Heron (Page 2): Your version pretty much gives me what should've been there in the first place. Thanks and well done on your PS skills.

simonbowen Loc: hampton court uk

Frank2013 wrote:

Quite the hiatus simon, nice to see you back. Hope you don't mind my version. Yes in answer to your question. I don't think anyone will notice the wing tip work and brought out a bit more detail. Be sure to download and compare. You have a wonderful shot here.

Your version pretty much gives me what should've been there in the first place. Thanks and well done on your PS skills.

simonbowen Loc: hampton court uk

Thanks for that. Frank has come up with a fix - maybe he/you could tell me how it was done.

simonbowen Loc: hampton court uk

Dave Chinn wrote:

This is a keeper for sure !!! There's so many variations of crops you could do. Experiment and see what is suitable for you. I would even go as far as cropping just the herons face and the fish.
Dave

It changes the dynamic of the image, but I quite like it. Only issue is that is does introduce some noise.

simonbowen Loc: hampton court uk

I feel better now!

simonbowen Loc: hampton court uk

Uuglypher wrote:

Hi, Simon,
'Tiz a keeper in my book! It is an interesting and very unusual perspective....45°downward is hard to achieve with wading species. What were the circumstances? A view from a bridge or elevated walkway?

Dave

Thanks. Actually it was taken from a balcony at the back of my house (River Thames). A couple of grebes are fighting with a pair of coots for possession of a jointly built nest and the heron temporarily decided to use it as a fishing perch.
It was so engrossed in the task that I managed to get some outside shots without it disappearing over the horizon.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

simonbowen wrote:

I would like this except for one thing. I didn't get the whole of the left wing in shot. Put it down to poor technique I suppose.
Am I being over sensitive if I consign it to the 'nearly' file? Interested in any views.

The wing tip is so far removed from the action and centre of attention that it's neither here nor there to my eye. Once upon a time it was considered good form to have the edge of the frame intrude slightly on the main subject/s. It was seen as reinforcing the integrity of the art of photography to deliberately acknowledge the limitations of the art in this way. Not that I'd recommend that myself, but opinions regarding what's right and wrong come and go with the passage of time.

If it was mine I'd darken the area above the wing and behind the bird to reduce that area's ability to draw the eye (maybe desaturate and de-contrast too). I'd probably also brighten the area surrounding the fish and head to reinforce that area's status as the main focus of attention, taking care to keep the highlights subdued. Or maybe add a subtle custom vignette centred on the fish and head using the radial filter.

If you're seeing that shot as a failure or a disaster I'd recommend a re-think (and a re-edit :-) ).

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

simonbowen wrote:

maybe he/you could tell me how it was done.

Standard cloning work on the wing area. A small amount of eye work. Then a couple of adjustment layers, mainly levels, nothing fancy might have done a bit of brush work but not much. More could be done as R.G. suggests, I was just hoping to give you an idea of the wonderful shot you have. Your shot easily has all the info needed. Once again well done simon. If you would like further explanation feel free to pm me.

simonbowen Loc: hampton court uk

R.G. wrote:

The wing tip is so far removed from the action and... (show quote)

Interesting comments about the frame edge. I'll try the pp suggestions.

simonbowen Loc: hampton court uk

Frank2013 wrote:

Standard cloning work on the wing area. A small amount of eye work. Then a couple of adjustment layers, mainly levels, nothing fancy might have done a bit of brush work but not much. More could be done as R.G. suggests, I was just hoping to give you an idea of the wonderful shot you have. Your shot easily has all the info needed. Once again well done simon. If you would like further explanation feel free to pm me.

Thanks for the input. I'll pm you ...

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

R.G. wrote:

The wing tip is so far removed from the action and... (show quote)

Your thought puts me in mind of the tradition of the Puebloan potters who leave a small gap in the black "circle of life" perimeter painted around the orifice of the container they are decorating (to acknowledge the actual impermanence of all.....

Colonial Coz