SalvageDiver wrote:
I don't feel the image is too dark, but there is a lack of separation between the bird and it's background. There are a number of ways to create separation, i.e. brightness, contrast, color, hue, blur, etc. In this image, I didn't feel increasing bird brightness relative to the background was the best approach. However, increasing bird contrast did seem to work better, IMO. I also saw that there was a strong blue color cast in the bird which isn't characteristic of this species. Feather colors are different shades of gray, no blue. Additionally, the normal color of the legs are a bright orange, similar to the color of the beak and ring around eyes.
Personally, I liked the original crop more than the last crop. For this image, I prefer the environmental composition more than a portrait. The darks in the dark spot can be easily lightened to better match the rest of the background. I also feel that a light vignette helps further guide the viewer's focus to the bird. I also agree with your wife, that bright spot between the bird's legs had to go.
I don't feel the image is too dark, but there is a... (
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Thank you. And you are right-the more I look at it, the more I prefer the original crop. I am not sure, but I think this is a juvenile bird, which may account for the lack of orange in the legs and beak.
You certainly are correct about the contrast adjustment bringing up the separation between BG and bird. Appreciate the effort to show that.