KevinFRK

And good tutorials you'd care to recommend that explain what they are trying to achieve? I just have a self taught process with Canon's DPP4 on RAW format, only working on brightness, as follows:

1. Turn on any over/under-exposed markers
2. Move the left slider to the right until it reaches non-zero parts of histogram and/or get under-exposed markers, move back a "bit"
3. Move the right slider to the left, unless reaches non-zero parts, or get over exposed markers - but go further if its only sky, and you don't care about it
4. The tricky bit, move the centre slider to the right if the picture seems "washed out" and to the left if there's too much dark in the part of the picture you care about - this is extremely subjective

Doing this, you make greatest use of the range of tones (shades, whatever) that the end JPG can offer, and get the detailed tone changes in the zone that matters... maybe.

Using the general brightness slider achieves similar but distinct effects - you might mix and match

This sort of activity should work in any tool. You might be able to do it for selected areas or colour, but I don't/can't. You might be able to tweak the curve more precisely, but likewise I don't try.

Those are the tools to play with (might also be called Gamma Adjustment), but I think in this particular case, because of those lovely areas where the sun is shining through, having the rest of the body dark (and the sky bright) works really rather well.

Thank you - it's rare I get a sequence for a montage, but I like the impact when I do.

I don't think so, just a tree with leaves just budding - but then I know far less about plants than birds (and about birds my knowledge is sketchy!)

That sounds ever so like a UK song thrush or blackbird - and yes, fun to watch!

On posting pictures in replies (or indeed at all), i find I have to use the raw Lemmy website rather than the Alexandrite overlay. Might that be your issue?

Yes, it seems the American colonists were none-to-observant when calling the birds they saw the names of birds they were familiar with in Europe. Different times, and all that.

The American Robin from the picture struck me as a European Thrush/Blackbird (Blackbirds being a member of the thrush family) head (beak especially), and so it proves scientifically as well.

Yes, the head has twisted so far round in the first, I found it hard to believe!

If you know the focal length, good - I just remember the first time I went well below 50mm!

You know the events and their constraints: I mentioned it because the monopod is just to provide a rest, and not actual support it can be really light and collapse down pretty short. Sort of thing that can dangle from a belt.

And enjoy the party!

Advice you are probably already aware of (as IAMALlama has already given excellent technical advice):

• Whatever you go for, do an experimental run in comparable conditions beforehand. Preferably two or three, especially if the event is important to you. Learn the lens and its quirks, and what post-processing can save.
• Have you ever tried a monopod to address handshake? Much less in the way than a tripod, yet almost as good.
• Focal length dictates the best distance at which to take any scene to "Fill the frame" (and v.short can also get a little disorienting). The resulting Depth of Field, which others have mentioned, also has an impact. Think about the sort of photos you are after, and make sure in particular those 24mm lens meet the requirement.
• Think about backup kit and accessories (batteries, cards, ...).
• Make sure you also enjoy the event, not just get photos of it!

I always think "arrow head" but yes! I'd also how I know it's a Song Thrush - I never really got to see its wings, where white edging shows a Mistle Thrush, and none shows Song. Distinguishing between "blob" and "arrow head" usually feels a lot less certain than this.

Maybe not stunning, but there's a definite thrill to a new bird seen :)

Nice to see the highlights on the feathers.