[Dougson]

        Chaffinch just leaving with a full belly.

[Dougson]

   
Flying Legends 2015, they have people in period dress to add drama to the Flightline walk before the flying starts.

[snaphappy]

Chaffinch just leaving with a full belly.

What camera settings did you use?
Jane

[Dougson]

Chaffinch just leaving with a full belly.

What camera settings did you use?
Jane

Hi Jane I will let you know this was posted from my iPad

[Dougson]

Chaffinch just leaving with a full belly.

What camera settings did you use?
Jane

Hi Jane Exif Data
Pentax K5 f6.30, 1/3200sec ISO 3200 Sigma 500mm
Regards Doug

[Dougson]

[attachment=6034]Chaffinch comes into land
Pentax K5, f6.30, 1/3200sec, ISO 3200 Sigma 150 - 500mm

[Dougson]

    Chaffinch comes into land
Pentax K5, f6.30, 1/3200sec, ISO 3200 Sigma 150 - 500mm

[Jocko]

Both Chaffinch images are well captured. I feel the first one needs a bit more bite. Maybe a touch of Clarity.

[EdMak]

Exif tells the story, wings beat faster than a Hurricane. Landing is to me the best of the bunch, a bit of noise reduction, (still noisy) and additional editing seems to help a bit, worth repeating, if poss.
The plane, I would have processed a bit differently, this is a I see it. Pity the wings were not included, probably fortunate you got what you did. My Signature comes to mind. Cheers. Ed.

[Dougson]

Morning John
I know what you mean and I quite agree.
I might have another go at this if we gat a summer down here. We've had some trees cut down at the back of the house so it's a bit brighter so I might be able to reduce the ISO 3200 down but keep shutter speed up. You would expect that the cutting room floor to be knee deep in discarded images but I actually got Hesse in twenty shots.

[Dougson]

Exif tells the story, wings beat faster than a Hurricane. Landing is to me the best of the bunch, a bit of noise reduction, (still noisy) and additional editing seems to help a bit, worth repeating, if poss.
The plane, I would have processed a bit differently, this is a I see it. Pity the wings were not included, probably fortunate you got what you did. My Signature comes to mind. Cheers. Ed.

Morning Ed
Did you reduce the noise I tried to take more out but Elements wouldn't seem to take anymore out , If I do the Flightline walk again I,ll photograph and empty space and drop a chaffinch in.the problem is there are loads of people milling about so you have to get what ever you can what I need is a press pass then you could get whatever you want .
Regards Doug

[EdMak]

Hi Doug, it was a bit different edit wise, P/S 4, noise reduction did little, made 3 passes. Then I segregated the background, used Quick Selection Tool, Lens Blurred it, this "Cures" the noise. Reversed the Selection, this means the bird is now segregated, Sharpened it as much as it would stand, the right wing was now very noisy, so I segregated the wing, sharpened it more! then blurred it slightly, util it looked good to me. Lightened the left wing a bit. Considering the uploaded file size, for the ISO, acceptable. Cheers. Ed.

[Jocko]

When I used to sharpen in Photoshop I would switch mode to Lab Color, then I would only sharpen the Lightness Channel using Unsharp Mask. Once sharpened, I would convert the image back to RGB. Now I sharpen using Nik Define 2.

[Jocko]

Here is the first image, with Clarity added in Lightroom, and Noise reduction, using Google's free to download, Nik Define 2.

   

[EdMak]

Did this virtually the same as above details, just a bit more selective work on the bird. Read a few days ago, Lightroom, which I have never seen, is akin to Camera Raw in P/S, is this a fact. Ta. Ed.

[Dougson]

Wow! What a difference ! Thanks for the info. Ed
Regards Doug

[Jocko]

Lightroom, which I have never seen, is akin to Camera Raw in P/S, is this a fact.

Very much so, though, personally, I find it a bit more intuitive.

[EdMak]

Thanks John, think one is enough to learn.
I did download Nik, does not integrate with XP, I have Win 10 on Dual Boot, so OK there, installed on another 2 computers also, since it eas free, had a quick look , did not make anything of it.
My Computer Mag is doing a NIK instructional feature, next edition, about 2 weeks, should perhaps Copy it, upload, and post a Link?
P/S, all over, does all I really want/need, and much more, still have a lot to learn about it.
Probably is advantageous to stick with one, as far as I go, less to take in. Cheers. Ed.

[EnglishBob]

Here is a series of youtube tutorials on the plugins, they are basic but cover enough to get you headed in the right direction; https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...6Dl5Nf2cNP

[Dougson]

Hi guys one thought occurred to me, is that the birds have been retrieved from my my FB album so they are compressed files more than the originals which is more than likely why they are uns harp
Regards Doug

But thanks for your input all of you, no I have a dilemma if the weather is good go to Duxford and see what's about or if it's rubbish I can play on the computer trying out the things you suggest. !!!

