Happy birthday to me!

[EyeofthePotatO]

I think it was the e-mail BDay greeting from Cambridge that gave me the luck to get this shot of a Northern Shoveler this morning. No post production, this is how it came out.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Joanne,

Good composition, but the major problem is there's an over exposed bit there. I get this all the time when photographing birds like this, need to shoot, review, then shoot again with a stop or more of "-EC" - negative exposure compensation, to reduce/avoid it

I have done a bit of PP;


Noise reduction
Desaturated some red edge along the top of white bit caused by over-exposure
Some cloning out of some 'bits in the water'
Local Contrast Enhance in some places
Downsize
Sharpen

With the jpg, there was nothing I could do with the blown bit

Hope that helps,

PS should I wish you Happy birthday?

[MiniChris]

You should always wish someone a Happy Birthday, even though each new one signifies a part of time's neverending march. I like birthdays because they let me know I am still alive and there is at least one more photograph to make...so, from me to Joanne, a very, very Happy Birthday, indeed!

[EyeofthePotatO]

Thank you! I love the feedback and I love that you improved it even more.

And Chris is correct, thank you for the birthday wishes.

[mythlady]

I think that getting feathers on white birds in sunlight is a very difficult thing to master -- I have had a great deal of practice on egrets, and it's still hit or miss, whether I get it right on a particular day. It's more challenging when the bird includes white with the different colors, and blending exposures isn't possible when you're photographing a moving target.

But it's a great capture! And happy birthday.

[EyeofthePotatO]

Thank you, Elise. Would you mind posting some of the egret shots here? I have a lot of herons and egrets but would love to see how it is supposed to be done.