RT Extracting Shell Eggs

Gallery: AvianPosted April 1, 2011341 views11 comments

A background question for you. I wasn't flat the way I normally like to shoot these guys and the BG is driving me a bit bonkers

I've cropped in tighter than I really like trying to minimize it. I like the shot because it shows the Turnstone with two of the shell eggs in its bill along with the casing for reference, but the BG may mean I have to consign it to my behavioral collection and leave it at that.

7D 100-400 ISO 200 1/500 F11 HH IS on. (I was at F 11 for another opportunity and just had to refocus and shoot when this guy moved up to the casing. By the time I had dialed back the F stop he had eaten the eggs and was working on another segment of the casing. I never caught him with eggs a second time.)

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on April 1, 2011 at 7:30 PM

Great scene especially in the LP, the sharp details of this behavior make the close comp work well IMO.
My ? to you is why does the BG bother you? It's the birds natural habitat, what can you do?
I don't find it distracting, the bird and this action get all my attention

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on April 1, 2011 at 7:44 PM

Hi Howard, Thanks for the comments. The BG bugs me because I know if I had been flat the way I like to shoot these guys I wouldn't be seeing the back shells to any significant degree. The 18 or so inches difference in elevation between kneeling and laying flat will make that much difference. I know the shells are there, so my eye is automatically going to them (not that it wouldn't eventually given most are white or off white). What I can't gauge is whether I'm just overly sensitive to them or other viewers would focus there as quickly as I am.

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on April 1, 2011 at 8:46 PM

Nice behavior shot you have captured, Rick. As you mention it is quite tight in the frame. I find nothing wrong with the background, it is the bird in it's environment. I may be tempted to tone down the whites in the background. I am wishing for a head turn with a bit more light in the eye.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Canning on April 1, 2011 at 9:20 PM

Ya, I dont mind the BG at all. It is consistant with the foreground and nicely oof. Perhaps could darken it just a bit, but I really think it is fine. Oh, and the RT is pretty sweet too!

Registered on February 10, 2004, 88 Posts, 549 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on April 1, 2011 at 11:52 PM

Rick, I am another one that doesn't mind the BG. To me it is the birds habitat and helps to identify where it spends it's time. Also, if you feel it is busy, I am curious as to why you shot it using f/11? With a side view (depending on your distance from the subject and what focal length you ended up at) you most likely would have had plenty of DOF at f/5.6 or 6.3 and that would have helped in blurring the BG a little. Also, I do feel it is too tight in the frame. SOunds like you have room, wondering if you got what it was eating? I think cutting that out of the frame hurts the image and bringing it back in helps to tell the story.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on April 2, 2011 at 6:45 AM

From reading all you wrote in reference to this shot I can appreciate your frustration when you look at it now, all the same, as someone who knows very little of this species or it's behavioral traits, I find this image more than compelling enough, especially seeing as the bird is so attractive and you've managed to capture it in excellent detail so, very well done IMO Rick :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Mclean on April 2, 2011 at 7:01 AM

There's some terrific detail in this image and the action caught just at the right time.I'm with the majority,on background not bothering me ,and prefering the bird smaller in the frame.Catchlight would have been icing on the cake.

Phil.

Registered on March 16, 2010, 30 Posts, 153 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on April 2, 2011 at 8:31 PM

I like it Rick, I would just include more of the casing on the right if you have it, I feel it would balance the comp more.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on April 2, 2011 at 10:17 PM

I don't mind the bg and personall would like just a bit more room. Great detail on the bird and I love all the shells. Well done

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on April 3, 2011 at 8:36 PM

Thanks for all the comments. They are definitely helpful. Sorry to say I can't add anything. I went back to the raw file and found that the "cropping" was all in camera (330 mm on the 100-400). What I posted is the full frame. I zoomed back on the next few shots. The BG is already down about 7% using Viveza. I can try for a bit more though I may need to carry it into the foreground to keep the transition from showing. Thanks Again.

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on April 7, 2011 at 12:29 AM

I would certainly keep this, Rick. I feel the greater dof adds an excellent sense of habitat. It goes very well with the behavior shot. You can selectively darken the background a bit and make it less obtrusive, but it doesn't detract anything from a fine image. Also, I would like to see the entire snail if you have that option.

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments