Another Cropping Question
Jun 27, 2015 08:43:13 #
It was in the "Green Hills of Africa" that Hemingway described his hunt for kudu horns, a most sought-after specimen. So I was excited when we came across a beautiful kudu on photo safari in Botswana in 2009.
In those days, I had not developed my appreciation for shooting RAW yet, so my original is a jpeg, using Ken Rockwell's recommendations (I believe I have progressed well beyond that, but they were good settings for a novice then.) Also, I did not understand the appeal of the rule of thirds then, or I would have composed the shot differently.
I am currently re-processing several of my favorites from that trip, armed with better understanding of ACR capabilities and Topaz Adjust.
When I created a book, I cropped this square, but I now think 2x3 is better. So I invite comments about the crop and reworking (since I know several of you like to do that.) Please feel free to post your work if you would like.
Here's my new version plus the original (so you can see I have other cropping possibilities.)
P.S. Please note the oxpecker perched on its neck.
In those days, I had not developed my appreciation for shooting RAW yet, so my original is a jpeg, using Ken Rockwell's recommendations (I believe I have progressed well beyond that, but they were good settings for a novice then.) Also, I did not understand the appeal of the rule of thirds then, or I would have composed the shot differently.
I am currently re-processing several of my favorites from that trip, armed with better understanding of ACR capabilities and Topaz Adjust.
When I created a book, I cropped this square, but I now think 2x3 is better. So I invite comments about the crop and reworking (since I know several of you like to do that.) Please feel free to post your work if you would like.
Here's my new version plus the original (so you can see I have other cropping possibilities.)
P.S. Please note the oxpecker perched on its neck.
Jun 27, 2015 08:49:52 #
What a beautiful animal!
It's really just personal preference, but I might try to leave a bit more at top. That would be harder when you are cropping to a specific ratio, of course.
The other thing I'd try to do is clone out the bright leaf at front of animal's body. The two stray, thin grasses should be easy with the spot healing/content-aware remove...whatever that's called. I'm having a brain cramp and not on my laptop with PSE 12 :)
It's really just personal preference, but I might try to leave a bit more at top. That would be harder when you are cropping to a specific ratio, of course.
The other thing I'd try to do is clone out the bright leaf at front of animal's body. The two stray, thin grasses should be easy with the spot healing/content-aware remove...whatever that's called. I'm having a brain cramp and not on my laptop with PSE 12 :)
Jun 27, 2015 08:51:58 #
Dave,
I think they are both pretty good! The colors are deeper in the re-work (saturation?, and it has more "Pop".
Well done. For what it's worth, I mostly shoot JPEG too for the time saved in PP, but do RAW + JPEG when it really counts, ie.son's wedding.
I think they are both pretty good! The colors are deeper in the re-work (saturation?, and it has more "Pop".
Well done. For what it's worth, I mostly shoot JPEG too for the time saved in PP, but do RAW + JPEG when it really counts, ie.son's wedding.
Jun 27, 2015 09:01:44 #
Thank you, Linda. You touch upon one of my big quandaries: I think the horns are the element I want to draw the most attention. Thus the "zoom in", but my original square crop did leave more space above the horns.
I was conflicted by the leaf in the out of focus foreground but feel it helps to "frame the moment." I'd played with the content aware move tool and the merge tool to get rid of the foreground leaf but was not happy with the results. I'll bet someone here can fix that satisfactorily.
I was conflicted by the leaf in the out of focus foreground but feel it helps to "frame the moment." I'd played with the content aware move tool and the merge tool to get rid of the foreground leaf but was not happy with the results. I'll bet someone here can fix that satisfactorily.
Jun 27, 2015 09:06:08 #
JCam wrote:
Dave,
I think they are both pretty good! The colors are deeper in the re-work (saturation?, and it has more "Pop".
Well done. For what it's worth, I mostly shoot JPEG too for the time saved in PP, but do RAW + JPEG when it really counts, ie.son's wedding.
I think they are both pretty good! The colors are deeper in the re-work (saturation?, and it has more "Pop".
Well done. For what it's worth, I mostly shoot JPEG too for the time saved in PP, but do RAW + JPEG when it really counts, ie.son's wedding.
Thank you, JCam. My memories of Botswana are that it was one of the great events of my life, thus the bias I have towards stronger saturation (just fits my mindset about the experience, even six years later.) I credit the "pop" to a technique of first using a "soft light" blend layer then applying Topaz Adjust.
Jun 27, 2015 09:08:21 #
Personally, I think that it is a little off center, but it is still a photo a very good specimen.
Jun 27, 2015 09:13:20 #
lqm854 wrote:
Personally, I think that it is a little off center, but it is still a photo a very good specimen.
Thank you, lqm. Would you move the head left or right?
Jun 27, 2015 09:56:56 #
Very nice shot Dave.... I'm with Linda on leaving a little more at the top. I personally like the way you composed the crop. I think you could even crop a bit more to highlight that marvelous rack. I'm curious... Do you shoot mostly in raw now?
Jun 27, 2015 10:07:32 #
Jun 27, 2015 10:26:01 #
FrodoBaggins wrote:
Very nice shot Dave.... I'm with Linda on leaving a little more at the top. I personally like the way you composed the crop. I think you could even crop a bit more to highlight that marvelous rack. I'm curious... Do you shoot mostly in raw now?
Thank you, Frodo. I now shoot raw+jpeg (basic) almost always. I think I got into that habit so I could review the shots in Windows Explorer easily in jpeg then open the raw in ACR. There's probably an argument for skipping the jpegs but they take up relatively small space on the SD cards. I do not save them on a hard drive.
Jun 27, 2015 10:42:04 #
davefales wrote:
Thank you, JCam. My memories of Botswana are that it was one of the great events of my life, thus the bias I have towards stronger saturation (just fits my mindset about the experience, even six years later.) I credit the "pop" to a technique of first using a "soft light" blend layer then applying Topaz Adjust.
Dave, I also use "Adjust", but I find it easier and faster to just use the "Photo Pop" feature in the Classic Collection. I've also tried some of the other "Pops" but keep coming back to the aforementioned. Sure wish someone would put out a book or pamphlet about using Adjust; I don't think their on line "User Manual" is worth the paper I used to print it so I know I'm not getting all the advantages of it. :thumbdown:
Jun 27, 2015 10:42:23 #
davefales wrote:
Thank you, Frodo. I now shoot raw+jpeg (basic) almost always. I think I got into that habit so I could review the shots in Windows Explorer easily in jpeg then open the raw in ACR. There's probably an argument for skipping the jpegs but they take up relatively small space on the SD cards. I do not save them on a hard drive.
I like to shoot both also but find it slows my canon 60D more than I like when I shoot a burst.
Jun 27, 2015 10:43:05 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
The other thing I'd try to do is clone out the bright leaf at front of animal's body.
The other thing I'd try to do is clone out the bright leaf at front of animal's body.
Linda and Frodo: does this come close to your idea? Also, I played some more with the context-aware move and clone tools to get rid of the leaf. Not sure if I like the resulting fir texture.
Jun 27, 2015 10:50:33 #
davefales wrote:
Linda and Frodo: does this come close to your idea? Also, I played some more with the context-aware move and clone tools to get rid of the leaf. Not sure if I like the resulting fir texture.
I like it much better... You may be a bit more critical of your cloning than me because you took the shot. I feel the irregularity of an animal's coat is such that this is more than acceptable!
Jun 28, 2015 16:20:09 #
I played with it a little and came up with this version.
davefales wrote:
It was in the "Green Hills of Africa" th... (show quote)
8X10 with edits
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