How Does He Do it? Howard Brodsky is on Flickr and is one of my favourite wildlife photographers. He's a Canadian photographer, who lives in Ontario, Canada. I was wondering if you can...

Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Howard Brodsky is on Flickr and is one of my favourite wildlife photographers. He's a Canadian photographer, who lives in Ontario, Canada.

I was wondering if you can figure out what post processing he uses to obtain these world class photos. My goal is to obtain the same results, one day.

I'm providing a link that illustrates one of his outstanding shots.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/153795207@N03/43235725950/in/dateposted/

Cheers,

Harold

SS319

8-12 hours a day, 5-6 days a week for 20, 30, 50 years, Sitting, Scrunching, waiting, not moving a muscle for 45 minutes waiting for that shot. Thousands of dollars in equipment and equipment to transport that equipment and vehicles to haul that transported equipment. Check the light, set the camera, check the light, set the camera, if I wait 15 minutes that light will be exactly where I want it - Check light, set camera, check it again

Cold, wet, miserable, Damn I hate this job.

Wow, I got it! I got that shot, I love this job.

(At computer) Wow, perfect, don't change anything! Well, maybe... nope, leave it, Print it!

tommystrat Loc: Bigfork, Montana

SS319 wrote:

8-12 hours a day, 5-6 days a week for 20, 30, 50 y... (show quote)

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Feiertag wrote:

Howard Brodsky is on Flickr and is one of my favourite wildlife photographers. He's a Canadian photographer, who lives in Ontario, Canada.

I was wondering if you can figure out what post processing he uses to obtain these world class photos. My goal is to obtain the same results, one day.

I'm providing a link that illustrates one of his outstanding shots.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/153795207@N03/43235725950/in/dateposted/

Cheers,

Harold

Post processing isn't necessarily the answer to getting world-class photos. First of all, you need to be a world-class photographer!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Feiertag wrote:

Howard Brodsky is on Flickr and is one of my favourite wildlife photographers. He's a Canadian photographer, who lives in Ontario, Canada.

I was wondering if you can figure out what post processing he uses to obtain these world class photos. My goal is to obtain the same results, one day.

I'm providing a link that illustrates one of his outstanding shots.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/153795207@N03/43235725950/in/dateposted/

Cheers,

Harold

This is overcooked in my view. But I can say that all of this, including the compositing, can be done in Photoshop. There is a good deal of microcontrast enhancement and sharpening. Otherwise, being close to the subject and good lighting is key to the level of detail he gets in these images. My guess is that he has access to a raptor rescue center or zoo and he is shooting up close.

These were done completely in the wild with natural lighting.

(Download)

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

What SS319 said.

My mentor and favorite photographer is National Parks Ambassador and former Photographer Emititus, Frank Lee Ruggles. I track his adventures -- and that's what he has: He drives a Jeep with a tow-along camper to the National Parks, climbs rocks, crawls into caves, rides guy wires over rivers, treks through 40 inches of snow, rises before sunset, gets up after midnight, and spends a lot of time waiting.

Frank often says you only see his best work. He'll freely admit that he takes about 100 shots for every one that is "publishable." Currently, he's using an 8 x 10" film camera, and I daresay he's got to be even more patient, as that film is a lot more expensive than an SD card...

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

The link takes me to a sign-in page not the image. Might you post the image to the forum or would that be a breach of copyright.

Feiertag wrote:

Howard Brodsky is on Flickr and is one of my favourite wildlife photographers. He's a Canadian photographer, who lives in Ontario, Canada.

I'm providing a link that illustrates one of his outstanding shots.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/153795207@N03/43235725950/in/dateposted/

Cheers,

Harold

rcarol

It's obvious from the very first photograph on his webpage that he's not opposed to compositing. I believe that many of his images are a result of compositing and background manipulation/replacement.

Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Gene51 wrote:

This is overcooked in my view. But I can say that all of this, including the compositing, can be done in Photoshop. There is a good deal of microcontrast enhancement and sharpening. Otherwise, being close to the subject and good lighting is key to the level of detail he gets in these images. My guess is that he has access to a raptor rescue center or zoo and he is shooting up close.

These were done completely in the wild with natural lighting.

Beautiful captures Gene. Howard has many BIF shots that look just as good. Maybe I picked the wrong example for this topic? Check out his other photos on Flickr.

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

Feiertag wrote:

Howard Brodsky is on Flickr and is one of my favourite wildlife photographers. He's a Canadian photographer, who lives in Ontario, Canada.

I was wondering if you can figure out what post processing he uses to obtain these world class photos. My goal is to obtain the same results, one day.

I'm providing a link that illustrates one of his outstanding shots.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/153795207@N03/43235725950/in/dateposted/

Cheers,

Harold

Much of what I see are very nicely done composite images. Birds are placed on separate backgrounds to highlight the animal.

Properframe Loc: US Virginia

Glad I kept clicking through as IMHO they got better as I went. More natural is better to me. The first dozen were so over cooked and shopped as to be tossers in my book. It was a little humorous to see 45 birds, a pet dog, 30 more birds, a singer. A lot of good captures overall.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

There is a high probability that some of the images are created using layers - one for the background and one for the subject. Some of the images are created by using tame birds so that they can get into the flightpath or compose the shot 'from the right place at the right time'. It is not only what you know but also who you know.

That being said - you have to know your subject in order to anticipate what the final image will be, plus be capable to capture the the moving subject at the right time.

PP plays a small part - Subject and photographic knowledge is 90% plus!

Have fun and look for 'game shows' or 'Hawk sanctuary' open days....watch the displays for a while and learn 'at what point THAT happens' and then try to capture it when next it is done. - you may spend a lot of days practicing!!!!

Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

G Brown wrote:

There is a high probability that some of the image... (show quote)

Thank you for your comment and the others. My post was regarding the sharpness and clarity that makes Howard's bird shots, pop. Not the background, that is probably manipulated.

rcarol

Feiertag wrote:

Thank you for your comment and the others. My post was regarding the sharpness and clarity that makes Howard's bird shots, pop. Not the background, that is probably manipulated.

You didn't specify that in your original post so I took the liberty of commenting on what seemed obvious to me.

Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

rcarol wrote:

You didn't specify that in your original post so I took the liberty of commenting on what seemed obvious to me.

Yes, I made an error by not mentioning it. I thought it would be obvious what I meant.