Your R System Images - February 2025

[PKM-UK]

This creature was deep in the reeds and I could only get this face shot. The claws on these things. Velociraptor's cousin.

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Hi Only RF,

A terrific shot of a wonderful creature (well, unless you happen to sit in its food-chain... ).

Scintillating colours and pleasing eye catch-light, with plenty of detail evident amid the tangle of reeds.

Well seen and caught - thank you for sharing...

P&K

 

[David Berry]

Photobombed by a Seagull…

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It's not often that I get to use one of my tele-zooms at its 'short end'. Today was the exception.

Sunrise was at 5:32 am, with low tide thirty minutes later… an excuse for a trip to the bay. My arrival was timed perfectly, but the sunrise was simply not happening! So much for 'time and tide wait for no one'. A thick bank of cloud over the Pacific — more accurately, over the warm waters of the East Australian Current — had postponed the sun's appearance!

As one can note from the newly-introduced time stamps in the EXIF data, my first photo was taken exactly ten minutes after the sun was supposed to have 'shown up'!

The break in the clouds that can be seen in the image marks the division between continent and ocean: the light clouds have drifted out from the mainland over Moreton Bay as far as the huge sand islands — not visible but certainly there! — that divide the bay from the Pacific.

And one more thing: a Silver Gull, our common 'seagull', photobombed the scene (top left while I was paying attention to the histogram in the top right corner of the EVF)… and I didn't have the nerve to clone it out in ‘post’.

… David

 

[David Berry]

Low-level Fly-past (just checking) …

The cheeky fella from the previous post came to check me out later. No food? No need to stop, then!

Even though this photo was taken at 7:45 am (two hours later), the light was still dull (but I was facing west with the soft light from behind).

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Silver Gull : Manorina melanocephala
Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia​

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[NGauger101010]

The SS United States was finally towed down the river today
Here is the website withall the information and history of this great ship:

SS United States - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It was kind of sad to see her go by.

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[Only RF]

Faro Airport, Portugal

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[Hali]

The SS United States was finally towed down the river today
Here is the website withall the information and history of this great ship:

SS United States - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It was kind of sad to see her go by.

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Nice images. They are going to sink her and make her into an artificial reef aren't they?

 

[Hali]

Faro Airport, Portugal

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Great, crisp shots of the plane. You did a great job with the panning!

 

[Hali]

Low-level Fly-past (just checking) …

The cheeky fella from the previous post came to check me out later. No food? No need to stop, then!

Even though this photo was taken at 7:45 am (two hours later), the light was still dull (but I was facing west with the soft light from behind).

View attachment 35062

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Silver Gull : Manorina melanocephala
Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia​

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Beautiful and crisp image. Lovely soft light and great feather detail.

 

[NGauger101010]

Nice images. They are going to sink her and make her into an artificial reef aren't they?

Yes, She's going to sleep with the fishes, so they'll have a safe place to live

 

[NGauger101010]

Beautiful and crisp image. Lovely soft light and great feather detail.

I agree! Beautiful plane pictures!!!

 

[David Berry]

Bar-tailed Godwits…

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Bar-tailed Godwits : Limosa lapponica
LEFT: female // RIGHT: male
Conservation Status : Near Threatened
Tidal Flats : Moreton Bay, Queensland
2025-02-17 06:10 am​

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Australia's Bar-tailed Godwits are still fattening up — they're renowned for starting their extremely arduous trans-Pacific flight well over customary weight limits. You need plenty of fuel to fly 10,000km!

I'm tempted to refer to these two as a pair, but that is probably altogether unscientific! Anyway, they're in early breeding plumage: female on left and male on right. I've read that these godwits are quick to see off other species in their northern nesting areas: in Australia they are gentle waders, intent only on fattening up on whatever the mudflats have on offer.

LrC gives the focus distance as 25 metres (same for both images): that's about what I remember.

Water temperature ± 28 degrees (based on toe test and internet).

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I've encountered negative comments elsewhere concerning the RF200-800's small aperture (f/9 at 800mm), but I am of the opinion that one often needs the increased depth of field afforded by such a small aperture in order to get a flying bird in focus from wingtip to wingtip. As always, focus on the eye!

Dare I add that the top image is a 'focus stack' of two images: #1 (female–left) + #2 (male–right). The camera-to-bird distances were slightly different, so it wasn't possible to get both in focus in the same image without using a ridiculously small aperture that would have robbed the background of any semblance of bokeh! Multiple images; then select the best two and ask Ps for assistance.

 

[PKM-UK]

Photobombed by a Seagull…

View attachment 35019

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It's not often that I get to use one of my tele-zooms at its 'short end'. Today was the exception.

Sunrise was at 5:32 am, with low tide thirty minutes later… an excuse for a trip to the bay. My arrival was timed perfectly, but the sunrise was simply not happening! So much for 'time and tide wait for no one'. A thick bank of cloud over the Pacific — more accurately, over the warm waters of the East Australian Current — had postponed the sun's appearance!

As one can note from the newly-introduced time stamps in the EXIF data, my first photo was taken exactly ten minutes after the sun was supposed to have 'shown up'!

