Posted by David Kjaer on March 7, 2006 at 12:55 PM
Seeing the recent LEO images prompted me to dig this one out of the archives. Taken 7 years ago near Oldbury Power Station in Gloucestershire where up to nine were using a winter roost. I had to go back 5 times before I got a clear shot.
Canon EOS1N + 500f4.5 + x1.4 on Provia 100 rated at iso160 scanned on a Nikon Coolscan and processed in PS CS
This is an excellent image and my only nit would be the bramble branch across the frame (and bird). However the branch is not too distracting and the shot has a good natural feel about it. Eye contact is spot on.
Did you use a hide or were you able to approach this bird on foot?
Marvellous stuff, although the greens are a bit odd but those eyes are captivating. We have 16 pairs apparantly in our area, yet to see one, maybe one day....
Tim
Posted by David Kjaer on March 8, 2006 at 11:33 AM
Hi Sean
We were able to approach these on foot in the open - they were roosting close to a public footpath with a deep ditch and stream betn us and them so no one tried to get closer! Re the debate about tight feathered with Helge's SEO I have attached an image which I took just after we arrived when the bird I assumed was a little nervous. It was taken one or to metres left of where I took my posted image - you can see the difference when the bird is relaxed. I have shots where the bird has it's eyes closed and others preening but it remained loose feathered! So I concluded from this that they go tight feathered when nervous or alarmed!
David
Posted by Colin Jakes on March 8, 2006 at 11:44 AM
Posted by Danny Green on March 9, 2006 at 12:02 PM
Hello David
Beautiful Image David, love the eye contact and the scan from the slide is spot on, what do you use to scan your images.
Dan
Posted by David Kjaer on March 9, 2006 at 12:27 PM
Hi Danny
I currently use a Nikon Coolscan 5000ED but this may have been scanned on my old 4000ED. While on the subject of scanning I would say that I often find some trannies for reasons beyond me just do not scan well. This I find especially true of Kodachromes even when scanned on the Kodachrome setting!
David
Posted by Danny Green on March 11, 2006 at 5:23 AM
Hi David
On the nikon Coolscan 5000ED are the scans good enough to publish your work e.i send the files to agencies or magazines and are the file sizes upto the job.
Many Thanks
Dan
Posted by David Kjaer on March 11, 2006 at 8:22 AM
Hi Danny
Files are approx 55MB (60MB if you remove trannie from mount), to date I have not had any scans declined by an agency or magazine where they have said the file is not up to standard!
David
Posted by Danny Green on March 11, 2006 at 3:01 PM
Hi David
Many thanks for your help, how much is a Nikon Coolscan 5000ED because I have so many slides to scan it would be better to get one I think
Great shot(s), David. Has that film look to it; seems to have more punch and contrast than the typical digital shot, I think. Lovely scan! Do you find you need to do much post-processing on your scans, or does it come out of the scanner pretty much as you want it? How does it do with Kodachromes? I have virtually given up scanning, as I`m unable to get satisfactory results from my Canoscan FS4000US.
Danny, the Nikon Super Coolscan 5000ED is £695 at Warehouse Express. The Nikon Coolscan V ED is £425, and should also be up to the job, although I`m not sure what the difference between the two is.
Great shot David, i like the brambles as this is how you would normally see them, obstructed by undergrowth. Any shot of a LEO is an achievement. Well done.
Posted by David Kjaer on March 12, 2006 at 1:11 PM
Hi Danny & Jeremy
Although camera wise I am on Canon, I do believe the Nikon scanners are a lot better than Canon. To answer your questions you can use the scanner software to adjust 'level' & 'curves' etc but I use the default settings and PP in PS. How do they come out - seems to be a bit of a lottery for some reason some scan very well and need only a small amount of PP while others need quite a lot of PS work. As a general rule Kodachromes do not scan well and velvia can be difficult!
Price wise my preferred dealer Park Cameras is a little cheaper at the moment £699 with free P & P and if you phone Anthony the manager at the Haywards Heath branch he will sometimes do you a little better!
Discussion
22 repliesCanon EOS1N + 500f4.5 + x1.4 on Provia 100 rated at iso160 scanned on a Nikon Coolscan and processed in PS CS
This is an excellent image and my only nit would be the bramble branch across the frame (and bird). However the branch is not too distracting and the shot has a good natural feel about it. Eye contact is spot on.
Did you use a hide or were you able to approach this bird on foot?
cheers
Sean
Well worth your persistance to get 'the' shot
Alan
Barrie
Great result, beautiful colours and nicely framed by the vegetation.
Best wishes
Phil
an absolutely stunning shot of a beautiful bird.
John
Aberdeen
Paul
NL/Rotterdam
Tim
We were able to approach these on foot in the open - they were roosting close to a public footpath with a deep ditch and stream betn us and them so no one tried to get closer! Re the debate about tight feathered with Helge's SEO I have attached an image which I took just after we arrived when the bird I assumed was a little nervous. It was taken one or to metres left of where I took my posted image - you can see the difference when the bird is relaxed. I have shots where the bird has it's eyes closed and others preening but it remained loose feathered! So I concluded from this that they go tight feathered when nervous or alarmed!
David
A
Beautiful Image David, love the eye contact and the scan from the slide is spot on, what do you use to scan your images.
Dan
I currently use a Nikon Coolscan 5000ED but this may have been scanned on my old 4000ED. While on the subject of scanning I would say that I often find some trannies for reasons beyond me just do not scan well. This I find especially true of Kodachromes even when scanned on the Kodachrome setting!
David
On the nikon Coolscan 5000ED are the scans good enough to publish your work e.i send the files to agencies or magazines and are the file sizes upto the job.
Many Thanks
Dan
Files are approx 55MB (60MB if you remove trannie from mount), to date I have not had any scans declined by an agency or magazine where they have said the file is not up to standard!
David
Many thanks for your help, how much is a Nikon Coolscan 5000ED because I have so many slides to scan it would be better to get one I think
Cheers
Danny
Danny, the Nikon Super Coolscan 5000ED is £695 at Warehouse Express. The Nikon Coolscan V ED is £425, and should also be up to the job, although I`m not sure what the difference between the two is.
Although camera wise I am on Canon, I do believe the Nikon scanners are a lot better than Canon. To answer your questions you can use the scanner software to adjust 'level' & 'curves' etc but I use the default settings and PP in PS. How do they come out - seems to be a bit of a lottery for some reason some scan very well and need only a small amount of PP while others need quite a lot of PS work. As a general rule Kodachromes do not scan well and velvia can be difficult!
Price wise my preferred dealer Park Cameras is a little cheaper at the moment £699 with free P & P and if you phone Anthony the manager at the Haywards Heath branch he will sometimes do you a little better!
David