Pheasant+repost

Managed to get really close to both a male and female pheasant - crop for portrait,+ slight sharpening.
1/1600"
F8
Aperture priority
ISO 400
-0.67EV
C & C always welcome

This is a very nice portrait, Kim, but on my monitor, the whites look a little blown. If you use Photoshop try toning the whites (and the beak) down a bit using the highlights part of the shadows/highlights command.

David

Thank you David - have re-done this -hope it seems a little better.

A very nice portrait of this pheasant Kim and nice pov. The exposure is always awkward on the whites, but I think the repost is a tad better. Also do I spy a little cloning around the top of the beak?

Well done on getting so close.

Fran

Thanks Fran - no absolutely no cloning at all, very little editing - just the white amendments as suggested by David

Super - those feathers are more like chain mail. So easy to blow those whites in bright lighting.

Tim

Tricky subject with bright light. Iridescent feathers and wide range in tones from dark shadows to brilliant whites make for compromises.
Don't know what's happening around the upper beak certainly not as defined as I'd expect at f8 and not as defined as the lower beak.

Thank you John for your comment, cannot explain the problems with the photograph. It is strange - I did try to look at your images but was not able to. Almost as strange as your not commenting on any other subjects. However all criticisms are welcome - but are preferable if they are constructive.

Hi kim.
Kim this looks good to me,take the point made about the white but hey perfection comes with practise

Cheers Keith.

Kim,
look a little and you might see that I do comment on images occasionally.
Yours is pretty much a stock type pheasant shot that is neither outstanding nor particularly poor, I've seen worse published and have also seen better. The only thing attracted me to comment on it was the beak.

If you want constructive
Either,
Take it into PS again and using shadow/highlights, adjust the highlights in the region of Amount 90%, Tonal width 45, and Radius 15. This may sound extreme, but it does show that you have details in the highlights. Only problem with using extreme settings like this is that it increases noise and this in turn would mean more PS work etc etc. Final use of the image would determine whether or not it is worth spending a lot of time on

Or.
Wait for more flattering light. Either end of the day for sunny days, or lightly overcast days for middle of the day shots. Shooting either end of the day will also give you options re shooting into light or using it as a side light to create dramatic contrast effects.

If you are not keen on what I'm saying then no problem. I'm as tough on my own shots as I am on any other shots I comment on

Kim
Oh dear !
Nice fez shot granny !.
Always pain to get the neck right. There is something funny around the beak area though .
See you soon.
Loads of stuff in the garden.
Cheers
John

If you want constructive
Either,
Take it into PS again and using shadow/highlights, adjust the highlights in the region of Amount 90%, Tonal width 45, and Radius 15. This may sound extreme, but it does show that you have details in the highlights. Only problem with using extreme settings like this is that it increases noise and this in turn would mean more PS work etc etc. Final use of the image would determine whether or not it is worth spending a lot of time on ......

Thank you John, that is exactly why I go on this site - to get helpful suggestions as to how a shot can be improved, so I appreciate the time and trouble you have taken to comment on this shot. I was disappointed not to have been able to see any of your pheasant pics as I understand they are outstanding.
Thanks again Kim

I see literally dozens of these most days as I drive to work, but I don't have a decent shot of one! (come to think of it I don't have any!) Whites look better on repost. I agree the beak looks odd, but I often get funny bits that I can't explain.

Second one for me too Kim, nice shot.

Andy...