Could I do better - birds in the woods

[Astacus]

We were rummaging gently in a piece of forest looking for the rosy thrush tanager (tick!) and on the way back, came across this delightful olivaceous piculet (smallest woodpecker in CR), busying itself in the background. As ever, shoot first, worry about the image later... so here's the before and after.

Image
Alpha 1 (after hitting the deck a few days earlier), 200-600 (brand new, purchase as a response to a shattered 600 f4) RAW, 1/250th, f6.4, ISO 3200 (the highest I normally let ISO float to in auto ISO) EV -0.3 in a vain attempt to get a faster shutter.

Process: (all in Lightroom, inc plug ins)

1. Minor adjustment to exposure to see what I am doing
2. Crop (all following processes faster with a cropped image)
3. Topaz NR (I just use standard processing, every time, works well)
4. Adjust WB on bird feathers - repeat!
5. Mask tools (background, then subject) to reduce background and to enhance colours in subject
6. Topaz Sharpen (I rarely use the standard settings, too aggressive). Often find that 'motion blur' or 'soft focus' provie that gentle enhancement in crispness.

What do you think? Am I missing any tricks. THis is a situation I often encounter in bird photography.

Thanks in advance
Rob

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/250 sec
• ISO 3200

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/250 sec
• ISO 3200

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/250 sec
• ISO 3200

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I think it is totally wonderful! Photo and processing. Even the noise in the crop background is reasonably fine-grain and even, although of course it is better de-noised.

I have only one could-do-better comment to offer: something has happened to the background behind the tip and open part of the bird's beak. It made me look to the "before" image, and no, that bright spot was not there.

 

[Astacus]

Ahh yes, my error. I do find that LR's masking sometime misses deep invaginations, like that open beak. I normally adjust the mask by 'adding' or 'substracting' as required, but in this instance, I missed it! Well spotted!

 

[Richard A]

If you wanted to get really picky, as well as around the tip of the beak, the masking could be improved on the bird's throat, around the head and on the back of the neck. This could prove pretty difficult though as these are feathers. If it was me, the first thing I would try to do is darken the bright patch in the background bottom right corner.

 

[Sdawes]

Agree with Richards points above but a real great result from the raw imageto the final version.