Thanks for the fave, Italian Snail. Noticed the snow doesn't keep you in.
I'm new with digital but not painting of photography. All three formast have similer problems with keeping the white clean. So, because I was a waterpainter first, out of simple poverty I picke up the camera and was instantly disgusted by the "dirty whites"...So, because it fustratres me, even with film....I always tear a hole in the surface of that "paper".(Waterpaintings I always paint a hole in, so I remember to keep my eye on it.)
I shot that photo, a half F-stop over. If you look closely there is a clean line of "Blowout" hidden in it. (A waterpainting I'll paint a piece of the masking fluid, left in it, so I can laugh.)
I was using a full f-stop of over exposure on the white birds. This one is a little dirtyer and a lot less dramatic.