Brakes + Repost

Gallery: AvianPosted August 8, 2011169 views10 comments

Red-winged blackbird puts on the brakes after chasing a juvenile Red-tail to a tree. This a a follow-up shot after an image I posted about a month ago. Thanks for your critique. Nikon D300s and 300mm f2.8 with 1.4tc. ISO-400, f5.6 shutter 1/1250. Thanks- Ray

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on August 8, 2011 at 10:12 PM

Nice action, but the tonal range is very reduced as posted.

Try this: in Photoshop add a Levels adjustment layer. Set the black eyedropper to 20,20,20 (double click it on the levels panel and enter "20" in the R, G, and B fields then click Save). With he black eyedropper selected click on the tail of the blackbird to reset the black point for all three channels. This will take out a blue cast and make the colors of the sky and the redtail look a lot better.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on August 8, 2011 at 10:19 PM

Thanks Richard, still working on my Photoshop skills but I'll give this a try and repost. Appreciate it,

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on August 8, 2011 at 11:27 PM

Love the action in this one Ray and great you managed to acquire good eye-contact on the Red-Tail!

If you happen to have the time, please zap me a quick message to let me know when you post up the reworked version according to Richard's suggestions; I'd really like to see how that comes out, thanks :^)

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

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on August 8, 2011 at 11:30 PM

neat shot, Ray. great action and really good poses by both birds, and good sharpness too. I tried Rich's suggestion and agree that it is an improvement on the color and tone.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on August 9, 2011 at 5:22 PM

I hate photoshop! I always overdo something. I really like the perspective in the shot! Nice capture. I have purchased like 10 photoshop books but still have very limited skills. One very famous bird photographer said I am the poster child for photoshop lessons. LOL

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on August 9, 2011 at 10:34 PM

Great action here. That RWBB has totally flattened in his attempt to stop. Nits with color noted.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on August 9, 2011 at 11:18 PM

Excellent, Ray. The Red-tail is very sharp and well exposed and the pose of the Red-winged Blackbird is priceless.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on August 10, 2011 at 9:27 PM

Took a little while to realize that I wouldn't be able to make the levels adjustments in Lightroom the same as can be done in Photoshop. Thanks for the advice Richard, hope this approximates the adjustments you made. Think I'll need to spend a bit more time around Lightroom. Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on August 19, 2011 at 8:51 AM

Brave little blackbird..not too smart though hey. Must be where the term "birdbrain" came from

Think the repost is a good improvement, colors look much more natural.
Well done

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

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on August 19, 2011 at 7:06 PM

Thanks for commenting on the re-post, good hear from you Howard. just hope the blackbird doesn't try this on a falcon!

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments