Red-Topped Cruiser

Gallery: Photo ArtPosted April 15, 2013387 views11 comments

I first tried this in a straight B&W conversion, using the the Nik Silver Efex software (High Structure- smooth). Since the bird's primarily B&W other than its red head/breast, I thought it would work. It looked good, but since this is "Photo Art", I thought there should be some color somewhere

This is without the Silver Efex, just selected out the red head and desaturated the rest in PS.

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on April 15, 2013 at 12:15 PM

Awesome wingspread and the red really pops with the work you did

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on April 15, 2013 at 1:34 PM

Well done Howard,
Fantastic flight shot of a difficult subject to capture in flight, would love to see the camera settings for this image.

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments

Comment posted by Claude Dagenais on April 15, 2013 at 5:12 PM

Great shot of a difficult scene.Bravo.

Registered on April 10, 2013, 56 Posts, 571 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on April 15, 2013 at 6:14 PM

Here's the Nik SilverEfex version (High Structure- smooth), I first tried. The camera settings were F/11, 1/4000th, ISO 1250, with less than 10% crop Mike. I use these settings for a reason. It's almost impossible to gain AF inflight, & fill the frame. These are small WP's as well. So this was shot with AF off. I used a high platform to bring the bird in. I then quickly manually focus where it's perched, and track it as it takes off @ 10 fps. F/11 gives me the wiggle room I need using this method. Of course, you have to have 300 missed shots to get just this one

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on April 20, 2013 at 6:13 PM

great look at this red-bellied woodpecker (I love the naming of the bird relative to the red-headed woodpecker...I wonder who was seen first?) This guy is outstanding placed against the gray background. Great in-flight pose on a beautiful bird! The red head is definitely the winner.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Karen Kane on April 21, 2013 at 6:05 PM

Love this one Howard - all the right techs, composition, etc... Great choice to leave the red

Registered on August 4, 2012, 66 Posts, 726 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Ward on April 23, 2013 at 5:32 PM

Howard,

This really works well. Thanks for posting both images. Well done!

Registered on February 26, 2009, 304 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on April 24, 2013 at 10:24 AM

Congratulations Howard, wonderful shot!

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 24, 2013 at 12:48 PM

Nice processing - fine image!
Congrats on the WP!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on May 4, 2013 at 11:45 AM

Howard: A great capture to begin with and really nice processing after. Congrats on the WP. >=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on May 19, 2013 at 7:01 PM

Hi Howard

Locve this flight shot. and the very special processing you did

Albert Darmo

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments