Birds Roosting in the Sunset Sky: Very noisy and constant fights over the best roosting branches.

RedArrow Loc: Coastal Louisiana

Very noisy and constant fights over the best roosting branches.

(Download)

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

I was drawn to the colors on this when I first opened the page, but the download was a little disappointing. The birds are a little dark and could use some brightening. I think this would benefit from cropping some off the left and the top. I see take off in this photo, but from your title I would assume they are coming in to roost. I wish the stick wasn't running through the wing feathers of the left bird and I wish the third bird was gone or more prominent in the image. I love the colors of the sunset behind the birds. I think with a little work this one could be a wall hanger.

dave sproul Loc: Tucson AZ

Cropping some off the top and left may make the composition better in that the birds may seem to be landing. I like the color. If you decide to lighten the bird, I would do it in small incremental steps. The total photograph may be could use some slight lighting. I think the limb/stick in the feathers of the bird gives the photograph some additional depth. I like the blur of the wing in that it provides some motion.

It may be a wall hanger now depending on the size and the normal viewing distance you determine.

RedArrow Loc: Coastal Louisiana

Thanks Country's Mama, I used a ISO of 1600 and after looking at all my photos I could have lower it to 400 or 800.
The sun had set so my light was fading fast. The birds where fighting over perches and not flying fast. It is a new lens and need to learn how better to use it.

Country's Mama wrote:

I was drawn to the colors on this when I first ope... (show quote)

RedArrow Loc: Coastal Louisiana

Thanks dave sproul, This was the first time I use this new lens and looking back I could have made better use of my settings. The birds roost there every night so I have many more chances to get it right.

dave sproul wrote:

Cropping some off the top and left may make the co... (show quote)

MtnMan Loc: ID

RedArrow wrote:

Very noisy and constant fights over the best roosting branches.

Great place and moment to capture.

The composition doesn't attract the eye as well as it could because then birds are centered. Follow the crop suggestions and get them in the lower left by cropping up and to the right from the lower left corner.

The technical execution needs improvement because the birds are too dark. It might have been better to spot meter on the birds. You should be able to fix it some by lightening the shadows; more so if your original image was taken in RAW. There is quite a bit of detail there in the birds but significant noise also. You should apply noise reduction and probably then will need to add clarity or sharpen.

The impact will improve if you brighten the birds and make the sky more dramatic. You could do with the graduated filter for the sky and a radial filter or the brush for the birds if you have Lightroom, or even better using Layers in Elements or something like it.

You might enjoy posting it in the Post Processing forum and see what folks can do with it. You aren't allowed to do that here.

RedArrow Loc: Coastal Louisiana

Thanks for the info MtnMan

MtnMan wrote:

Great place and moment to capture. br br The com... (show quote)

Nightski

Yes, thank you MtnMan, for helping us to inform people. :-)

We have had some discussion about NVD in this section. I think this is a case where we should view the image at NVD ... why? It is beautiful at NVD. The colors, the softness look of the birds taking off at dusk. This is a very realistic rendition of the scene ... to lighten those birds would ruin it I think. The birds are in focus and they are very well exposed for in this light. If it wasn't for the bird at the bottom that is cut off at the neck and the placement of the birds in the frame, I would say this is a perfectly done bird shot at dusk.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

John, I think the posted image is an enjoyable one to view, with it's interesting subjects, good & balanced composition with framing by the branches, and lovely image enhancing lighting. The problem for me, is that it appears that both of the birds are not sharply focused, especially in the area of the heads. Perhaps the focus point was off and at this focal length, aperture, and guessed (by me) distance you have little depth of field to work with. Or, as there is minimal noise for ISO 1600, use of noise reduction in post processing without some reciprocal sharpening, may have dulled the subjects. 8-)

Nightski

Is it a focus problem or is it noise making the image look soft? It's hard for me to tell, but as I said, in NVD the image is quite beautiful.

Of course stopping down your lens would have give you less light, exacerbating the noise problem. The ISO is already at 1600 .... I suppose it depends on how the OP's camera handles noise at an even higher ISO. I think this is very well captured in the available light.

RedArrow Loc: Coastal Louisiana

The more I look at this photo I see where I should have used a lower ISO 800 or 400 and lowered the F-stop to F2.8 for better IQ.

Nightski wrote:

Yes, thank you MtnMan, for helping us to inform pe... (show quote)

RedArrow Loc: Coastal Louisiana

You are right the image is soft and moving birds did not help. The camera and the lens was not the problem it was all me but I still like the image. Lucky the birds roost there every night so unlike a wedding I get a redo next time the sunset puts on a show.

Nightski wrote:

Is it a focus problem or is it noise making the image look soft? It's hard for me to tell, but as I said, in NVD the image is quite beautiful.

Of course stopping down your lens would have give you less light, exacerbating the noise problem. The ISO is already at 1600 .... I suppose it depends on how the OP's camera handles noise at an even higher ISO. I think this is very well captured in the available light.

RedArrow Loc: Coastal Louisiana

I agree with everything you noticed. Next time the sun puts on a show in the evening I will be there and the birds will too. I plan on lowering the ISO and lower the F-stop keep the shutter speed up.

Bmac wrote:

John, I think the posted image is an enjoyable one... (show quote)

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

RedArrow wrote:

I agree with everything you noticed. Next time the sun puts on a show in the evening I will be there and the birds will too. I plan on lowering the ISO and lower the F-stop keep the shutter speed up.

Keep in mind that by opening your aperture even further it will make it more difficult to achieve sharp focus on the birds. Lowering your ISO is a good idea if you can and you will have room to reduce your exposure time (which was at 1/1600 sec) while maintaining your f/stop rather than widening it.

By the way, I think this image would look very nice as a full silhouette. 8-)

Nightski

Isn't the Nikon D800E,300mm f/2.8 lens an excellent combination for shooting in low light? Isn't it true that ISO 1600 is barely taking the camera out of "first gear" as far as ISO goes? So really, if the OP wants to crank the ISO and have the white birds in focus without doing a silhouette, couldn't it be said that this camera-lens combo is certainly capable?