Young family

[Narayanan Mangalath]

This was taken in Smithoaks birds rookery in Texas.

Camera: Canon R6 Mark II
Lens: 700mm - Canon EF 500MM IS II + 1.4x TC
Shutter speed: 1/320
Aperture: 5.6
IS 400

While taking the shot I thought it will be a great one . But I am not seeing the image pops. I feel 5.6 aperture is too wide to get both the birds in focus.

Edited with Photoshop and cropped the image to get closer.
Modified color

Appreciate any comments that can help improve this photo and my next opportunity.

Thanks
Narayanan

 

[Narayanan Mangalath]

@Arthur Morris As you mentioned, I posted this photo in Avian forum. Hoping to get some valuable feedback. Thank you !

 

[Narayanan Mangalath]

Here is the original. Now I realize the focus was on the branch at right bottom ! This is my usual mistake. When I see a nice opportunity, I end up clicking th e shutter without rechecking my settings.

 

[Steve Kaluski]

• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 13.5.1 (Macintosh)

Hi Narayanan, firstly you needed a fast SS here, I assume HH this rig, plus, break away from low ISO, providing you expose correctly pushing your ISO 6400+ (to gain a faster SS and or, more DoF) and with the noise reduction softwar, post production is a breeze. Is this FF or cropped you don't say, if FF (Full frame) then I would crop slightly tighter, but avoid hefty crops. Not sure how you focused on the branch, you should have the camera set to AI Servo, Face detection Animals, eye detection on, you should then just lock onto the subject no problem and be able to then track it. Perhaps put Cases onto Auto.

As presented it looks a little blue (cooler), just tweaking the WB, going warmer I think helps, plus just cropping in, the RP is only for example. Hope this helps.

TFS
Steve

 

[Narayanan Mangalath]

Hello Steve,
First of all, thank you for taking time to look into it.

Assuming HH - means hand held. I remember it was on a good tripod. It is on Full frame. I think my focus setting was all points. I think I set it to all points eye detection(i believe) as I was also trying to capture inflight when a bird flies in front of me !

Thank you for the reprocessed/cropped image. It looks much better

Next time I will probably put it on auto ISO and then make sure my aperture and shutter speed is what I want to be. And then rely on noise reduction later.

I can't wait for my next opportunity ...

Thank you
Narayanan

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Narayanan, you are more than welcome, hopefully others will chime in too.

If you have DPP (Canons own software) then just open the raw in that, it will provide all the info needed if you need to check things, it's also free. What do you use for raw conversion?

If you are doing BIF then you will need some good light to avoid excessive ISO, but your SS should be around 1/2500, 1/3200 plus, if in really good light. Just check that if you set you SS to 1/3200, f/8 then you don't push you ISO into the realms of 16k plus. Yes 16k isn't that excessive providing you get the exposure correct.

NR isn't the 'silver bullet', a good exposure is very helpfulul.

 

[Arthur Morris]

@Arthur Morris As you mentioned, I posted this photo in Avian forum. Hoping to get some valuable feedback. Thank you !

Hey Roomie, You were supposed to e-mail me a link Glad that I found this. I have many questions and lots to say.

#1: Were you handholding?
(Ah, I see that you were on a tripod. That is good. With decent technique, you should be fine with static subjects like these at 320 sec. I will often shoot at long focal lengths -- 840mm and 1200mm, on a tripod, as low as 1/60 sec.)
#2: In DPP, you can see the active AF points.
#3: How do you know where the AF point was?
#4: In Pane #3, You say, "This is the original." In what form is that image?
#5: The color of the image in Pane #3 is far more natural than the color in the original post. The OP is overstaurated with a large YELLOW cast.
#6: I like the raised foot of the bird on the nest but that bird's head is turned away from us :-(. That is, poor head angle.
#7: Do you have my R5/R6 guide? I helped a lady set up her R6 II and she learned to use it in 10 minutes with 100% confidence in the AF system.
#8: With mirrorless, you need to watch the AF points to make sure that they are where you want them.
#9: Steve's repost in Pane #4 looks much better than the OP and the eye of the nearest bird appears to be fairly sharp. (See #1 above.)
#10: Here is a great refresher course:
https://www.birdsasart-blog.com/baa...unds-be-sure-to-bookmark-and-study-this-page/(Note: there might be an improved version of the post above...)
#11: Send me the raw file.
#12: Be sure to answer all of the questions above to maximize learning.
#13: I added this one after I saw that you were on a tripod. With the bird on the nest at least a foot behind the bird in the front, no amount of d-o-f would have gotten then second bird sharp without making all the leaves disgustingly sharp and you would have needed and ISO of at 256,000. Not advisable. I've been advising bird photographers for > 30 years: Shoot wide open and get the eye sharp (unless you can verbalize a realistic reason for stopping down.

with love, artie

 

[Narayanan Mangalath]

Hi Narayanan, you are more than welcome, hopefully others will chime in too.

