Manuel came by for a visit

[OBie]

Heard a loud bird singing constantly just outside this morning. Found this Carolina Wren having an apparent discussion with another. Mostly I wanted to post this because it's totally manual! And this is why I need lasix surgery on my eyes.

[OBie]

Hmmm. Looks dark. Today my goal is to install my new PS Elements and learn the basics.

[Loupey]

Mostly I wanted to post this because it's totally manual!

Well ALRIGHT! Looks sharp to me - just needs a little post processing to bring out the details. It appears that there is a out-of-focus branch in the foreground which makes the chest look soft.

As for eye surgery, I can vouch for it. I've been wearing glasses since 8th grade and they were always getting scratched up. About 4 years ago I had the laser surgery performed. What a difference! It's like a miracle Now I can shove my eye as far into the viewfinder as I want.

[Copy_Kot]

LOL, Manuel is making the rounds again :lol:

I like the image, it doesn't look too dark to me.

[Loupey]

Oh, I forgot to menion that this is a GREAT example of why manual focusing is often better/faster than AF for nature applications. All those branches in the f/g and b/g and all around make AF go crazy

[OBie]

As a comparison, this is the first shot I took - manual settings, but AF. I don't know how to show extreme close-ups, but when I compare the two highly magnified, the manual focus is much clearer. So even a blind woman can take a manual photo.

[Loupey]

This shot is actually very well exposed.

Now go have fun with your PS

[OBie]

Layers? What the heck are layers and where do I find them? And "unsharp mask"? Why would I want to 'unsharp' a photo? Don't we always want them sharper? Oh I have so much to learn and do.

BTW - both of these had minor exposure correction as it's overcast and rainy today.

[Bevb]

What a cracking little bird, wrens really are great, really like the last image, i dont think they are over dark, a good job done here, as i have found manual a world on its own!! but i have percivered with it and without knowing i have'nt used any other settings for the past 4 days! i have noticed the focus much more accurate and exposure on whites/blacks much more accurate as well.

I agree on not oversharpening images, but i wouldnt be without my CS2, you may take a brilliant long awaited image of something which is sharp as a knife, but the highlights need tweeking, better to tweek a little and have a printable image, (it took me ages to work things out in the software) and lets not forget even the best photographers all rely on PP Software!.