Anas acuta . . .

[RJSorensen]

Or good old Northern Pintails . . . of course we just call these ducks Pins, or Pintails when we are speaking proper. This pair is a test for me. I needed a bird that I could find fast and enough of them to get at least one decent shot. I was shooting in Raw with the 20D today for the first time. I know it is not perfect, the background a bit light, but this is where I cut my baby teeth so to speak with a new and different method, perhaps an improved was as well. I invite comments regarding the photoshop work and or the picture itself . . .

20D/100-400 Raw #1 ;)

[Maureen Souza]

Well, I think the detail of the feathers is fantastic and the ducks look great. There is a little brightness to the upper right corner but you can probably tone it down a notch or two with the burn tool. Otherwise, one of your clearest photos yet. I think you are selling me on this RAW business .I am going to shoot a bridal shower this weekend in RAW on my 20D.... but also use my Pro1 as a security blanket:):)

[PhotosGuy]

I agree with Maureen. They look great, but tone down the upper right & the bit behind the 1st duck's head.

[TammieO]

Way to go, Rj. I like the male and female together. Did you get a jpeg to compare against the raw?

[robertwgross]

I notice that they are banded.

---Bob Gross---

[tupe]

Wow! Acuta pair I neva see.

[RJSorensen]

Good Eye Bob . . . we have thousands of these. A percentage of them are banded. You know they catch them when they are small or net them up north. I think even the DWS does some during the molt season here. For you I will try to select only those birds without bands if it bothers you so.

[stoneylonesome]

WOW! the detail is fantastic, nice job :)

[RJSorensen]

Sandy I am trying to shoot some things in Raw and I did this in 16 bit, completely new to me. The light was on the right side of the birds, thus they were backlit . . . badly. I used the exposure corrector in the Raw image program in PSCS and fixed them, but blew out the background, lol, more than a bit. But the jest of the photograph was to test Raw and see how they looked. I can see that 16 bit does not harm the image as does 8 bit when you need to 'correct' something. So I am going to try this for a while and see how it goes.

[robertwgross]

For you I will try to select only those birds without bands if it bothers you so.

No, banding showing up in the photo does not bother me at all. It is more of a measure of how much detail you were able to capture in the image.

Last winter I got some shots of burrowing owls. Not only could you see the bands, but you could read the letters and numbers stamped on the bands.

---Bob Gross---

[sparker1]

Congrats on trying raw and sharing the results. I've been thinking of doing it, would enjoy better results but hate to add work. Guess I've got to give it a go.

[boomer1959]

Outstanding RJ. I think you did a good job :D

[RJSorensen]

The shot is not very good . . . but the detail that came out of the feathers made me look again at trying Raw. So in that vein I suppose I am off . . . lol.

Public experiments like this are stressful but good help to those who want to try it too. To help out, even this way is just how we teach and learn from each other.

[marie]

The shot is not very good . . . but the detail that came out of the feathers made me look again at trying Raw. So in that vein I suppose I am off . . . lol.

Public experiments like this are stressful but good help to those who want to try it too. To help out, even this way is just how we teach and learn from each other.


I love the ducks and the detail in the feathers is wonderful RJ



just want to say, many years ago I took shots with another camera (not digital)
and the detail of the ducks feathers came out really really well
so good my neighbours (dead now r.i.p.) wanted a copy
they framed it and hung it on the wall ...in their hall
I didn't think it was that good
forever seeing it on their wall:oops:
feather details really showed up great though

:)


http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_confused.gif
I don't actually think it was so much to do with RAW here as getting the detail with a camera right in the first place ,to capture the feathers in focus
just my thoughts

I could be wrong

http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif

[stoneylonesome]

Sandy I am trying to shoot some things in Raw
RJ isn't it still a little cold out there to be doing that?? :lol: :lol:

Well you've given me courge to try it again. I guess I was just lazy and always shot jpeg. How much post processing did you do and what steps did you take? That and I've got to read my PSP9 book a littel closer on this I know It can convert raw, but not sure on the 16 bit. I've always just used the Canon Raw converter for the few times I've tried.

[RJSorensen]

Good for you Sandy . . . and thank you Marie for your kind words. I think perhaps Dave is the man here to help us fledglings along on the yellow brick road to Raw conversion and post processing, lol. This is a wonderful place, of ideas and sharing. Hard to beat despite the few detractors one always gets.