The break in the clouds that can be seen in the image marks the division between continent and ocean: the light clouds have drifted out from the mainland over Moreton Bay as far as the huge sand islands — not visible but certainly there! — that divide the bay from the Pacific.

And one more thing: a Silver Gull, our common 'seagull', photobombed the scene (top left while I was paying attention to the histogram in the top right corner of the EVF)… and I didn't have the nerve to clone it out in ‘post’.

… David

Hi David,

Beautiful and scintillating colours - love the drama of the medusa rays!

(Exactly the same as our sunrise this morning - except we didn't have a break in the clouds... ).


You've got to be out there to see it - so well done on the early start and thank you for sharing...

P&K

(PS. Being a bit of an OCD fiddler, I'd Photoshop the gull over to the right hand side so it was 'incoming'... Phil).

 

[PKM-UK]

Low-level Fly-past (just checking) …

The cheeky fella from the previous post came to check me out later. No food? No need to stop, then!

Even though this photo was taken at 7:45 am (two hours later), the light was still dull (but I was facing west with the soft light from behind).

View attachment 35062

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Silver Gull : Manorina melanocephala
Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia​

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HI David,

A nailed on BIF - we know you shouldn't read too much into these things, but there does seem to be a cheeky 'got ya!' grin on the subject's face...

Nonetheless, you also 'got it' - twice! - and thank you for sharing...

P&K

 

[PKM-UK]

The SS United States was finally towed down the river today
Here is the website withall the information and history of this great ship:

SS United States - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It was kind of sad to see her go by.

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View attachment 35070

Hi Mike,

A timely and sobering post. We've seen a few YouTube pieces on this beautiful and striking vessel - and in fact it made the BBC News today.

Very sad it could not be saved as a 'historic ship', but at least it will eventually provide interest to divers (and fish) and not be broken as scrap.

You did well to spot and capture the event - and thank you for sharing it for us all to see here...

P&K

 

[PKM-UK]

Faro Airport, Portugal

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Hi Only RF,

A series of spot on 'BIF' shots - rich in detail and colour, with pleasing background action blur.

Thank you for sharing...

P&K

 

[PKM-UK]

Bar-tailed Godwits…

View attachment 35079

---

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Bar-tailed Godwits : Limosa lapponica
LEFT: female // RIGHT: male
Conservation Status : Near Threatened
Tidal Flats : Moreton Bay, Queensland
2025-02-17 06:10 am​

---

---

Australia's Bar-tailed Godwits are still fattening up — they're renowned for starting their extremely arduous trans-Pacific flight well over customary weight limits. You need plenty of fuel to fly 10,000km!

I'm tempted to refer to these two as a pair, but that is probably altogether unscientific! Anyway, they're in early breeding plumage: female on left and male on right. I've read that these godwits are quick to see off other species in their northern nesting areas: in Australia they are gentle waders, intent only on fattening up on whatever the mudflats have on offer.

LrC gives the focus distance as 25 metres (same for both images): that's about what I remember.

Water temperature ± 28 degrees (based on toe test and internet).

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---

View attachment 35081

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I've encountered negative comments elsewhere concerning the RF200-800's small aperture (f/9 at 800mm), but I am of the opinion that one often needs the increased depth of field afforded by such a small aperture in order to get a flying bird in focus from wingtip to wingtip. As always, focus on the eye!

Dare I add that the top image is a 'focus stack' of two images: #1 (female–left) + #2 (male–right). The camera-to-bird distances were slightly different, so it wasn't possible to get both in focus in the same image without using a ridiculously small aperture that would have robbed the background of any semblance of bokeh! Multiple images; then select the best two and ask Ps for assistance.

Hi David,

Absolutely wonderful shots of these extraordinary and beautiful 'long haul' creatures.

Terrific detail and superb colours - well done indeed and thank you for sharing...


(We often use the 'multiple shots blended' approach to capturing multiple subjects).

P&K

 

[David Berry]

Hi David,
Absolutely wonderful shots.
P&K

It’s 6:00 pm now and the sun is about to disappear. Shortly after it returns tomorrow I hope to be sneaking up on some Pied Stilts in the Kedron Brook Wetlands… I hope they oblige!

 

[PKM-UK]

‘Out of Office’ - We’re away for a few days on a Rimmer-Fest and will be unable to provide feedback until we return. Have lots of fun in our absence!

In the meantime, another sample processing workflow, this time featuring a cheetah at Chester Zoo, Chester England. The shot was taken through a wire fence with the subject positioned in front of its wooden den structure. The key objectives here were to produce a clean, detailed and colour rich image of the subject and to de-emphasise the 'Zooey' background. (Note - this is Karen’s shot and my edit).

Software used: Adobe LrC/ PS with Tony Kuyper Panels, DxO PL Elite and Topaz Labs PAI.

Phil

(Usual caveat - sadly, I am not God's gift to processing, but if you're interested in what I do - here you go. I don’t do exactly the same thing each time, but this represents a typical edit for this subject type).


