Critique Settings and Processing Critique

[BillN_33]

Maybe to start a general discussion you guys could comment on the following

1/1000th sec @f7.1 - ISO 320 - 0EV – Nikon 300mm f2.8 VR + TC-20E lll on Nikon DX body, (D7100) using the x 1.3 in camera crop mode - monopod, (well tripod on one leg) - VR off…… image taken from the hide at Bashford Lakes - a nature reserve
The light was good - sun and clouds, but it was 1:30 in the afternoon

ALL the SAME image

1st – as originally shot – highlights blown - but exposed to "the right"

2nd – processed in LR to the best of my ability - maybe work around the eye poor

3rd – a crop of the second - (The image I would normally post as "the shot")

4th – a closer crop

5th – the 4th sharpened more in Elements – maybe over sharpened plus producing noise - water spots becoming just white spots?

 

[pooley]

What did you do to recover the highlights Bill? You've done a reasonable job, and the edit looks better, but maybe you've taken it too far as the whites around the eye are now grey.

The crop has left the Grebe just a bit too low in the frame for my taste, others view may vary.

Finally, the last shot is oversharpened - have you just applied the same adjustments over the whole frame? If so, depending upon your software you should be able to do some selective sharpening just on the bird, either by masking or using the selective tools.

Overall I'd give you a 'B+' grade - it is better than you started with but not quite perfect yet (is it ever??)

 

[BillN_33]

Thanks Mike - just about to eat - (late I know), so answer later - I just felt posting these images in this way would help the other recent couple of postings
Normally I apply overall adjustments, but this time I did selective around the eye - as I pointed out it's poor

I knew that the last was over sharpened - but I just wanted to create some discussion around that aspect

plus original camera settings and light

 

[pooley]

I think it's a big trick that we miss on this forum by not posting unprocessed images sometimes. I've tried to start a thread showing before and afters in the past but it fell flat on its backside! In my view, showing the full original frame gives people who want to offer genuine crit, rather than the 'nice shot' comments, far more options in what they suggest. Unfortunatly, some people only want to hear good things about their work rather than learn, so while hearing 'nice shot' boosts the ego and is nice, it doesn't really push you to get better faster.

And breathe......

 

[Romany]

Nice shots

 

[pooley]

Nice shots

 

[FourRingCircus]

I have to say Bill, number #3 is the shot I'd post. As someone who doesn't understand much of the pp stuff you're talking about, I can't comment on the processes you've done. However, I can see that #4 & #5 have suffered from over cropping and over processing. I'm with Mike on the idea of posting the basic image - good idea. I may try this too but from what he's said, it may be short lived.

I (along with others, probably) made the suggestion that we have a 'like button' for image approval, instead of the banal 'nice shot', 'great work' kind of comment. I too want to learn but I find people don't like to make cnsotructive criticism, which is a shame. Perhaps we also need a 'Tell Me Straight' icon as well as an 'Edit My Images' statement next to the avitar.

 

[BillN_33]

Mike, I think that a lot is taken for granted by the more experienced ……… especially when a novice DSLR owner posts. My daughters fiancé has just bought a Nikon DSLR after only having a P & S - his images on the P & S were good and all he did was shoot in P or Auto mode. He thought the DSLR would give him better shots ….. but when you are confronted for the first time with 5 different modes, f values, shutters speeds, ISO, EV values, different focus settings, etc., it was just another world …….. if you come from film or are over 50 years old maybe you have a chance ……… but I think that it would be good if we explained the basics when needed, whether it be camera settings, composition, or work flow and PP processes.
Just a shot tells really nothing, info around it whether it be image related, shooting related or processing related will and may help us all.

That was the motivation in my starting this thread …….. nothing really specific …….. but just trying to bring out the obvious as to why we see some really good images on here and why others are far from that.

As you say, maybe it will not be popular and fall on it's face ……….. but bird photography is specialised and not easy, in fact it is difficult and there are so many things around the shot that are not realised.

 

[BillN_33]

I have to say Bill, number #3 is the shot I'd post. As someone who doesn't understand much of the pp stuff you're talking about, I can't comment on the processes you've done. However, I can see that #4 & #5 have suffered from over cropping and over processing. I'm with Mike on the idea of posting the basic image - good idea. I may try this too but from what he's said, it may be short lived.

I (along with others, probably) made the suggestion that we have a 'like button' for image approval, instead of the banal 'nice shot', 'great work' kind of comment. I too want to learn but I find people don't like to make cnsotructive criticism, which is a shame. Perhaps we also need a 'Tell Me Straight' icon as well as an 'Edit My Images' statement next to the avitar.

John, as I indicated in the opening post - the 3rd is the shot I would post - the others are there for the other reasons I indicated