Thanks Dave for your help in all these posts . . . you the man.

[ayotnoms]

Wow. You mean we are going to see improvements over the images you've posted thus far??

Re: RAW post processing/workflows etc. If you haven't already, check out the following:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/032127878X/102-5198676-4011357

I'm still making my way through the book and finding excellent information along the way. I think you'll find the solution to your dilemma with the pintails. Do one pass where the background is not blown out and an other pass with the pintails exposed correctly, then use PS layers to composite the best of both images. There's an example of what I'm talking about in the book.

...just a thought :)

Oh and thanks for sharing one of your routine, professional-caliber images--blownout highlights notwithstanding :)

[Wayne Wood]

absolutley beautiful

[Andrew Pratt]

If you want to know where those pintails were likely banded take a look at one of the sites that I built Bird Banding Application. (http://arcntsrv.ducks.ca/public/birdbanding) I'm a GIS Specialitst with Ducks Unlimited an am making the jump from my S1 to a DReb so I can start taking photo's of the wild life around my work place as well. I can only hope to one day take as sharp a photo as you posted above.

[CyberDyneSystems]

This is fantastic!

A year from now you will run this image through your new updated RAW P&P and will bring out even more detail and light! :)

[RJSorensen]

LOL, Thanks CDS it helps to get closer as I was once advised, and it is not that hard, just a little more work . . . but the photographs are better for it. I am a little ashamed that you guys would 'ever' think my work anything more than average, for I am an admitted 'hack' but I do so enjoy the hunt for that 'one' photograph.

How about some fun and or a challenge for those interested in Raw and the work flow? We could teach each other and have fun doing so. I can or will post a Raw file on the web somewhere and everyone can down load it and work on the same photograph and then we can compare renditions with each other and exchange tips and learn, share. Let me know if anyone is interested in this. Or the concept at all. This is one contest that by loosing . . . you may win the most. A safe, no harm, no foul type of situation.

Think it over . . .

Kind regards to all as always.

[Sydor25]

I would definitely take part; I'm also just learning to shoot RAW and would like to see how others would interpret the same shot.

[PhotosGuy]

How about some fun and or a challenge for those interested in Raw and the work flow? That sounds like fun!

[RJSorensen]

Well I have an unlimited supply of 'shots' that need work, most because of me, loll. But I will hunt up something and 'try' to figure out how to host it. I think it would be fun. To see how everyone 'vision' is different. One could learn a lot from this. We could even take turns posting a different Raw shot a week and let everyone try their best at it. As I noted, even if you did what you thought was . . . lol, well you would learn a lot. And that is all that matters here. That we have some fun, and share our level of skill where we can.

[CyberDyneSystems]

I'd be willing to take a crack at a raw file,..

[boomer1959]

Count me in RJ, I think this would be fun. :D :D

[RJSorensen]

Well I hope this works . . . lol, if not I will have to get the kids to help me. I am a little computer sloooow.

Good luck and lets hold them till we see how many want to play, but work on them as you will. Of course everyone has permission to try their hand at this.


Pintail . . . (http://www.pcu.net/web/sorensen/rj/Img_8733.CR2) ;)

[Sydor25]

Downloading....

[RJSorensen]

Let me know that it can be opened. I use Photoshop CS for mine, and was able to do so . . . but that does not mean that all will. I have the same problem with this photograph as the first. Subject is too dark and the background is more or less ok as is. Or what do I know . . . lol. Have at it my friends.

[Sydor25]

I was able to open it with PSCS, Rawshooters Essentials and Digital Photo Pro. :)

[CyberDyneSystems]

Ahh,. I see you gave us a challenge.. ;)

[RJSorensen]

LOL, just something to work on . . . and with the same good and bad as the first post. I think we will not have winers or losers . . . everyone whom plays this silly game will win and everyone will have his and or her favorite. That works for me just fine.

Where to post them? Here or start a new thread with this . . . thoughts on that one guys/gals?

[ayotnoms]

Cool.
I'm up for the challenge. :-)

[Sydor25]

Here's my first attempt:

http://sydor25.com/Pictures/Img_8733_PS.jpg


RJ, have you already worked on this picture, do you have a finished version yet?

