Opinion as to which photo to enter into a juried competition: I made this amazing capture of an osprey that I have often photographed. He was bringing breakfast back to the nest where...

pedalmasher Loc: Seminole, FL

I made this amazing capture of an osprey that I have often photographed. He was bringing breakfast back to the nest where she is sitting on the eggs. I have some great shots in this sequence including him landing on the nest, but this one is my absolute favorite. I am entering into a juried competition and I am trying to decide which to enter. Number one is the original which I took yesterday. Today, as I thought about it, I decided to take it into PP and lighten the front feathers. After doing that, I thought maybe even a bit lighter which produced version 3. My significant other argues that in that the wings are probably blocking the light, the picture should remain as it was in the original with the darkened chest. I'd like to get the opinion of my fellow photographers as to which to enter. Unfortunately, after a recent theft of my work, I am not storing the originals. Hopefully the thumbnail is enough to render an opinion. Thanks. I won't bother to respond individually to save clutter on the thread, but will at the end.

silver Loc: Santa Monica Ca.

pedalmasher wrote:

I made this amazing capture of an osprey that I ha... (show quote)

I have to tell you that this image looks as if the bird was photoshopped in to a sky. If I am wrong I apologize but it has that look.

littlebiddle Loc: Yakima Wa USA

I like #1 best! Nice find too!

silver wrote:

I have to tell you that this image looks as if the bird was photoshopped in to a sky. If I am wrong I apologize but it has that look.

pedalmasher Loc: Seminole, FL

silver wrote:

I have to tell you that this image looks as if the bird was photoshopped in to a sky. If I am wrong I apologize but it has that look.

silver, what I did here was added clouds to the sky with Special Effects 8 due to the fact that the sky was totally dull and lifeless. In the digital age, there is certainly nothing wrong with manipulating the background to enhance the shot. The Sierra Club has already requested a copy less than 24 hours after it was taken, and it has already won about 20 peer awards on ViewBug with tons of likes and favs, so whatever the situation, I tell you that posting in one environmental location on facebook, brought over 70 likes in the first hour and I have already had 3 requests for purchase of the shot. So it is what it is, and it is what I, and others apparently want it to be. The question on the table is which is the best one to submit to a juried contest.

hb3 Loc: Texas

Either of #1 or #2 for me...tend to like 2 a bit better...

Emm5

pedalmasher wrote:

I made this amazing capture of an osprey that I ha... (show quote)

Great shot! I like 1

gregoryd45 Loc: Fakahatchee Strand

pedalmasher wrote:

I made this amazing capture of an osprey that I ha... (show quote)

It's amazing when you ask an opinion and someone says the background looks fake, you admit it then jump all over him for his opinion. But the worse thing here Sandy is this is a female Osprey not a male. The female has the spotted neck and chest, what they call a necklace. I am surprised that a member of the Sierra Club did not point that out. It is however a nice shot, but the background looks wrong

pedalmasher Loc: Seminole, FL

gregoryd45 wrote:

It's amazing when you ask an opinion and someone says the background looks fake, you admit it then jump all over him for his opinion. But the worse thing here Sandy is this is a female Osprey not a male. The female has the spotted neck and chest, what they call a necklace. I am surprised that a member of the Sierra Club did not point that out. It is however a nice shot, but the background looks wrong

No, this is a male osprey and his name is Fleck, his mate, Jewel has a very defined necklace and she was sitting in the nest awaiting the fish. Apparently you are not the expert you think you are! This guy is named Fleck because of the fleck at the 7 o'clock position of his right eye. He has nested here for 4 years. I see and photograph him often. I wish people would answer the question as asked, which was "Which shot would you submit...." I didn't your opinion on the PP - I didn't ask for it and based on your apparent lack of expertise I things you offer opinions on, I can do without further contact with you. Thanks. People like you are one of the reasons I have strayed from the site lately.

pedalmasher Loc: Seminole, FL

gregoryd45 wrote:

It's amazing when you ask an opinion and someone says the background looks fake, you admit it then jump all over him for his opinion. But the worse thing here Sandy is this is a female Osprey not a male. The female has the spotted neck and chest, what they call a necklace. I am surprised that a member of the Sierra Club did not point that out. It is however a nice shot, but the background looks wrong

I just realized that it was you Gregory, the clown that once gave me a lecture on feeding an egret that comes to my house regularly. I have tried to avoid contact with you and wish you would do the same with me. Unfortunately, I see no way to block clowns like you on this site! :(

gregoryd45 Loc: Fakahatchee Strand

pedalmasher wrote:

No, this is a male osprey and his name is Fleck, h... (show quote)

If you have already sold 70 copies of the shot and people are lined up to buy it, and the Sierra Club has requested copies, why they hell do you want our opinions. How can you sell all the these shots and don't even know what you should print. And the background looks fake, it looks like you cut out the shot and pasted it on a background that doesn't belong

pedalmasher Loc: Seminole, FL

gregoryd45 wrote:

If you have already sold 70 copies of the shot and people are lined up to buy it, and the Sierra Club has requested copies, why they hell do you want our opinions. How can you sell all the these shots and don't even know what you should print. And the background looks fake, it looks like you cut out the shot and pasted it on a background that doesn't belong

Gregory, go to hell. I didn't say I sold 70 copies. Just leave me the hell alone. I remember how you went on and on ad nauseum over the egret feeding even after I tried to explain to you that i am sensitive to birds being a member of a bird sanctuary. You are an empty suited idiot who apparently needs more of a life than shooting your ill lighted bird shots in the Everglades. Get the hell off my thread you %%^&%^ idiot!

gregoryd45 Loc: Fakahatchee Strand

pedalmasher wrote:

Gregory, go to hell. I didn't say I sold 70 copies. Just leave me the hell alone. I remember how you went on and on ad nauseum over the egret feeding even after I tried to explain to you that i am sensitive to birds being a member of a bird sanctuary. You are an empty suited idiot who apparently needs more of a life than shooting your ill lighted bird shots in the Everglades. Get the hell off my thread you %%^&%^ idiot!

Now now petalpusher, take it easy. I never feed wild birds deli meat in my garage so that I can take a photo of them. If you don't like my ill lighted shots don't look. I always thought you were an asshole, but now I am certain. Please refer to your answer to Silver how many likes and orders you have

silver Loc: Santa Monica Ca.

pedalmasher wrote:

silver, what I did here was added clouds to the sk... (show quote)

I wonder, if you tell people that it is a manipulated image, will people still be impressed? I was able to spot the photoshopped aspect immediately and it seems to me that you are trying to pull the will over peoples eyes by not telling that the image is a composite. The problem is that most people don't know the difference. So take your glory and keep the truth hidden.

silver Loc: Santa Monica Ca.

pedalmasher wrote:

silver, what I did here was added clouds to the sk... (show quote)

Also, will the juried contest be impressed when they find out the image is a composite? Does the jury have any rules regarding this issue?

pedalmasher Loc: Seminole, FL

Goodbye folks, I have completely tired of thieves and negativism that I have found on UHH. I have met some wonderful people, but the likes Hi Ho Silver and Miss Gregory just makes it not worth it for me. I engage in this activity for relaxation and frankly if either of them was in range at the moment, I would slap the shit out of both of them with one hand. I will no longer be responding back to this or anything else on this forum so save your venom for someone else. See yah!