it was shot in Southwest Florida back in 2019 just as COVID was taking hold. I didn’t get a chance to review the images I shot on that trip for quite some time. I’d been trying to get some decent photos of these birds in the wild for quite some time. I finally was in the right place at the right time and spent an hour shooting these lovely creatures. Since I was headed for the beach, I only had a somewhat expendable camera with me, but the Canon EOS M5 performed fairly well (1/500 f 6.3 ISO 400 at 89mm). This camera’s sensor isn’t great so there was quite a bit of noise. I used TOPAZ AI to sharpen and de-noise which usually gives me satisfactory results. This is cropped tight. Although the background mangrove swamp told a story so it had editorial value, I was more interested in highlighting the bird. I’ve included the full shot (mostly unedited) for comparison and will be interested in any cropping suggestions.
9 comments posted
Gerhard Geldenhuys
A nice clear shot of a beautiful bird . We assume that was not captured in RAW .?
From your submission , it is clear that you have faced a challenging exposure ie. White bird and dark background plays havoc with the camera's exposure resulting in over exposure on the plumage of the bird.
The recommendation in situations like this is shoot in RAW and use the centre-weighted metering option to ensure correct exposure and bring out the detail on the plumage of the bird. Posted: 02/15/2025 16:31:59
Grace Cohen
Thank you for your feedback - I thought I was "between the goalposts" of over/underexposure in Lightroom - guess not! This was an older image using my "beach camera" and was not shot raw. I try to only shoot raw now - for good reason.
Posted: 02/22/2025 04:39:33
Larry Treadwell
(Groups 36 & 67)
After looking at the image I'll agree with Gerhard that the back of the bird is slightly over exposed.. However if you open the image in Lightroom, first try using Dehaze and that might bring it back. If not then using masks select the bird, then add texture and reduce the highlights. Good Luck
Posted: 02/18/2025 20:55:34
Grace Cohen
Hi Larry - Thank you for your comments - I have quite a few shots of this wonderful Spoonbill and will look forward to revisiting and editing this whole series. Perhaps I will re-post some "new improved" versions of this and other images I shot that day. The issue is that used a "lesser" camera (my old "Beach shooter") to capture these Spoonbill shots. I'd been trying to get Spoonbills for many years and when I came across this subject, I took the opportunity to shoot as long as I could (just not raw). Perhaps some of the newer Topaz & On1 options will be helpful -does anyone have a preference on which is giving you better results? Posted: 02/22/2025 04:48:07
Sarita Yeola
Grace, A nice image of the spoonbill. I agree with Gerhard and Larry's comments. These are such interesting birds. We had two juveniles visit the local wetlands for two weeks, a couple of summers ago. I had a blast photographing them while they were here. Posted: 02/21/2025 17:24:12
Grace Cohen
Hi Sarita - I'd been hoping to shootSpoonbills for many years and spent over an hour shooting fairly close. Unfortunately, my "beach camera" quality wasn't at par with my usual shoots so I'm somewhat at a disadvantage regarding quality and capabilities in these images. But I will continue working on this series as I love these birds. Posted: 02/22/2025 04:52:00
Jerry Baumann
Grace, your bright bird, contrasted with the dark background, are dramatic! And the reflection under the bird makes it perfect. Posted: 02/22/2025 03:13:13
Grace Cohen
Hi Jerry - Thanks for your comments - I wish I had captured this series of Spoonbill photos with a better camera but used my "beach camera" instead. So the quality and edit-ability isn't what I would prefer.
Posted: 02/22/2025 04:54:26
Dr Isaac Vaisman
Grace, spoonbills are a treat to photograph. I have nothing additional to add to what has been expressed. Posted: 02/22/2025 14:50:38
