Bird pic - questions, critique, helped wanted

[Paisley]

Hi - I'm new here. :) I'm hoping I can get some advice for this particular picture (actually bird pictures in general since that's what I mostly take pictures of). This is an unedited digital - no post processing. I've got workflow (post-processing) questions as well as wanting critique on camera settings I used, etc.

Question #1
Settings for this pic are listed at the bottom. At ISO 200, would it be normal to see noise in the background like you see in this picture? I guess it seems a bit much to me, but perhaps I'm expecting too much and should have used ISO100 (it was an hr before sunset).

Question #2
How would you edit this picture? (anyone is welcome to do so) I know it needs cropping, but I'd love to get advice on workflow. I use Photoshop Elements 3.0 for editing. Here's my workflow: Save pic as .tif >> crop >> adjust noise using Neat Image plug-in >> Adjust levels >> add color saturation if needed (rarely) >> resize >> unsharp mask (normally with bird pics it's A=100, R=1.0, T=0) >> save as jpg.

Question #3
Would you have used different camera settings than I did? I've been worrying lately about the metering mode I use (evaluative/matrix vs partial) and wonder what's best for wildlife pics.

Any critiques are welcome - I'd love how to do things better! Thanks in advance.

**Click thumbnail for original sized picture**

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Paisley77/Backyard%20Birds/Misc/th_02_17_07002.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Paisley77/Backyard%20Birds/Misc/02_17_07002.jpg)

AP, ISO 200, 400mm, 1/400, f5.6, Auto WB, Matrix metering (evaluative)
Canon 20D, 100-400mm IS L lens

[strmrdr]

hue/saturation - saturation +37 lightness +15
crop
re-size
usharp mask - amount 172 radius 1.8 threshold 1
remove noise - strength 5, preserve details 100,reduce color noise 47% - sharpen details 8 - checked remove jpg artifact.

Save level 10 jpg and upload.

Notice I didn't remove noise until after it was the final size and sharpened, basically I over sharpened then removed some of it along with the noise to preserve details over running noise removal earlier.

[Paisley]

Thanks strmrdr for your workflow help - I appreciate it!

I guess I should have given an example of how I would have normally edited the pic along with the original.

Here's how I would have normally edited it (+15 saturation color, A(100)R(1.0)T(0), no levels). Any advice? too much green background?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/Paisley77/Backyard%20Birds/02_17_07002_ce.jpg

[strmrdr]

our edits are simular if you added some lightness they would have been near identical.
I think the added lightness helps the image some.
Your on the right path.

[strmrdr]

A little different crop and a B/W conversion with a brown tint added.

[Paisley]

That's a neat edit in the b/w. I have to wonder something. Your pics to me seem too light (for my monitor). Do you callibrate your monitor by chance?

[strmrdr]

That's a neat edit in the b/w. I have to wonder something. Your pics to me seem too light (for my monitor). Do you callibrate your monitor by chance?
not this one, its an old 19" crt clunker.
Is yours calibrated?

[strmrdr]

How do these images in this thread look brightness wise they are very good on mine.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=278817

The majority of the images the pros post in the wedding forum look good so I figured it was close enough.
I don't have access to the calibration tools anymore since I am unemployed and the place I was working went under.

[Paisley]

Yes, mine is calibrated. Those pics in that thread looked good, however the first one was kinda light and the green grass looked more neon green on my monitor. My edited picture above looked good to me, not too dark - but then again my tastes may be different in that I like a slight darker tone. :)

I'm surprised that you're the only one to respond to my post strmrdr, figured there would be others. We're just carrying on a 2-way conversation here. ;)

[strmrdr]

ah ok.. yea could be just a difference in taste.

boards are fickle that way some times.

[JayKitty]

it's too bullseye for me and doesnt do anything for me eyes.

[Paisley]

it's too bullseye for me and doesnt do anything for me eyes.

I'm confused - what do you mean by "too bullseye"? Do you mean the bird just being in the middle of the picture?

My intention was for the focus to be on the bird. Thanks for the comments.