Steve'sDigicams

87olds · Dec 20, 2007, 10:03 PM

what do you all think of this?

mtngal · Dec 21, 2007, 12:06 AM

Very nice - quite sharp. I like it. Is that the bird's natural color?

snostorm · Dec 21, 2007, 1:47 AM

Hi 87olds,

It's a very nice raptor portrait. I like the B/W conversion and resaturation of the eye, and the sharpness and feather detail is great. It took me a while to really see what you had done, which shows how much impact the initial viewing had.

I do have a citicism though. The masking to black out the background is a bit too abrupt for me -- looks like a cut and paste job. You might try feathering the mask or use a softening brush around the edge.

I like creating a black layer, then erasing all of the background, using a small brush with low opacity and density around the edges of the head. An advantage is that you can unerase areas and redo them easily

You can get a pretty seamless transition this way, and the technique is also good for throwing a background way out of focus.

I also think that a bit more contrast on the head would make it more dramatic.

Scott

Trojansoc · Dec 21, 2007, 6:30 AM

I think it's very striking, but I also suspect the original shot, wth that level of feather detail, would be rather impressive.

Editing question for snostorm: When I've done selective color, what I've generally done is to create an editing layer, desaturate it, then erase the areas in which I want the color to come through. Would using a soft brush for the erasing using this technique give the same effect as you're suggesting?

ishino · Dec 21, 2007, 11:27 AM

very bold and pronounced. i like it!

bigdawg · Dec 21, 2007, 12:40 PM

Quite nice...I just wonder what the original looked like!

Dawg

87olds · Dec 21, 2007, 2:57 PM

Thanks all for commenting. Scott I will blend the background in for a smoother transition. Thanks for the critique this is the way we learn. Here is the original.

87olds · Dec 21, 2007, 3:03 PM

Here is another from the same day.

Monza76 · Dec 21, 2007, 8:29 PM

87olds wrote:

Quote:

Here is another from the same day.

I like this second image more, but I do like your selective colour treatment of the first image.

Ira

NonEntity1 · Dec 21, 2007, 9:46 PM

I agree with Ira and like the second shot better but the infrared look you applied to the first one is very interesting.

Tim

Dec 20, 2007, 10:03 PM	#1
87olds Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 127	what do you all think of this? Attached Images

Dec 21, 2007, 2:57 PM	#7
87olds Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 127	Thanks all for commenting. Scott I will blend the background in for a smoother transition. Thanks for the critique this is the way we learn. Here is the original. Attached Images

Dec 21, 2007, 3:03 PM	#8
87olds Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 127	Here is another from the same day. Attached Images

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Dec 21, 2007, 12:06 AM	#2
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	Very nice - quite sharp. I like it. Is that the bird's natural color?

Dec 21, 2007, 1:47 AM	#3
snostorm Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chicago Suburb, IL, USA Posts: 2,770	Hi 87olds, It's a very nice raptor portrait. I like the B/W conversion and resaturation of the eye, and the sharpness and feather detail is great. It took me a while to really see what you had done, which shows how much impact the initial viewing had. I do have a citicism though. The masking to black out the background is a bit too abrupt for me -- looks like a cut and paste job. You might try feathering the mask or use a softening brush around the edge. I like creating a black layer, then erasing all of the background, using a small brush with low opacity and density around the edges of the head. An advantage is that you can unerase areas and redo them easily You can get a pretty seamless transition this way, and the technique is also good for throwing a background way out of focus. I also think that a bit more contrast on the head would make it more dramatic. Scott

Dec 21, 2007, 6:30 AM	#4
Trojansoc Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hot Springs, AR Posts: 3,724	I think it's very striking, but I also suspect the original shot, wth that level of feather detail, would be rather impressive. Editing question for snostorm: When I've done selective color, what I've generally done is to create an editing layer, desaturate it, then erase the areas in which I want the color to come through. Would using a soft brush for the erasing using this technique give the same effect as you're suggesting?

Dec 21, 2007, 11:27 AM	#5
ishino Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 661	very bold and pronounced. i like it!

Dec 21, 2007, 12:40 PM	#6
bigdawg Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Thach Alabama Posts: 14,981	Quite nice...I just wonder what the original looked like! Dawg

Dec 21, 2007, 9:46 PM	#10
NonEntity1 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Lake Placid Florida USA Posts: 2,689	I agree with Ira and like the second shot better but the infrared look you applied to the first one is very interesting. Tim