Advice on Post Processing for this Photo of an Eagle: I have waited a long time to get a shot of an Eagle. The sky was horrible as were some of the branches in the foreground. Anyhow I...

Revet Loc: Fairview Park, Ohio

I have waited a long time to get a shot of an Eagle. The sky was horrible as were some of the branches in the foreground. Anyhow I went to work with Photoshop and here is what I got. I am relatively new to Photoshop so any advice on how I might improve what I did would be great.

Taken at 600 mm with a Sigma 150-600 mm Contemporary, f/8, 1/500

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St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

You may want to repost on Post-Processing Digital Images
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-116-1.html

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Revet wrote:

I have waited a long time to get a shot of an Eagle. The sky was horrible as were some of the branches in the foreground. Anyhow I went to work with Photoshop and here is what I got. I am relatively new to Photoshop so any advice on how I might improve what I did would be great.

Taken at 600 mm with a Sigma 150-600 mm Contemporary, f/8, 1/500

I like the changes! Good job!

:thumbup:

Revet Loc: Fairview Park, Ohio

Dngallagher wrote:

I like the changes! Good job!

:thumbup:

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback

Revet Loc: Fairview Park, Ohio

St3v3M wrote:

You may want to repost on Post-Processing Digital Images
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-116-1.html

I wasn't aware that group existed. Admin already moved it to Photo Gallery. I asked it they could move it to Post. Thanks!! If they don't, I will re-post it there tomorrow.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Revet wrote:

I wasn't aware that group existed. Admin already moved it to Photo Gallery. I asked it they could move it to Post. Thanks!! If they don't, I will re-post it there tomorrow.

Always, S-

MtnMan Loc: ID

Revet wrote:

I have waited a long time to get a shot of an Eagle. The sky was horrible as were some of the branches in the foreground. Anyhow I went to work with Photoshop and here is what I got. I am relatively new to Photoshop so any advice on how I might improve what I did would be great.

Taken at 600 mm with a Sigma 150-600 mm Contemporary, f/8, 1/500

Nice job!

A bit of a halo around bird. You should be able to eliminate with refine edge.

greymule Loc: Colorado

Revet wrote:

I have waited a long time to get a shot of an Eagle. The sky was horrible as were some of the branches in the foreground. Anyhow I went to work with Photoshop and here is what I got. I am relatively new to Photoshop so any advice on how I might improve what I did would be great.

Taken at 600 mm with a Sigma 150-600 mm Contemporary, f/8, 1/500

Nice work :thumbup:

steffro1 Loc: Murrells Inlet, SC

Looks like you layered the blue sky and painted through the old one. Tedious stuff, I've done it a number of times. Always hard on the tree branches to get the borders realistic. A nice job overall!

Robert

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

As noted above by Mt Man, a little bit of refined edge. A good job over all.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

The bits where there were intervening branches look a bit soft - for example the eagle's left foot. I find that selecting bits like that and giving them a fair bit of Clarity and an extra touch of Contrast helps to get rid of the softness.

I also tried selecting the eagle and giving it an extra touch of clarity and contrast, and it helped to bring out a bit more detail.

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

If you're just starting out in PP, this is a GREAT start!
I'd show some of my early stuff, but I think the crap police have already disposed of it! :-)

I would recommend instead of trying to remove all of the branches in post, you try to just improve the background sky by using a layer style to darken bits of it. Maybe not a blue sky, but a stormy clouds sky.
By doing it this way, you avoid the issue of soft spots on the branch the eagle is sitting on.

Again, GREAT job, and keep them coming. :-)

GT

Revet wrote:

I have waited a long time to get a shot of an Eagle. The sky was horrible as were some of the branches in the foreground. Anyhow I went to work with Photoshop and here is what I got. I am relatively new to Photoshop so any advice on how I might improve what I did would be great.

Taken at 600 mm with a Sigma 150-600 mm Contemporary, f/8, 1/500

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

I think the glow, around the eagle and limbs is a chromatic abbreviation, I would also clean up his left foot.

Revet Loc: Fairview Park, Ohio

MtnMan wrote:

Nice job!

A bit of a halo around bird. You should be able to eliminate with refine edge.

I did use refine mask but my experience to date with that feature is tutorials on how to handle hair. Which part of the refine mask should I try using for the halo? Or is there another way I should be refining the edge?
Thanks for the feedback and help

Revet Loc: Fairview Park, Ohio

steffro1 wrote:

Looks like you layered the blue sky and painted through the old one. Tedious stuff, I've done it a number of times. Always hard on the tree branches to get the borders realistic. A nice job overall!

Robert

No, I added the sky by using place embedded in the file drop down and then did a Gausian blur on it so it didn't stand out so much. I created a layer mask of the eagle and branches using a combo of the magic wand and the quick selection tool than tried to refine the edge of the mask as best as I could. I agree that could have been better. The eagle and branches were the selected area when creating the mask so the blue sky showed through