing, much appreciated, cheers :)

Ch1Ck3n TiM3 said:
Excellent shot. I have a kestrel that lives very close to me but I always struggle to get him. Would I be right in saying best is AV mode with spot metering?
Click to expand...

Thanks Brett :)

I never use spot metering. My way is to shoot manual and leave the metering on matrix all the time (thats metering over the whole shot on Nikon) and adjust as I think. Looking at the meter on these, I knew that most of the metering was on a very bright sky, so under exposed by around a stop and a third to expose for the bird.

I'm not saying that this is the right way, just my way and the way I've taught myself.

The main thing with birds is a high shutter speed to freeze any movement, hence needing the high ISO.

Also, if you look at the exif, I've shot these at f/8 instead of shooting at f/6.3, loosing 2/3's of a stop of light to ISO.

Two reasons for doing this, first a little more DOF and 2nd, I'm thinking of getting a 1.4 teleconverter and f/8 will my maximum aperture so I've been wanting to see the results @f/8

cheers :)

wezza13 said:
Great shots, Phil.

Nice and sharp (y)
Click to expand...

Thanks Wez

WWA said:
Great shots. Well captured.
Click to expand...

Thanks :)
 
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It's a tough call Phil. As a photo, I think it looks better with at least some of the cast removed, but when all is said and done, that was the natural light that was hitting the wing at the time. It's similar to the way great tits and bullfinches often have a blue tinge to their black head on nice days, there really isn't a definitive answer, but it's nice to make an informed choice!

Mike
 
@pooley

Hiya Mike,
I've had an edit with another shot and added it to the first post ( I could keep adding them, I've got about 20 :D)

This time I've done as you explained and desaturated both yellow and green in a separate layer then blended. I have to agree, it does look a lot better without such a high saturated green cast under the wing, cheers mate (y)
 
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Dave Semmens said:
Looking good Phil :) Glad to see that new lens is working well.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave, yes, I'm fairly pleased with it matey, lets hope it gets some use this evening ;) :D
 
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