Challenge for Pictures in a Series: Motif or Concept CALL TO EDIT AN EAGLE PICTURE! : Download the RAW FILES from we transfer.com link below

[Jim Olson]

I was really lucky yesterday, because I wanted to get some shots of an eagle with my new Canon 100-400mm & I found one. But I'm not sure about the editing.
I like them darker but Will says I should lighten them up more.
This first one is just the JPG from my camera.

The next one is almost half way for the exposure and cropped.

This one is full lightening on the exposure and cropped.

I like having more blue in the sky, but it is a little dark.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Jim,

Superb.

What a grand bird!

Do you have the RAW file? It would be great if folk could each edit it their own way and then post their creative take and how they did it!

Asher

 

[Jim Olson]

That would work but the URL from wetransfer.com is only good for (x) amount of days. Not sure but maybe 7days.

I did send it to you and Will and here is the link but it is only good for 7 days.
https://we.tl/t-iFbRrqpPoS

 

[Asher Kelman]

Jim,

Just finding an Eagle for me would be a success!

The challenge is go get fine detail and clean color in the feathers.

Here your 50 D is struggling. I wonder if most of this isn’t noise at high ISO?

Looking at the EXIF file you shot this at 1/500 Sec, f8.0 and 1600 ISO.

Since the bird was hardly moving, one could, perhaps use 1/125 Sec at ISO 400 or even 1/60 at ISO 200.

But focus may not yet be optimal.

I would keep taking shots to grab one in the sharpest focus!

I wish Will Thompson could join you with a 1DXIII! That would nail the focus as sharp as a tack!

Ashe

 

[Asher Kelman]

Jim,

Thanks so much for the pleasure of working with a genuine American Eagle! To me it’s a real treat! I have already worked out how long it would take to drive to join you as this bird fascinates me!

Processing from RAW is a challenge because of the noise on the 50D at ISO 1600!

Photoshop CC 2020 with either its own noise suppression or using Topaz or Nik filters were failures in my hands. To get rid of noise, detail was lost too readily although of the three Nik behaved the best by far.
However, Capture One 2020 left the others in the dust. I still returned to my home territory of Photoshop for adjusting dynamic range, but that’s only that I have not kept up with the advances in Phase One’s interfacevin Calture One.

Having said that, I’d sell off my kids pet dogs to get a Canon 7D to put better focus and pixels on the fabulous bird.

 

[Asher Kelman]

The other factor might be that with a 15MP camera and the bird being just about 1/20 of that field, there are about 0.75MP devoted to detailing the bird.

Capturing a more detailed shot is tough with a 50 D!

This task would benefit from more pixels and a longer lens at ISO 400. For birds where the feathers provide the color, texture and interest, one needs to allocate more pixels, I would guess at least double what we have here. That means a 20MP finer focussing 7DII, used for < $600 ......get a little closer!

Just the same I am thrilled to have processed your picture and just love that bird. You did very well despite the challenges!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Jim,

My wife nudged me this morning as I sent her your eagle picture, that I processed:

“Why can’t you take shots like that? That Eagle is simply amazing!”

She knows nothing about “noise” .........

..... except when I accidentally disturb her “Zoom” meetings for work!

She is so right! Also she knows nothing about “pixel peeping” either. The fact is you shot a fabulous picture!

Asher

 

[Jim Olson]

Jim,

My wife nudged me this morning as I sent her your eagle picture, that I processed:

View attachment 6045​

“Why can’t you take shots like that? That Eagle is simply amazing!”

She knows nothing about “noise” .........

..... except when I accidentally disturb her “Zoom” meetings for work!

She is so right! Also she knows nothing about “pixel peeping” either. The fact is you shot a fabulous picture!

Asher

She sounds like an amazing person.
And you did a great job on editing my eagle shot...
Thank you,
Jim

 

[Jim Olson]

Jim,

Just finding an Eagle for me would be a success!

The challenge is go get fine detail and clean color in the feathers.

Here your 50 D is struggling. I wonder if most of this isn’t noise at high ISO?

Looking at the EXIF file you shot this at 1/500 Sec, f8.0 and 1600 ISO.

Since the bird was hardly moving, one could, perhaps use 1/125 Sec at ISO 400 or even 1/60 at ISO 200.

But focus may not yet be optimal.

I would keep taking shots to grab one in the sharpest focus!

I wish Will Thompson could join you with a 1DXIII! That would nail the focus as sharp as a tack!

Ashe

The trees and the eagle was moving because it was very windy and raining. I had to shoot from inside my SUV.

 

[Jim Olson]

Side note. I did have two eagles fly over my house while I was out walking my kitten but didn't have my 50D, just my cellphone

Not the greatest shot but you can see they are eagles.

Then I did get a few shots from very far away of some eagles after taking pictures of my favorite Lighthouse. And the sunlight had changed by that time.

 

[Asher Kelman]

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Superb lighthouse picture. Looks like pristine Iceland!

 

[Jim Olson]

View attachment 6059
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Superb lighthouse picture. Looks like pristine Iceland!

That is the same Lighthouse that a few of the members played with the RAW file to edit out the poles if you remember. The new lens works well LOL

 

[Jim Olson]

Here is a shot from 2 months ago...

 

[Jim Olson]

I got lucky today & got up close with a couple of eagles

It was looking at me like "Who are you and why are you taking my picture?"

 

[Jim Olson]

Technically it was 3 eagles and this one was hunting.