Posted by Neil Burton on December 17, 2012 at 3:59 AM
Five years ago I watched a green woodpecker destroy an ant hill in sub zero temperatures. Next day I sat in my new popup hide opposite said ant hill and waited for it. It did not come back. I have never managed to get one in front of the lens. Until yesterday. I managed 1 shot on this perch, cropped from landscape (I was not going to miss it) then it was gone.
Now I await a black one.
1DIV, 500 f4. Exif intact.
One more thing. This is the first shot I have ever noticed moire in the feathers (thankfully LR has a brush). But I have lost alot of detail in resizing, wish I could sharpen for web better.
Congrats on that Neil, the black ones are really coo though.
Perhaps a light higher on the elevation to get all of the tail in. Love the BKG, wish that was also in the FG too. I might also be tempted just to tone the brighter parts of the orange down a little more. On the laptop it looks just a fraction over sharp, just a fraction IMHO.
TFS
Steve
Posted by Neil Burton on December 17, 2012 at 7:51 AM
Steve for some reason Photoshop was set to bicubic sharper, don't tell Mr A for gawds sake, I forgot what he said and just checked ;)
Forground highlights have been darkened, I nearly cloned them out, work to do I guess. Next time I hope she sits on that foreground where she is supposed to sit...women! re-post will come ASAP ;)
Neil I think you let the cat out of the bag by replying, prepare for a spanking. Grab the nearest DVD (anyone will do) to deflect that beating. Will lookout for the RP.
Posted by Nick Mckeown on December 17, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Well scratched Sir!! Very, very, very rare up here Neil and I would be delighted with that image.
Nick.
Posted by Neil Burton on December 17, 2012 at 2:20 PM
Ok Steve, I really really cannot resize for web and keep those feather details, sending me potty. They just mash. Anyway, slight cooling of the image, darkened a few spots, thanks for the comments.
At the end of the day, the image could be award winning, but to fall that this simple hurdle is a crying shame and you are not doing justice to both the subject and more importantly, to yourself!!!
Posted by Neil Burton on December 17, 2012 at 4:12 PM
It has been said I am a numpty....
Posted by Andy Astbury on December 17, 2012 at 6:58 PM
Will you bunch stop taking my name in vain, otherwise you'll both be getting spanked
Neil, just send the file to jpeg via the export module in LR - set your longest side to the dimension you want and output sharpening to Screen>Normal and then see how it looks. If it's a little too sharp then redo the export with output sharpening set to Screen>Low.
But before you do all that just make sure that you really have got the full rez sharpening optimised in LR first. Make sure you are sharpening only the high frequency detail and use the luma noise reduction to counterbalance any excesses in the low frequency detail; you've bought the bloomin' DVD so use it and watch the lesson again if you are unsure
Of course we could always try shooting it right in the first place - oh, sorry, you can't can you; being a non-Nikon user
Be quiet Judith, I'll deal with you later............
Posted by Phil Shaw on December 18, 2012 at 8:11 AM
I think you'll find that this is a shot of a male Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus), not a Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis).
Posted by Andy Shepherd on December 18, 2012 at 8:49 AM
The repost looks very good, Neil. Cudos to Phil for the ID too. If you don't have Grey-headed Woodpecker on file then result, if you do, then the long wait for Green Woodpecker continues
Either way it's a glorious image
Andy...
Posted by Neil Burton on December 18, 2012 at 10:17 AM
My world has now crumbled. Thanks Phil. did not even know of their existence.
My itch hurts.
Thanks all.
Posted by Neil Burton on December 18, 2012 at 10:32 AM
Is of course possible I saw one of these 5 years ago and therefore got what I wanted afterall?
Posted by Andy Astbury on December 18, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Nice one Phil - I nearly split my sides when I saw your reply
Posted by Neil Burton on December 18, 2012 at 3:30 PM
I will not use Mr A's name in vain..... today at least
Posted by Andy Astbury on December 19, 2012 at 3:17 AM
Hey, I've got to be the very worst bird ID'er on the planet Unless it has talons and a hooked beak I'm worse than useless, so an ID guide "par moi" would just have two sections, LBJ and Non-LBJ.
One thing though; I was watching Mary Berry and Paul Hollywoods Crimbo baking on telly last night, and Mary decorated her chocolate ganache log with a Robin that had a green head - now I know that's wrong
Posted by Neil Burton on December 19, 2012 at 4:07 AM
Green headed robin, wonder how long it will take me to find one of those?
Discussion
17 repliesNow I await a black one.
1DIV, 500 f4. Exif intact.
One more thing. This is the first shot I have ever noticed moire in the feathers (thankfully LR has a brush). But I have lost alot of detail in resizing, wish I could sharpen for web better.
Perhaps a light higher on the elevation to get all of the tail in. Love the BKG, wish that was also in the FG too. I might also be tempted just to tone the brighter parts of the orange down a little more. On the laptop it looks just a fraction over sharp, just a fraction IMHO.
TFS
Steve
Forground highlights have been darkened, I nearly cloned them out, work to do I guess. Next time I hope she sits on that foreground where she is supposed to sit...women! re-post will come ASAP ;)
Nick.
At the end of the day, the image could be award winning, but to fall that this simple hurdle is a crying shame and you are not doing justice to both the subject and more importantly, to yourself!!!
Neil, just send the file to jpeg via the export module in LR - set your longest side to the dimension you want and output sharpening to Screen>Normal and then see how it looks. If it's a little too sharp then redo the export with output sharpening set to Screen>Low.
But before you do all that just make sure that you really have got the full rez sharpening optimised in LR first. Make sure you are sharpening only the high frequency detail and use the luma noise reduction to counterbalance any excesses in the low frequency detail; you've bought the bloomin' DVD so use it and watch the lesson again if you are unsure
Of course we could always try shooting it right in the first place - oh, sorry, you can't can you; being a non-Nikon user
Be quiet Judith, I'll deal with you later............
The repost looks very good, Neil. Cudos to Phil for the ID too. If you don't have Grey-headed Woodpecker on file then result, if you do, then the long wait for Green Woodpecker continues
Either way it's a glorious image
Andy...
My itch hurts.
Thanks all.
Now we all know what to buy Nelly for Crimbo
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/i-spy+birds/6927207/?gclid=CJPj49OppLQCFQ7LtAoddGsA6A
Hey, now there's a thought for 2013 Mr A.
One thing though; I was watching Mary Berry and Paul Hollywoods Crimbo baking on telly last night, and Mary decorated her chocolate ganache log with a Robin that had a green head - now I know that's wrong