Camera:  NIKON D300
Exposure:  1/400 sec at f 8 ISO 200
Exposure Mode:  Shutter Priority
Lens:  Sigma DG 120-400mm 4.5-5.6 APO HSM
Focal Length:  400 mm (35mm Film Equiv:  600mm)

The overexposed background was allowed to wash out.  A sepia Photo Filter brought back the slightest hint of the texture in the water.

I like the bird shots to be slightly over-saturated to bring out the colour and to be super-sharp to bring out the feathers.  Here the sharpening was done using Calvin Hollywood's "Freaky Amazing Details" method of sharpening.  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV9u0Wu8L0M)

Finally, a vignette was created using an adjustment layer set to screen blend mode.

Here are the key layers; from the top down:

* Curve Adjustment Layer set to Screen blend to create vignette
* Photo Filter layer set to Sepia to add some complementary tones
* Curve Layer to Dodge the breast feathers (lighten)
* Sharpened Image layer (Calvin Hollywood)
* Cleaned up image layer.

Posted March 05, 2016 at 4:50 am.