What Could I Have Done Better to Improve The PP on This Photo
Feb 10, 2012 08:49:27 #
I used a Nikon D300 with a Nikon 500mm f-4 manual focus lens to take this photo. Camera was set-up to ISO 640, speed 1/2000, f-stop f-5.6. It was a cloudy, day so I had very poor lighting.
I used OnOne Perfect Mask and their background to add the sky to this photo, and further enhanced it with Photoshop CS4 this photo.
I would appreciate your critiques and feedback how I could improve this photo. Thanks, Arnold
I used OnOne Perfect Mask and their background to add the sky to this photo, and further enhanced it with Photoshop CS4 this photo.
I would appreciate your critiques and feedback how I could improve this photo. Thanks, Arnold
Before Enhancement
After Enhancement
Feb 10, 2012 08:58:32 #
Feb 10, 2012 09:19:24 #
docrob
Loc: Durango, Colorado
Arnold, you did a perfect sky replacement.......and perversely I prefer the original image with the white sky to the perfectly good blue.
Feb 10, 2012 09:22:11 #
iresq
Loc: Annapolis MD
I have to agree with liking the original better. Probably because the sky draws too much attention. Regardless, nice photo and nice PP'ing.
Feb 10, 2012 09:31:10 #
Feb 10, 2012 09:40:00 #
Charlie, Thank you very much for your feedback, Arnold
snowbear wrote:
No halos, not overcooked - looks good to me. A nice, clean job.
Feb 10, 2012 09:42:29 #
Docrob, Thanks for your comments. I understand everybody has their personal preferences, and I respect them. My preference on this photo is to have a blue sky. Arnold
docrob wrote:
Arnold, you did a perfect sky replacement.......and perversely I prefer the original image with the white sky to the perfectly good blue.
Feb 10, 2012 09:44:33 #
Dave, Thanks for your feedback, your preference on these 2 photos, and why. Arnold
iresq wrote:
I have to agree with liking the original better. Probably because the sky draws too much attention. Regardless, nice photo and nice PP'ing.
Feb 10, 2012 09:45:46 #
rpavich, Thanks for proving me your feedback on this photo, Arnold
rpavich wrote:
it looks pretty good to me...that's a tough mask there.
Feb 10, 2012 10:11:13 #
docrob
Loc: Durango, Colorado
Adubin wrote:
Docrob, Thanks for your comments. I understand everybody has their personal preferences, and I respect them. My preference on this photo is to have a blue sky. Arnold
docrob wrote:
Arnold, you did a perfect sky replacement.......and perversely I prefer the original image with the white sky to the perfectly good blue.
clearly
Feb 10, 2012 11:22:52 #
Feb 10, 2012 11:54:04 #
Adubin wrote:
Actually, as usual, I disagree with most here, I have the bad tendency to DL the 'originals' and compare..../...I used OnOne Perfect Mask and their background to add the sky to this photo, and further enhanced it with Photoshop CS4 this photo.../...
First off the first picture is not the original, all EXIF have been lost, courtesy of lightroom.
Second and much more important, too many details are lost, even 'eaten' by the sky, among others:
Feathers next to the paws
Claws are way thinner than the originals
Branches have simply gone the way of the dodo, some for aesthetics reasons, other because the new sky is really starving
Then since the sky is famished (Like me, I did not have my breakfast yet) it ate part of the tail!!!
I do not know what was the white line across the tail but it is still there!!!
Now, how about posting the 'REAL' original so that we can compare w/o interference from any of your software?
"original"
"blue sky"
Feb 10, 2012 12:31:14 #
Wolf, Thanks for taking your time and providing your honest critique. I have a included the original RAW image saved as JPG before I made any enhancements. The thing that I'm realizing putting all this time to enhance this image was a waste of my time. Yep, I thought it looked better, but should wait until I can better lighting and background for this Red-shouldered Hawk. Any more suggestions are greatly appreciated. Arnold
English_Wolf wrote:
quote=Adubin .../...I used OnOne Perfect Mask and... (show quote)
Original RAW and Save As JPG
Feb 10, 2012 12:48:17 #
You did not lose your your time at all.
Actually, the shot you have as original is best. Sometime the picture fails because we try to 'improve' it too much.
Being overcast is part of nature, it does not mean we cannot take picture because the sky is not blue(ish).
With a quick tone curve adjustment you can make this a great picture. The branches are not distracting.
Oddly, it seems that the focusing in on the white thread (Spider?) and the branch tip.
The EXIF mentions a 500mm, what are you using exactly?
Actually, the shot you have as original is best. Sometime the picture fails because we try to 'improve' it too much.
Being overcast is part of nature, it does not mean we cannot take picture because the sky is not blue(ish).
With a quick tone curve adjustment you can make this a great picture. The branches are not distracting.
Oddly, it seems that the focusing in on the white thread (Spider?) and the branch tip.
The EXIF mentions a 500mm, what are you using exactly?
Feb 10, 2012 13:04:18 #
Wolf, I was using a Nikkor 500mm f-4 P -ED lens to take this photo. This is a manual focus lens. I'm not going to post this original photo on my website, because it doesn't meet my standards. Arnold
English_Wolf wrote:
You did not lose your your time at all. br br Act... (show quote)
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