Redstart

[Bill Nuttall]

Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) - a young female, (YR1)

back garden SW France

14% crop of full FF sensor, (D810)

does the image lack sharpness?

165517


I always find this link interesting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_redstart#/media/File:Phoenicurus_phoenicurus_-_feeding_poster(js).jpg

[gail bisson]

Lovely clean image.
Bird looks great and I like the lichen covered perch. Nice soft light.
Comp is always so subjective but I think I would prefer a looser crop with more room on the RHS if you have it.
Very nice,
Gail

[Bill Nuttall]

Thanks Gail

my first shot was a 6 x 4 but then I preferred a 4 x 3

you decide upon one and then prefer another and can go around in circles

[John Whaley]

It looks sharp on my screen. Lovely light and BG. Nothing distracting from the fine feather detail and clear eye on the Redstart. I would prefer a bit more space above.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I could go for a bit looser comp too, but everything came together nicely for you here. That feeding poster you link to would go well for next month's theme!

[Bill Nuttall]

I could go for a bit looser comp too, but everything came together nicely for you here. That feeding poster you link to would go well for next month's theme!

Thanks Daniel

Daniel - that feeding poster is not my image - it is one from the web - I thought that it was OK to post it as I posted it as a link - is that against the rules??

[Bill Nuttall]

It looks sharp on my screen. Lovely light and BG. Nothing distracting from the fine feather detail and clear eye on the Redstart. I would prefer a bit more space above.

Hi John

Thanks for your comments

is this better at 4 x 5?

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[keith mitchell]

"does the image lack sharpness?" sure does to me Bill,looks really natural with plenty of detail.

[Bill Nuttall]

"does the image lack sharpness?" sure does to me Bill,looks really natural with plenty of detail.

Thanks Keith

one of the problems that I have when processing the RAW is to decide how far to go, especially with sharpening. I like the birds to look as natural as possible and the colours to be how I saw them. I just think that there is always a tendancy to over sharpen and I have seen so many images, (NOT on here) which have had positive comments saying how sharpe they are when to me all that has happened is that the clarity slider, (increasing the blacks), has been thrown at the image.

We all know that the texture of birds feathers range from soft to "crunchy", (a word I first saw on here), and the skill must be how to accurately reflect that.

Only been a member for a few days but I am learning a lot

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Bill, I like the inquisitive pose, together with the lichen covered perch. The finer plumage shows up well enough, but I feel you could have applied a touch more sharpening. Here is my version with a slight additional sharpening. A suggestion to rather place your techs in your intro, rather than on your image. :w3

[Bill Nuttall]

Hi Bill, I like the inquisitive pose, together with the lichen covered perch. The finer plumage shows up well enough, but I feel you could have applied a touch more sharpening. Here is my version with a slight additional sharpening. A suggestion to rather place your techs in your intro, rather than on your image. :w3

Hi Stu, thanks for your comments

It is a young bird and the feathers are soft - I know this bird well as it was born in one of our Barns - for me it is always very important to show the bird as I saw it but when processing the RAW it is easy to push it too far to produce a more "spectacular" image which goes beyond the real life bird........ I have become guilty of this but am now drifting back to reality.

I am really interesting in birds and wildlife

the feathers are this soft

[keith mitchell]

Bill typo error and maybe a bit of senior brain that does lack sharpness,what I should have said is that I am ok with the sharpness, I like you I like the natural almost soft look of feathers that of course is how they are,and hate crunchy over processed images.

Keith.

[Bill Nuttall]

Bill typo error and maybe a bit of senior brain that does lack sharpness,what I should have said is that I am ok with the sharpness, I like you I like the natural almost soft look of feathers that of course is how they are,and hate crunchy over processed images.

Keith.

Thanks Keith - no problems - I'd assumed that's what you mean't - I agree "senior moments" catch us all out:S3:

[Satish Ranadive]

Excellent image. Beautiful colors, and superb details and nice composition.

Regards,
Satish.