Today.. (Page 3): Great shots Tracy, Really good. I'll take a go at it if you want, but I don't feel much is needed.

LittleRedFish Loc: Naw'lens (New Orleans)

TraceyG wrote:

Went looking for Bald Eagles, came up empty...still a little early here for them. But found this guy.

Would love some comments on how to edit. The sky was flat, and I'm new to this editing stuff, so I would appreciate suggestions.

PS...I do NOT have photoshop. On a Mac, with Aperature, and Viveza 2.

Great shots Tracy, Really good. I'll take a go at it if you want, but I don't feel much is needed.

TraceyG Loc: SW, Fl.

Thanks Rach, that does look much better. How did you do that?

LittleRedFish Loc: Naw'lens (New Orleans)

TraceyG wrote:

Thanks Rach, that does look much better. How did you do that?

I like the ones you did also. Their great shots, and did not need much.
I put the picutre in Lightroom, sharpern a bit, adjusted some of the colors and did just the slightess bit of Vignetting.
Then i sent it to PS5, made some more adjustments on the light cruve, tweeked the eye a little to make it "pop".
Took about 5 maybe 10 minutes in all.

TraceyG Loc: SW, Fl.

Well that seems to be one of my major issues, I don't have PS5. But I am looking into lightroom. Thanks again and nice job!

LittleRedFish Loc: Naw'lens (New Orleans)

TraceyG wrote:

Well that seems to be one of my major issues, I don't have PS5. But I am looking into lightroom. Thanks again and nice job!

i could have stopped at lightroom, but I want to bring out the eyes more.
You have kid's in school don't you? If you do get the student/teachers addition of Lightroom for $59.00. Samething, just at a discount. go to Amazon, free shipping,no tax.

TraceyG Loc: SW, Fl.

Rachel wrote:

TraceyG wrote:

Well that seems to be one of my major issues, I don't have PS5. But I am looking into lightroom. Thanks again and nice job!

i could have stopped at lightroom, but I want to bring out the eyes more.
You have kid's in school don't you? If you do get the student/teachers addition of Lightroom for $59.00. Samething, just at a discount. go to Amazon, free shipping,no tax.

Yeah, no , no kids in school anymore. Daughter 28' son 23, geez, I'm old! I will still check it out. I think what I'm concerned about now, is how much space I have on my putter for all these diff programs. But Lightroom is one I really think I can use.

jdtx Loc: SA, Tx.

nice job Tracey..viveza is very cool to work with ..and Rachel you did well also..go girls.

TraceyG Loc: SW, Fl.

Thanks jdtx!

aliceinchemicals

I also disagree that your photos are not sharp. When looking back at them I could see the texture of the feathers very clearly, as well as the other details of the bird. I am an amature, still in high school, but I think if you saturate the blue and crop out some of the empty sky you will have yourself a great looking peice.
Also, my friend introduced me to some free editing software very similar to photoshop. It's called GIMP.
I love this bird, wish I had some shots like this. :thumbup:

Jeanhdl

TraceyG wrote:

Went looking for Bald Eagles, came up empty...still a little early here for them. But found this guy.

Would love some comments on how to edit. The sky was flat, and I'm new to this editing stuff, so I would appreciate suggestions.

PS...I do NOT have photoshop. On a Mac, with Aperature, and Viveza 2.

When I am editing a photo like this and I feel I need something to switch it up, I will go in and crop it WAY down and maybe just show the eye or the face and part of a wing. Take it way down fill the photo with the feathers and eye, go for patterns instead.... Just a thought.... But keep shooting, you will get what you want. Always pay attention to the light! Keep showing us your work, I will be looking forward to it!

TraceyG Loc: SW, Fl.

Thanks Alice, and Jean. Apprieciate the comments!

Jean, I like your ideas, and I will think of that as an option for some of my shots. Right now I am just trying to learn some of these editing programs. I used to only use crop and tried to go with the "natural" shot, but after seeing some of the effects that people are getting with editing, I'm seeing the "light" so to speak! :lol:

I'm new to most of these programs, so I'm experimenting and learning.

Here's my latest attempt...I'm getting close I think.

Rach, I think maybe this one will be close to what you got for me. I pulled some of the red out, for a more vibrant blue sky.

TraceyG Loc: SW, Fl.

Wrong again, back to the drawing board! LOL

Jeanhdl

The ONLY way to learn is to try and try again..... Just remember to have fun learning........ I am trying to find a shot I did of a parrot, where the bird was good and in focus, but was ugly background and not much I could do about it. So I just cropped right down to his eye and face feathers..... Now if I could only find it. What are you shooting in? JEG or Raw.... If you shoot in Raw, you will be able to crop you little heart away!
Happy Shooting!

TraceyG Loc: SW, Fl.

Thanks Jean, post that parrot when you get it!

I'm pretty much always shoot in raw when taking birds, many times they are so far away that I do have to crop, crop, and crop again! :)

OK...another attempt...it seems to look better in my editing program than on here...so here goes again.

TraceyG Loc: SW, Fl.

Now they are just looking noisy....