Graham Harris
December 2024 - “Tui on NZ Flax plant”
About the Image(s)
The Tui is a medium sized songbird endemic to New Zealand. It is blue, green and bronze coloured and feeds on a range of native plants. It is particularly fond of the New Zealand flax plant when flowering as in the image taken.
It was photographed with Sony A7RV and a Sony 200-600mm lens (at 400mm) hand held. Light was fading fast so an ISO of 8000 was used, at 1/2000s and F8.0. The aim was to capture the subject on its preferred feeding site “ the image was cropped to a portrait mode to fill the frame and processed using Lightroom Classic and Topaz AI to reduce digital noise and sharpen the subject. The Tui was quite elusive and didn’t wait around long to be photographed.
12 comments posted
Allen Kurth
Good image of a difficult subject. You have detail in the blacks and whites. I would recommend that you increase light in the shadows. I've attached an example. Posted: 12/09/2024 20:09:05
Graham Harris
Thanks Allan - I'll consider your suggestion about the shadows - I didn't want to overdo this but it will bring out some of the detail there. Posted: 12/23/2024 22:19:20
James Nelson
Nice image of an unusual bird. The aperture was fairly closed but you still got a nice transition from subject to out of focus zone. Good range of tones in your edit. The catch light from the sky is awesome. Great overall. Posted: 12/10/2024 18:49:11
Graham Harris
Thanks for your feedback - yes it is an unusual bird that I had never seen before. They are quite spectacular. Posted: 12/23/2024 22:20:45
Deborah Albert
(Groups 1 & 3)
(Groups 1 & 3)
I agree with the above and absolutely love this. If you can, I would also bring down the highlights upper left corner. Posted: 12/11/2024 18:28:11
Graham Harris
A good point about the highlights at upper left - I'll have a go at toning them down. Posted: 12/23/2024 22:21:28
I agree with the others' comments, though I don't have a strong preference for one edit over the other. I do feel your crop is a little too tight, expecially in front of the bird.
Lillian Posted: 12/16/2024 19:46:27
Lillian Posted: 12/16/2024 19:46:27
Graham Harris
Thanks Lillian - the original image was in landscape orientation - I'll reconsider the crop to give a little more space at right. Posted: 12/23/2024 22:22:21
Hi Graham,
Lovely image. I do agree with the comments about lightening the shadows. I like Allen's example. Posted: 12/18/2024 17:57:55
Lovely image. I do agree with the comments about lightening the shadows. I like Allen's example. Posted: 12/18/2024 17:57:55
Graham Harris
Thanks Tom - yes I'll look at opening the shadows a little more. Posted: 12/23/2024 22:23:06
Howard Frank
What a great image. This is a bird I have never seen before in my part of the world. The colors and detail are great and good depth of field decisions. Posted: 12/23/2024 13:06:17
Graham Harris
Thanks Howard - yes it is a very interesting bird. Quite elusive but has the ability to mimic the calls of other birds. It was a real treat to see this one on the New Zealand flax plant flowers. Posted: 12/23/2024 22:24:25