[edit]BTW - that is one nice lens. :) Can't wait until I get mine in a few months.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Here you go...

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y70lpz&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1

[boomer1959]

OK RJ, this was a tough one. I prossed it in PSE3 and PSE2. Adjusted white balance to "shade" and adjusted contrast ,then saturated in Raw.
Then I cropped, burned the log, dodged the duck, in PSE2. Did USM a couple times in PSE3. Then used the sharpening tool on the feathers. Came up with this. Hope you like it. :D

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y70lo9&outx=800&quality=70

Pay no attention to the copywrite RJ I will take it of my site when we are done here. :D

[RJSorensen]

No I have not started with mine yet . . . I wanted one in the same vein as the first so we could do apples to apples better. You guys are fast! I will be tomorrow before I work on mine, lol.

Good or bad I will put up a standard 800 by XXX jpg like you folks. Thanks for helping this notion along. It might be a fun thing for the general board CDS . . . I am not sure. It should not be a 'hot shot' thing but a teaching aid for us Raw beginners. And we can use the help. Got to love POTN.

LOL, Dave I was honored . . . keep it. This is not an award winner, just filler on my HD.

AND yes that 100-400 L is a sweet lens. It is not perfect but for bang for the buck works well with all types of wildlife. I am learning to push/pull and focus with my 1.4 TC on the go. Birds in flight so try to do that with a 'twist lens' lol.

[Sydor25]

Wow, nice job CDS. (maybe a little too warm ;) ) I see that I have a lot to learn. :o

Which RAW converter did you use?

[CyberDyneSystems]

I used RawShooter to convert,.

I made two conversions,.
I used the eyedropper on the throat to set a custom white balance.
The first conversion was "hot",. I used extensive exposure compensation and highlight recovery to get the bird to looking properly exposed,. and let the back ground get all blown out white.

I then made a second conversion tuned to get the back ground just right.

I opened both 16bit tiffs in PSCS as layers of the same image,. After cropping I ended up duplicating the back ground converted layer,.. leaving the perfect bird layer sandwiched in between. I then erased to expose the bird conversion.

Touched up levels,.. noise reduction on the top backgrpund layer,
USM on the bird layer,.
tweeked with opacities on the top layers,.
merged layers,. and saved as jpeg,.

...then promply closed the layered file without saving losing all that time and work!!!!! :( :(

Anyway,. I still had the 800 wide jpeg which is seen here.

[ayotnoms]

Oh man, I hope this doesn't suck. LOL
either way, it looked fine on my Mac and I haven't had much luck with quality postings.

THANKS RJ for making this image available.

[PhotosGuy]

...then promply closed the layered file without saving losing all that time and work!!!!! BTDT! ROTFL! You guys cropped out the tree! That's a fast solution to solve the blown problem! I didn't know we could crop - maybe I'll do some more work on mine & kick up thr blues in the water a bit. I like the one by CDS better than mine 'cause of the quality of the light on it's head. Anyway, here's mine.

Made two treatments in RawShooter, one for the duck & one for the background. Cut the space for the duck out of the bkg layer which was on top. Burned the outer edges of the bkg in a bit. (Saved it) ;-) Flattened & sharpened.

[Nascar Nut]

These are my favorite ducks to photograph. Unfortunatly I don't see to many around here in Iowa. Those are nice clear shots. Great job

[boomer1959]

Nice job CDS, I wonder if I can do that with PSE3?

[RJSorensen]

Well . . . for better or worse this is my 'version' of Mr. Pintail. ;)

[Maureen Souza]

I couldn't resist having a go at it either... here's my version.

[PhotosGuy]

Here's my cropped version. I framed it & increased the saturation of the blues in the water, too.

[stoneylonesome]

OK! here's my try at it, First time I used RawShooter, guess I still have some learning to do. :lol: :lol:

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/574pintailImg_8733-01.jpg?2085

[MarkoPolo]

As RJ says, I bow in your general direction. Some really nice work. So much talent on this forum!

[RJSorensen]

If there are more whom would like to take a crack at it . . . please help yourself. I think this has been great fun and I can see I perhaps need to just take photographs . . . and let or get someone else to process them, lol. Thanks everyone, hope you enjoyed the little challenge.

My kindest regards as always.