From the point of view of 'subject matter,' I was pleased with this photograph. However, the colour of the sea is dictated by the reflection of the sky and some highlights are burnt out.
The point where I stand can not be changed much and there is no way I can get higher or lower.
Any suggestions, which will probably be in post-processing, would be appreciated.
honestly - i can't think what i would do differently... i think both are amazing images! i assume you've worked to up the clarity on the bird and decrease in clarity in the water?
btw... i don't see where the highlights were blown out - possibly in the bird's shoulder area? it doesn't look like they are, and if they are in fact blown, i don't see it as detracting from the image in any way... that said, you might want to try tweaking contrast a bit to see if that addresses whatever you feel is missing from the image...
on the assumption you're thinking about returning to the scene (as opposed to just reprocessing), and assuming the sun was fully up at the time you shot this, you might want to go back at golden hour to see if this nets you colour that you find more pleasing...
If you use Lightroom and are up to date you can use the "select subject" mask and pull down the highlights in the gull and even open up the shadows ever so slightly in the wings if you wish
The timing of those is fantastic! They look happy with their catch.
Since you can't change the location, could you change the time you're out there? Mid day is hard to shoot birds in flight since they tend to be backlit. However in the early morning and late evening the sun will be closer to the horizon, and if it's coming from over your shoulder could better illuminate the body of the birds.
I normally visit the location between 0700 and 0900 in the morning. I believe I went through a period in late 2022 and early 2023 when the camera clock was not correctly set for Thailand.
The sun is behind me in the morning, however, shooting birds which are predominantly white is not easy. Mid-day may be worth a try, but I would be shooting into the sun during the afternoon.
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btw... i don't see where the highlights were blown out - possibly in the bird's shoulder area? it doesn't look like they are, and if they are in fact blown, i don't see it as detracting from the image in any way... that said, you might want to try tweaking contrast a bit to see if that addresses whatever you feel is missing from the image...
on the assumption you're thinking about returning to the scene (as opposed to just reprocessing), and assuming the sun was fully up at the time you shot this, you might want to go back at golden hour to see if this nets you colour that you find more pleasing...
Since you can't change the location, could you change the time you're out there? Mid day is hard to shoot birds in flight since they tend to be backlit. However in the early morning and late evening the sun will be closer to the horizon, and if it's coming from over your shoulder could better illuminate the body of the birds.
I normally visit the location between 0700 and 0900 in the morning. I believe I went through a period in late 2022 and early 2023 when the camera clock was not correctly set for Thailand.
The sun is behind me in the morning, however, shooting birds which are predominantly white is not easy. Mid-day may be worth a try, but I would be shooting into the sun during the afternoon.