1. In the beginning - 'as shot' raw file Imported to LrC. (Unedited/ converted to jpg to allow for upload here).

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2. Raw file sent to DxO PL E using plug-in - Custom Preset applied (Inc. Colour Rendering, Lens Correction and NR), Smart Lighting used to minimise the risk of blowing out the subject’s white fur, DNG file Exported back to LrC.

3. LrC - Settings/ Mask Adjustments applied (mainly aimed at subject/ background separation) and Crop applied (original ratio maintained).

4. TIFF file sent to PS. TK9 - Balance and Contrast adjustments (to subject and background). PS - Hue/ Saturation adjustment (clipped to B&C background), 2x Merge Layers created (Gaussian Blur filter applied to the first and a mask used on the other to limit the blur effect to selected areas of the background). TK9 - Vignette applied, Spotlight applied (to the subject’s eye area). PS - Merge Layer created.

5. TIFF file sent to Topaz PAI using plug-in - Custom Preset applied (minor Denoise to background and minor Sharpen to subject).

6. TIFF file returned to PS. TK9 - subtle Paint Contrast applied (to areas of the subject’s fur, eyes and nose), subtle Make-It-Glow applied. PS - file Flattened and Resized for RF-S upload format.

7. TIFF file returned to LrC - Exported as jpg with Custom Watermark applied. In the end - what a little cutie…

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[PKM-UK]

It’s 6:00 pm now and the sun is about to disappear. Shortly after it returns tomorrow I hope to be sneaking up on some Pied Stilts in the Kedron Brook Wetlands… I hope they oblige!

Hi David,

Good luck!

(This time tomorrow, we'll be on our way to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park - looking forward to a wind driven total drenching. Should be fun... ).

P&K

 

[Only RF]

‘Out of Office’ - We’re away for a few days on a Rimmer-Fest and will be unable to provide feedback until we return. Have lots of fun in our absence!

In the meantime, another sample processing workflow, this time featuring a cheetah at Chester Zoo, Chester England. The shot was taken through a wire fence with the subject positioned in front of its wooden den structure. The key objectives here were to produce a clean, detailed and colour rich image of the subject and to de-emphasise the 'Zooey' background. (Note - this is Karen’s shot and my edit).

Software used: Adobe LrC/ PS with Tony Kuyper Panels, DxO PL Elite and Topaz Labs PAI.

Phil

(Usual caveat - sadly, I am not God's gift to processing, but if you're interested in what I do - here you go. I don’t do exactly the same thing each time, but this represents a typical edit for this subject type).


1. In the beginning - 'as shot' raw file Imported to LrC. (Unedited/ converted to jpg to allow for upload here).

View attachment 35085

2. Raw file sent to DxO PL E using plug-in - Custom Preset applied (Inc. Colour Rendering, Lens Correction and NR), Smart Lighting used to minimise the risk of blowing out the subject’s white fur, DNG file Exported back to LrC.

View attachment 35086

3. LrC - Settings/ Mask Adjustments applied (mainly aimed at subject/ background separation) and Crop applied (original ratio maintained).

View attachment 35088

4. TIFF file sent to PS. TK9 - Balance and Contrast adjustments (to subject and background). PS - Hue/ Saturation adjustment (clipped to B&C background), 2x Merge Layers created (Gaussian Blur filter applied to the first and a mask used on the other to limit the blur effect to selected areas of the background). TK9 - Vignette applied, Spotlight applied (to the subject’s eye area). PS - Merge Layer created.

View attachment 35089

5. TIFF file sent to Topaz PAI using plug-in - Custom Preset applied (minor Denoise to background and minor Sharpen to subject).

View attachment 35090

6. TIFF file returned to PS. TK9 - subtle Paint Contrast applied (to areas of the subject’s fur, eyes and nose), subtle Make-It-Glow applied. PS - file Flattened and Resized for RF-S upload format.

View attachment 35091

7. TIFF file returned to LrC - Exported as jpg with Custom Watermark applied. In the end - what a little cutie…

View attachment 35092

Boy you sure invest the time. I look at TK panels and I see the cockpit of an Antonov. I'm lazy.

 

[PKM-UK]

Boy you sure invest the time. I look at TK panels and I see the cockpit of a Antonov. I'm lazy.

In fairness, compared to expert TK users, I'm like a kid playing in a sandpit (wearing a dribble bib)...

(This edit put a big smile on Karen's face, so it was 'job done').

Phil

 

[Only RF]

A few more. Sorry I only come here once a year and there is a service road right by the strip. At our local air show spectators are on the North side of strip is I have to shoot into the sun. I'm trying to find a different air show to attend. Next time I'm going to go for the landings.

The previous set and these are using the new Adaptive Colour profile in LrC which I'm trying out. ACR had it since last fall which was beta. Adobe just added it the other day.

Sorry for this type again. Lots of Ryanair's bringing down the partiers and stags/bachelorette celebrations coming from the UK

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This was first

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The usual private jets. The clouds were a nice touch that day. Broken up behind me so the sun was in and out.

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[Only RF]

In fairness, compared to expert TK users, I'm like a kid playing in a sandpit (wearing a dribble bib)...

(This edit put a big smile on Karen's face, so it was 'job done').

Phil

I have that feeling with many things.