|
| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 15 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Oh - lucky you Sarina -
that you got to observe these birds in such a special moment! |
Mar 13th |
| 15 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Hi Doug - I realized I uploaded the wrong suggested edit - Below is the one I suggest with lightened shadows to bring more detail into the darker feathers. |
Mar 10th |
 |
| 15 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Hi Doug - Ooh - lucky you to have Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge nearby! This bird means business! I agree with Isaac that more space in front would change the character of this shot. But sometimes it's hard to maneuver your lens and shoot from a vehicle as birds fly near and far around you. For your consideration, I did a quick shadow-lift that slightly shifts viewer eyes to focus more on the bird's center body, but also brings a bit more detail into the wingtips. But you've captured a nice, close look at this majestic raptor - from beak to claws! |
Mar 10th |
 |
| 15 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Hi Doug - Ooh - lucky you to have Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge nearby! This bird means business! I agree with Isaac that more space in front would change the character of this shot. But sometimes it's hard to maneuver your lens and shoot from a vehicle as birds fly near and far around you. For your consideration, I did a quick shadow-lift that slightly shifts viewer eyes to focus more on the bird's center body, but also brings a bit more detail into the wingtips. But you've captured a nice, close look at this majestic raptor - from beak to claws! |
Mar 9th |
 |
| 15 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Hi Sarita - Is this a common interaction, or perhaps a mating ritual? It looks like a tender moment between these two colorful and lovely birds. There is one sharper tidbit of twig showing on the upper right side - perhaps remove the entire sharp and soft branch in that upper corner. You might also consider lifting the shadows just a bit to accentuate your nice, sharp feather detail on the (male?) bird on the right side. I like the crop angle you've chosen as it draws my eye toward their beak-to-beak interaction. |
Mar 9th |
| 15 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Gerhard - This is a fabulous capture - showing off not one, but two of these fascinating birds interacting. Our US hummingbirds often fight over flowers and feeders in such a way as well. Having shot thousands of such interactions and saving a handful, I know how hard (and fortunate!) it is to freeze such a scenario. You are nice and sharp where it matters most - the head-to-head action. The outer wings are a bit softer but that may be from NR necessary to fine-tune the 14000 ISO. I don't see that softness as an issue for the story this image tells. I agree that color and detail in the less-processed repost is far more pleasing and natural in appearance. I think this is a worthy submission for editorial or print (calendars!) opportunities! Thank you for sharing this spectacular capture of these Cape Sugar birds, Gerhard! |
Mar 9th |
| 15 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Watching long-necked birds (or snakes) catch and swallow their prey is absolutely fascinating - as at least several of us here know first hand. Isaac - this is a stellar educational series that perhaps one or more organizations (or AUTHORS!) bird-specific (Cornell, Audubon, BWD, ABC, et. al.) or nature/wildlife (Corkscrew Swamp, TNC, Sierra, WWF, et. al.) might appreciate. |
Mar 9th |
| 15 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Hi Doug and Isaac - thanks for your excellent feedback! I agree with Isaac - who has also seen these juveniles in the wild - that the saturated colors are not correct for this species. But - perhaps I can desaturate and soften the background a bit to achieve an accurate species rendition while making this bird stand out more. Once I am able to get back to my office (in a couple weeks), I will take a stab at it. As always, I appreciate feedback from other photographers and your suggestions are very valid and helpful. |
Mar 3rd |
6 comments - 2 replies for Group 15
|
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Thanks everyone - I appreciate your suggestions and comments which helped me make this a stronger image!
|
Mar 19th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Hi Barbara - I love the scene - the lone tree in early bloom in the golden field really stands out. However, the color in the background trees and the sky don't read true to me. For your consideration, I've made a couple quick edits in Lightroom Classic to color-balance the sky and green trees. I masked the sky and moved the color temperature slider into the cooler blue tone, which added more detail to the sky, then I inverted the mask to push the slider to slightly warmer and also moved the color tint slightly to the green side to "green up" the background trees. |
Mar 19th |
 |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
And yet another crop consideration |
Mar 18th |
 |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Another crop consideration ... |
Mar 18th |
 |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Michael - This is a very nice, large view with so much to see and admire. Soft colors give it an abstract sense. I think you have more than one great shot here. I've suggested a couple cropping options for your consideration for more perspectives from The Palouse. |
Mar 18th |
 |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Hi Larry - This deeply still scene makes me hear the frogs, and late-calling birds and insects as the day comes to an end. I, like Adi and you, am baffled about the color discrepancy between sky and reflection on the lower left. The fog, on the other hand, I believe may be caused by the sudden drop in temperature when the sun sets - which causes a subtle noticeable - and predictable puff of air that immediately follows sunset. Since it's so subtle, it doesn't ripple the water but causes a slight disturbance in the atmosphere. If you listen hard, you can sometimes hear the grass and leaves whisper and feel the light puff of air across your face. It's enough to create - and push the fog when the temp drop is great enough over the moist lake surface. |
Mar 18th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Hi Bill - You did a superlative job putting this lovely property together from your two images - I commend you on your patience and persistence! On my screen, the shadows seem overly dark and somewhat muddy. For your consideration, in Lightroom Classic, I played with the light and shadows a bit to bring out more detail in the mansion and its framing palms.
|
Mar 18th |
 |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Adi - I understand your choice to include the car, as it hints on many commentaries about the juxtaposition between man and nature - as well as the significance and majesty of of this forest. I think this shot would also successfully stand with a different feeling without the car.
PS - I actually do live on a muddy country road which gets carpeted with colorful fallen leaves (and wouldn't trade it for anything, even though my car is always muddy and dusty). |
Mar 18th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Well, my latest LR Update is buggy so hangs up when I try to make edits - I tried updating light & shadows a bit but not quite what you had suggested, Michael. But I get what you're saying and think it will be much punchier once I can get LR fixed. |
Mar 9th |
 |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Ooh - thanks for that suggestion, Michael. I'll try to give this a tweak and repost in the next few days. |
Mar 8th |
9 comments - 1 reply for Group 36
|
15 comments - 3 replies Total
|
