Woodpecker + REPOST

Gallery: AvianPosted October 22, 2011175 views9 comments

Hi again, everyone! Thank you again for all your nice comments on my short-eared owl picture.

Last month we camped in the Kootenays in BC and there was a pileated woodpecker that kept coming around. I tried to get his picture for a couple of days before I finally caught him. I love woodpeckers! I think they are so cute!

My dad had to help me with processing as his red crown was way too bright and you couldn't see the feather detail at all. Also we cloned out a stick that looked like it was coming out of his tail.

This is a vertical crop from horizontal.

Nikon D7000
AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED
ISO 800
1/400sec @ f/4.5
monopod
vertical crop from horizontal

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on October 22, 2011 at 8:21 PM

Very nice capture, Marlise. Pileated Woodpeckers are famously hard to properly expose, and you've done a good job, including the post-processing. There's some loss of detail in the red comb and the white cheek, but the detail in the blacks is very good. I look forward to more of your photos.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Reed on October 22, 2011 at 11:51 PM

I am envious... I am still trying to get a good shot of one of these...Great job.

Registered on September 19, 2009, 198 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on October 23, 2011 at 3:12 AM

Came out nicely, Marlise! Perhaps darken the overall highlights to add some pop (particularly the BG)?

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on October 23, 2011 at 10:01 AM

Nice job on this capture! Around here there aren't many of these birds and they are very shy. Your patience paid off! Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on October 24, 2011 at 12:47 AM

Very nice Marlise, the details in the blacks look great and I like your comp.

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

Comment posted by Marlise Launstein on October 24, 2011 at 11:13 PM

Registered on August 31, 2011, 28 Posts, 175 Comments

Comment posted by Marlise Launstein on October 24, 2011 at 11:14 PM

Thank you for your comments and suggestions! We didn't spend much time at it but just tried decreasing the highlights like Morkel suggested and it looks really good! My dad said he might rework the image for me differently now, but I thought I'd post the new version with the darker background and tree and see which one you liked better.

Thanks again!

Registered on August 31, 2011, 28 Posts, 175 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on October 24, 2011 at 11:56 PM

Marlise,

Sorry I missed this first time aroun, what a beautiful bird.

Your repost works very well and whatever you did has certainly brought out more detail, partivularly in the blacks, pity we cannot see a large version

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on October 26, 2011 at 4:56 PM

Very nice image Marlise. I am still hoping to get an image as good as this.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments