Avoiding Disputes About Backgrounds: In an attempt to concentrate on developing my own photographic abilities and to avoid wasted time quibbling about illegal, copyrighted backgrounds...

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

In an attempt to concentrate on developing my own photographic abilities and to avoid wasted time quibbling about illegal, copyrighted backgrounds advertised as "free" on the internet, I am going back-ground-less for the time being. I have beautiful birds in my backyard who beauty cries out to me to take their picture. So I am obliging. Hope you enjoy my latest attempt. Please feel free to make suggestions and download my image to show me your ideas. Shooter41

(Download)

waymond Loc: Pflugerville, Texas

Breathtaking. Excellent shots.

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

waymond wrote:

Breathtaking. Excellent shots.

Thank you waymond. Much appreciated.

Ourspolair

This is a smart endeavour which will allow you to concentrate on both your photographic and your pp editing skills. Nice project for the winter! Please stay well and continue to share your work.

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

Ourspolair wrote:

This is a smart endeavour which will allow you to concentrate on both your photographic and your pp editing skills. Nice project for the winter! Please stay well and continue to share your work.

Dear Ourspolair: Your sweet comment touched my heart. I wish there were more like you. Please stay well yourself and allow me to see some of your work that shows your strength of character and photographic abilities.

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

These have the high quality of textbook illustrations. You are practicing a purity of vision that I, frankly, was not aware of. Very inspirational.

I have to confess that I was also not aware of issues involving copyrighted backgrounds. I have just been relying on the bokeh i get from the camera and lens combos. Yikes, so much depth to this hobby.

Anyway, thanks for sharing, and please continue.

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

ClarkJohnson wrote:

These have the high quality of textbook illustrations. You are practicing a purity of vision that I, frankly, was not aware of. Very inspirational.

I have to confess that I was also not aware of issues involving copyrighted backgrounds. I have just been relying on the bokeh i get from the camera and lens combos. Yikes, so much depth to this hobby.

Anyway, thanks for sharing, and please continue.

Dear ClarkJohnson: You are indeed a gentleman. I would very much like to become photo buddies and share our mutual interest in photography if you are agreeable. Don Marler at randfan@cox.net (Shooter41)

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

When I'm out and about each day taking photographs, I also am looking for good backgrounds that I can use when necessary. The first picture here is the original, and the second is with a background that I took myself and found it useful for this bird thief.

bleirer

Selecting the subject and masking the background is an art that you and I both struggle with. You have some evidence to clean up especially the left one. If you have Photoshop the select and refine tools are pretty good, but some hand work is always needed.

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

russelray wrote:

When I'm out and about each day taking photographs, I also am looking for good backgrounds that I can use when necessary. The first picture here is the original, and the second is with a background that I took myself and found it useful for this bird thief.

Dear russelray: Your timing and panning were excellent on your original image with the cluttered background. But I am amazed at not only the excellent choice of background you selected for your bird thief during editing, but somehow in post processing you improved the bird image itself a ton. Please keep sharing your excellent work with us on UHH. I would enjoy becoming photo buddies and sharing our growth if you are agreeable. Don Marler at randfan@cox.net (Shooter41)

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

Shooter41 wrote:

Dear russelray: Your timing and panning were excellent on your original image with the cluttered background. But I am amazed at not only the excellent choice of background you selected for your bird thief during editing, but somehow in post processing you improved the bird image itself a ton. Please keep sharing your excellent work with us on UHH. I would enjoy becoming photo buddies and sharing our growth if you are agreeable. Don Marler at randfan@cox.net (Shooter41)

Hey, Don. Thanks for the nice words.

I'm retired and in several high-risk categories for death by Covid-19, so my photography sales have allowed me to be in self-isolation since March 14. It's dull, boring, and uninteresting, though. We are social creatures, and I really miss the social aspects. I am cataloging several million pictures taken since 1966 and having some fun in that sense.

I've been using Photoshop since it hit the PC market back in the '80s, so if I can help you or anyone with anything, feel free to contact me. I don't have all the answers, but I like to find answers if I don't have them. russelrayphotos@gmail.com

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

Clouds are my favorite background subject because I live in San Diego. It's either all blue sky or all gray sky. Rarely beautiful clouds, so when they do show up, I rush out to take lots of pictures of them.

I'm a train fanatic having been born into a train family, so I'm always doing research on trains and train-related stuff. Here in San Diego we have a beautiful, historic Santa Fe Depot. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter where one goes to get a picture of it, there are skyscrapers and other mush in the picture. That is what caused me to learn how to replace backgrounds, and this ATSF Depot in San Diego was my first attempt.

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

russelray wrote:

Hey, Don. Thanks for the nice words. br br I'm re... (show quote)

Hi again Russ...I too am in several high risk categories that would most likely kill me if I caught the Covid Virus as well. I didn't retire from dentistry and concentrate more on my photography until 2008 when I bought Photoshop CS4 and began post editing my photographs. I now have worked out a combination of CS4; Topaz masking, Ps for sharpening and Exposure 5 for sorting images. I had always mostly shot indoor soccer for the original Wichita Wings 42 years ago and the New Wichita Wings this past year until the pandemic. Now I am concentrating on bird photography in my back yard since I have to stay home due to the virus. I am completely blown away by the little Sony RX10M4 I recently bought. I am now using it more than my Canon Mark IV EOS with full frame that was great for indoor, low-light, fast action photography. I am interested to learn what it is that you like to shoot now. Don Marler at randfan@cox.net. (shooter41)

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

Shooter41 wrote:

Hi again Russ...I too am in several high risk cate... (show quote)

Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS

bleirer wrote:

Selecting the subject and masking the background is an art that you and I both struggle with. You have some evidence to clean up especially the left one. If you have Photoshop the select and refine tools are pretty good, but some hand work is always needed.

Hi bleirer...I agree that my left image has a grey halo around the bird and I don't know if my old Photoshop CS4 has the select and refine tools, so I will check when I get off UHH. When you mention hand work, are you speaking of going around the border of the subject with either the paint brush on a solid background, or the stamp duplicate tool with a varied background? (That is what I did on the bird on the right.) I hate leaving evidence of Photoshopping on a good image. Don Marler at randfan@cox.net. (Shooter41)