Flamingo Solo
One bird to rule them all at The San Diego Zoo.
Insta: @thombarbour
Jun, 2016Views
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Winner in mostly black Photo Challenge
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was a late-summer shot taken at the San Diego Zoo in California.Time
It was a beautiful, overcast, southern California day. Perfect for shooting outside. I came upon the birds later in my visit, so there was quite a crowd gathered around. I simply waited until an opening appeared and moved into place, where I stayed maybe 15-20 minutes taking shots.Lighting
This image was shot using only natural lighting a bit after midday. Because it was overcast, harsh shadows were easily avoided. This would be helpful when post processing.Equipment
I handheld my Nikon 750 with a 70–200mm f/2.8 lens.Inspiration
The beautiful plumage and the general density of birds drew me to take the shot. There were a number of eggs nestled between feet on the rocks as well.Editing
Post processing for the image included the creation of a solid black layer over the entire image that was then erased (using a mask in Photoshop) in tiny increments until the main bird was revealed and the lighting molded to give it a dramatic, spotlight effect. I then de-saturated and gradually revealed the bit players in the background. Manipulating the image really benefited from the overcast day. The RAW file was rather flat with almost no shadows which allowed me to heighten the color and dramatic lighting on the bird.In my camera bag
In my camera bag I always have my Sony a7Riii body and two lenses. My favorite is the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 prime for it's ability to expand the story around subjects. I also carry a Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 telephoto zoom because a lot of my paid work is shot from a distance. Accessories include a simple light meter, extra battery and charger, remote shutter release, collapsible reflector (tucked inside an exterior panel of my backpack), grey card, and tabletop tripod.Feedback
The image took little time to shoot since the birds were quite animated. However, it took a lot of patience in post processing to "spotlight" the bird and create a nicely lit balance between the foreground and background.