[Freeman]

Hi Dougson

Good use of high ISO to achieve the shutter speed you need for birds in flight and well done for avoiding a static picture of a bird on a twig. May I say that chaffinches have fairly muted if highly pleasing colouration and I felt some of the edits took away from the natural view of this delightful bird.

The thing that would make your bird images really sing is if you were to put a stick extension on the end of the feeder foot-rest and capture the bird landing on that without the feeder in the picture. Or some other similar device to achieve the same result of course. Or go out into the wild!

Bird photography is hugely rewarding though challenging but you definitely have the right idea. All the best.

Jeff

[Dougson]

Hi Jeff
I've been watching some long tailed tits that I'd like to capture, I like the idea of the twig though I might take it a bit further and hollow out a small log and turn it into a natural feeder .
Have you seen the Robin that I put up on here & my favourite the Badger.

[Freeman]

Hi Jeff
I've been watching some long tailed tits that I'd like to capture, I like the idea of the twig though I might take it a bit further and hollow out a small log and turn it into a natural feeder .
Have you seen the Robin that I put up on here & my favourite the Badger.

Hi Dougson

Badger: love it, well done indeed, the white on the badger seems to me just right.

Robin: I see there a keen eye for the moment, and a very good empathy with the subject. The composition is fine and the eye sparkles.

A couple of thoughts:

1. Are you using a touch of positive exposure compensation? If not try it. It would I think make a big difference to images such as those of the robin and of the mollimork and also for the LTT.

2. Are you using centre point exposure, (or centre weighted for birds in flight)? If not, that would speed up your focusing and help maintain sharp images.

3. With such a trusting bird as the robin you might like to tease him out with some grubs or something to a position with a nice background - a bit more out in the open maybe and with non distracting but more even and slightly more colourful background.

You have enviable safari potential in your back garden and with a little extra here and there I suspect you are likely to rattle off lots of stunning pictures.

I hope to see more of your images, home and abroad! Hope this helps...

Regards Jeff

[Dougson]

Hi Jeff
I've been watching some long tailed tits that I'd like to capture, I like the idea of the twig though I might take it a bit further and hollow out a small log and turn it into a natural feeder .
Have you seen the Robin that I put up on here & my favourite the Badger.

Hi Dougson

Badger: love it, well done indeed, the white on the badger seems to me just right.

Robin: I see there a keen eye for the moment, and a very good empathy with the subject. The composition is fine and the eye sparkles.

A couple of thoughts:

1. Are you using a touch of positive exposure compensation? If not try it. It would I think make a big difference to images such as those of the robin and of the mollimork and also for the LTT.

2. Are you using centre point exposure, (or centre weighted for birds in flight)? If not, that would speed up your focusing and help maintain sharp images.

3. With such a trusting bird as the robin you might like to tease him out with some grubs or something to a position with a nice background - a bit more out in the open maybe and with non distracting but more even and slightly more colourful background.

You have enviable safari potential in your back garden and with a little extra here and there I suspect you are likely to rattle off lots of stunning pictures.

I hope to see more of your images, home and abroad! Hope this helps...

Regards Jeff

Hi Jeff yes I'm using spot metering on the birds I seem to get less hunting with the lens, the Robin was taken up a footpath to a 17th Century Chalk quarry I did try to coax him with Mealworms but turned his beak up at them.Is it me or is there a Global urge to over sharpen images ! I'm considering getting rid of my Sigma 150-500 & purchase the Sigma 150-600mm Sport not for the extra reach but because you can set the focus for your Camera and make sure what you take is pin sharp.
My back garden is very small but the compensation for that is at the back is countryside with massive Badger sets in fact I'm watching Sky at Night a one just walked across the Lawn luckily the Terriers eyes are wide shut on guard duty.I'm a bit worried that I'm taking over the site with the amount I'm posting, I am aiming to take more of the Badgers out the back using my Studio Flashes and light the surrounding area as well.
Regards Doug

[Freeman]

Hi Jeff yes I'm using spot metering on the birds I seem to get less hunting with the lens, the Robin was taken up a footpath to a 17th Century Chalk quarry I did try to coax him with Mealworms but turned his beak up at them.Is it me or is there a Global urge to over sharpen images ! I'm considering getting rid of my Sigma 150-500 & purchase the Sigma 150-600mm Sport not for the extra reach but because you can set the focus for your Camera and make sure what you take is pin sharp.
My back garden is very small but the compensation for that is at the back is countryside with massive Badger sets in fact I'm watching Sky at Night a one just walked across the Lawn luckily the Terriers eyes are wide shut on guard duty.I'm a bit worried that I'm taking over the site with the amount I'm posting, I am aiming to take more of the Badgers out the back using my Studio Flashes and light the surrounding area as well.
Regards Doug
[/quote]

Hey, Doug, keep posting!!!

Cheers

Jeff