Change of pace

Gallery: AvianPosted June 3, 2013156 views10 comments

I'd seriously like some advice on this shot. I was trying to take images of some Barn Owl chicks in one of our boxes this morning while the sun provided a bit of light into the opening. I have a "tree house" that provides an almost level shot through the opening. I was having problems with two issues. First, the autofocus did not want to pick up the fluffy owlets in the darker area. Second, I was getting a lot of green color cast in the upper right of the dark area, but if I tried to compensate the rest would go off color. Anyone have any ideas on how to fix either or both of these? I won't preach, but I don't want to use flash on these birds.

1Div, 500mm f4 ISL + 1.4TC, Black Widow on RRS legs, f5.6, 1/320, Av mode with +2/3 compensation, iso 1600. I didn't do much adjustment on this except to crop to about 8MP and burn the front of the box so it didn't glare too badly.

I always appreciate your comments.

Thanks for looking,

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on June 3, 2013 at 9:30 PM

Dennis,

That expression says it all. I'm not sure about the adjustments, and the greenish cast is so slight that it does not bother me.....................Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on June 4, 2013 at 1:14 AM

Low light and downy feathers = manual focus. But this is pretty strong as posted, Dennis. Wonderful expression on the owlet.

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

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on June 4, 2013 at 3:18 AM

Sorry Dennis, I can't help answer either of your queries except to say that there are occasions when I have to revert to manual focus. With a subject that is not moving too wildly it isn't a problem.
I like the shot as posted. Look svery relaxed just peering out waiting for someone to bring breakfast in bed.

Registered on February 20, 2013, 198 Posts, 1011 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on June 4, 2013 at 3:36 AM

Dennis,

Firstly I applaud you for not using flash, perhaps a small source of light might help?
As for further technical advice, I really have no idea other than a faster shutter speed, the green cast is not really noticeable have you tried WB set to daylight?

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

Comment posted by Roger Kirchen on June 4, 2013 at 7:30 AM

What an expression on the face and in the eyes, so well captured. I like how the owlet emerges from the dark interior, though I think the upper part of the image detracts from the bird and its expression. I wonder how a "pano" treatment would look with the roof cropped away, and perhaps midway through the knot on the left. Just a thought.

There is no noticeable green cast (or any cast) on my screen.

.

Registered on March 6, 2011, 95 Posts, 847 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on June 4, 2013 at 8:59 AM

After contacting Dennis offline to share my ideas on removing the green color cast and asking permission to post an update, here is the result. Color casts like this are relatively easy to find. Use a Threshold adjustment layer. Moving the sliders to the left and right will identify the brightest and darkest points (hopefully white and black). Set color markers at those points with the eyedropper tool. Throw the Threshold adjustment layer away at this point since it has done it's job. Then use a curves adjustment layer (or levels) and use the black and white eyedroppers to adjust the image at the markers set. Note that you should set the default values for the eyedroppers to something other than the default values of pure white and pure black. Just double click an eyedropper from curves and set the new values. I use 13,13,13 for black and 246, 246,246 for white. I then applied a mask and darkened the area behind the owlet. Just my thoughts on taking this image to the next level.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Dave Walz on June 4, 2013 at 12:44 PM

First of all cudos for not using a flash. Secondly, I really like the image. The owl peering out of the box and the way his head is tilted add to the composition of the picture. Finnally, as we all know, birds usually do not pose for us. We need to do the best we can and capture them at their pleasure not ours. I would have never notice the very slight green if you had not mentioned it first. Nice post.

Registered on September 26, 2011, 22 Posts, 67 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Strand on June 4, 2013 at 5:22 PM

The expression on the owlet's face is too much.

Registered on March 30, 2008, 416 Posts, 2885 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on June 4, 2013 at 11:16 PM

Thanks, Keith. To my eye your version is a very noticeable improvement. I'll have to take time to see if I can duplicate your results.

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

Comment posted by Jefferson Silva on June 8, 2013 at 9:51 PM

This is awesome. I liked this a lot!

Registered on December 18, 2012, 162 Posts, 975 Comments