If you have DPP (Canons own software) then just open the raw in that, it will provide all the info needed if you need to check things, it's also free. What do you use for raw conversion?

If you are doing BIF then you will need some good light to avoid excessive ISO, but your SS should be around 1/2500, 1/3200 plus, if in really good light. Just check that if you set you SS to 1/3200, f/8 then you don't push you ISO into the realms of 16k plus. Yes 16k isn't that excessive providing you get the exposure correct.

NR isn't the 'silver bullet', a good exposure is very helpfulul.

I use Lightroom for raw conversion. Thanks for the tips for flight photography .

 

[Narayanan Mangalath]

Hey Roomie, You were supposed to e-mail me a link Glad that I found this. I have many questions and lots to say.

#1: Were you handholding?
(Ah, I see that you were on a tripod. That is good. With decent technique, you should be fine with static subjects like these at 320 sec. I will often shoot at long focal lengths -- 840mm and 1200mm, on a tripod, as low as 1/60 sec.)
#2: In DPP, you can see the active AF points.
#3: How do you know where the AF point was?
#4: In Pane #3, You say, "This is the original." In what form is that image?
#5: The color of the image in Pane #3 is far more natural than the color in the original post. The OP is overstaurated with a large YELLOW cast.
#6: I like the raised foot of the bird on the nest but that bird's head is turned away from us :-(. That is, poor head angle.
#7: Do you have my R5/R6 guide? I helped a lady set up her R6 II and she learned to use it in 10 minutes with 100% confidence in the AF system.
#8: With mirrorless, you need to watch the AF points to make sure that they are where you want them.
#9: Steve's repost in Pane #4 looks much better than the OP and the eye of the nearest bird appears to be fairly sharp. (See #1 above.)
#10: Here is a great refresher course:
https://www.birdsasart-blog.com/baa...unds-be-sure-to-bookmark-and-study-this-page/(Note: there might be an improved version of the post above...)
#11: Send me the raw file.
#12: Be sure to answer all of the questions above to maximize learning.
#13: I added this one after I saw that you were on a tripod. With the bird on the nest at least a foot behind the bird in the front, no amount of d-o-f would have gotten then second bird sharp without making all the leaves disgustingly sharp and you would have needed and ISO of at 256,000. Not advisable. I've been advising bird photographers for > 30 years: Shoot wide open and get the eye sharp (unless you can verbalize a realistic reason for stopping down.

with love, artie

Hi Artie, Thanks for spending so much time in responding to my post in detail. Please see my responses below.


#1: Were you handholding?
(Ah, I see that you were on a tripod. That is good. With decent technique, you should be fine with static subjects like these at 320 sec. I will often shoot at long focal lengths -- 840mm and 1200mm, on a tripod, as low as 1/60 sec.) - NM - Nice to hear that ~!
#2: In DPP, you can see the active AF points. - Yes, that is how I figured they are in the trunk.
#3: How do you know where the AF point was? Using DPP
#4: In Pane #3, You say, "This is the original." In what form is that image? That is jpeg, but I have the raw. I will send it to you.
#5: The color of the image in Pane #3 is far more natural than the color in the original post. The OP is overstaurated with a large YELLOW cast. Yes, That was the result of me changing the color in order to bring some pop in the image. But it has actually made it worse !
#6: I like the raised foot of the bird on the nest but that bird's head is turned away from us :-(. That is, poor head angle.
#7: Do you have my R5/R6 guide? I helped a lady set up her R6 II and she learned to use it in 10 minutes with 100% confidence in the AF system. No, I do not. I am sure you would have created one. I will check it out on your web site.
#8: With mirrorless, you need to watch the AF points to make sure that they are where you want them. Ok.
#9: Steve's repost in Pane #4 looks much better than the OP and the eye of the nearest bird appears to be fairly sharp. (See #1 above.)
#10: Here is a great refresher course:

Improve Your Bird (and Nature) Photography By Leaps and Bounds: Be Sure to Bookmark and Study This Page « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART​

www.birdsasart-blog.com
(Note: there might be an improved version of the post above...)
#11: Send me the raw file.
#12: Be sure to answer all of the questions above to maximize learning.
#13: I added this one after I saw that you were on a tripod. With the bird on the nest at least a foot behind the bird in the front, no amount of d-o-f would have gotten then second bird sharp without making all the leaves disgustingly sharp and you would have needed and ISO of at 256,000. Not advisable. I've been advising bird photographers for > 30 years: Shoot wide open and get the eye sharp (unless you can verbalize a realistic reason for stopping down. Ok. It was shot wide open. 5.6 as it had the extender on.

 

[Phill Luckhurst]

I agree with your own thoughts that the colour edit made the image worse. My personal taste is to go for the most real to life look that I can so in my own editing I do the bare minimum of colour tweaks. Having said that, I am not imaginative and have only minimal post processing skills. In the past I have posted images on post processing forums where those with far more talent than I will all have a go with their own takes on my shot. I am always blown away with the creativity out there. And the skill levels some possess.

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Disregard the reply.