Show your Bird Portraits

[Jack Douglas]

Teaching a love for nature would go a long way in solving the problems in this troubled world. Recently, observing spring in Alberta just floods my soul with gratitude and thankfulness; what a pleasure to be out in it! And the bird photos do their part too.

Jack

 

[Cog]

Teaching a love for nature would go a long way in solving the problems in this troubled world. Recently, observing spring in Alberta just floods my soul with gratitude and thankfulness; what a pleasure to be out in it! And the bird photos do their part too.

Jack

Yep, that's why I'm doing bird photography. 8)

 

[Jack Douglas]

Teaching a love for nature would go a long way in solving the problems in this troubled world. Recently, observing spring in Alberta just floods my soul with gratitude and thankfulness; what a pleasure to be out in it! And the bird photos do their part too.

Jack

Нузб that's why I'm doing bird photography. 8)

Only one negative - it's addictive.

Jack

 

[Vern]

Tricolored Heron, 1DX, 600 II + 1.4X III, ISO 640, f8, 1/800.

 

[Vern]

one more

 

[Vern]

turns blue in the sun

 

[Mikehit]

so does the grass

 

[WRS]

First Light by William Sircy, on Flickr

This picture was taken in a small oasis in the middle of the Atacama desert in Chile, one of the driest places on Earth.

 

[Click]

Very nice picture, William.

 

[Vern]

so does the grass

Just reprocessed using "click white balance" on the white feathers in each image rather than AWB setting and checked that all else was the same. Of course, the grass color is also affected by the ambient light. I used DPP4, happy to have advice on other processing options, but I think this color change was authentic (or as authentic as this medium permits). I will admit it seems surprising.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Very nice picture, William.

Keep posting.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

so does the grass

Just reprocessed using "click white balance" on the white feathers in each image rather than AWB setting and checked that all else was the same. Of course, the grass color is also affected by the ambient light. I used DPP4, happy to have advice on other processing options, but I think this color change was authentic (or as authentic as this medium permits). I will admit it seems surprising.

I'm interested in knowing what's happening too.

Jack

 

[Cog]

Teaching a love for nature would go a long way in solving the problems in this troubled world. Recently, observing spring in Alberta just floods my soul with gratitude and thankfulness; what a pleasure to be out in it! And the bird photos do their part too.

Jack

Yep, that's why I'm doing bird photography. 8)

Only one negative - it's addictive.

Jack

And expensive

 

[Mikehit]

In the first picture the top half of the bird's bill is coming out grey-blue blue and from most pictures on the web that seems to be quite accurate. But I also note that in breeding colours the bill seems to turn definite blue like the second one even if the plumage is not so vivid. Tricky one to call.

As you say, it may well be a combination of the ambient light (you have bright sunlight with water reflection and shadows) combined with the limitations of the medium. And calibration of your computer screen (and mine!).

A list of attempts I try is set white balance using as a midpoint something that is preferably 50% grey, or if that does not work something that is not pure white but has approximately equal values for RGB (some of the feathers on the underside are coming at around 69, 70, 70).
Or copy the white balance settings from the first to the second.
As a last resort I sometimes have to resort to some very gentle tweaking of (in Lightroom) the temperature and tint to finish it off.

I have played around with the image and although the plumage becomes less vivid the grass retains a blue-ish tint so maybe it is one of those grasses...

 

[Vern]

so does the grass

Just reprocessed using "click white balance" on the white feathers in each image rather than AWB setting and checked that all else was the same. Of course, the grass color is also affected by the ambient light. I used DPP4, happy to have advice on other processing options, but I think this color change was authentic (or as authentic as this medium permits). I will admit it seems surprising.

I'm interested in knowing what's happening too.

Jack

Well, I did the obvious and reprocessed after selecting "daylight" as the color balance. Looks less blue now. The first version was AWB, second was click white balance on the under feathers. Feathers can create color by diffractive mechanisms that can change in direct light, but my first post was too blue nevertheless. Thanks Mikehit and Jack.

 

[Mikehit]

That's more like it. ;D

 

[Sporgon]

Shot on G3X. Handheld, 220 mm ( 600 mil 35 mm equivalent) 1/640th, f/5.6 ( wide open) ISO 640

 

[Vern]

one more of the tricolor heron - I like the bubbles. They are vigorous feeders - this one dashed around and caught ~4 little fish in 15 min. ISO 640, f8, 1/400.

 

[Northbird]

7DII + 600 F4 IS


Black-headed grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) by Tony Varela Photography, on Flickr

 

[Mikehit]

I like that one Vern. The coloured tips of the feathers add a wonderful texture to the plumage.