Theme: Common Loon with chick.

[Karl Egressy]

This picture might qualify for the July's theme.
I took this picture in Algonquin P.P. from a canoe.
I could have cloned out the chick as it turns away and being OOF, but the picture wouldn't
have improved IMO.
I like this picture for the beautiful reflection it tas on the water.
I was waiting for the Loon to swim into this section of the Lake and it did.
Thanks for looking.

Canon 7D
Canon 70-200 f4.0 L IS plus Canon 1.4x TC at 280 mm.
ISO 400
1/400 sec
f 7.1

[Randy Stout]

Karl:

You were able to capture a wide range of colors on the adults head, with violets over the bill, greens and the blue collar. Light was just right.

Sharp and well exposed. I am OK with the chick, gives some context. Yes, wish it was turned our way, but it was still going to be out of DOF.

I often sit and wait for them to swim into a great patch of water/reflections, so it is always fun when it happens!

Cheers

Randy

[Marina Scarr]

Lucky you to have been able to photograph loons with their chicks. You have lovely colors in the BG here, but I find them quite bright, and the whites on the bird also. Here is a slightly darker version. I understand how badly you wanted this chick in the picture but, for me, it's an OOF distraction, esp b/c it is turned away from the viewer. It does look as though the chick is too far away for you to have been able to get both in focus which is a shame. Looking forward to seeing more of your grebe and loon pictures.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Karl, the light in this certainly has brought out the colours on the Loon's head and neck so well - so very well exposed. Overall, nice and sharp too. Im fine with the chick as is, and would maybe take a bit off the bottom. If this were mine, I would try a version with desaturating the greens of the water a touch. :w3

[Melissa Groo]

Wonderful job on the exposure, Karl, and I love how the colors on the loon are so beautifully accentuated. The water reflections have wonderful colors too.
I find that the out of focus chick detracts for me.
Looking forward to more from your trip.

[Karl Egressy]

Thank you Melissa, Marina, Randy and Stuart.
I did clone out the little chick and compared the two version.
I either did not do a good job on cloning or just missed the chcick but I decided that I liked it with the chick better.
You can give it a try, I would appreciate it, cloning it that is.
Next post will either show the parent by herself or with the chick in focus and eye contact.

[Marina Scarr]

Okay, Karl, I gave it a try. It can be done, but it takes time and some experimenting. I did most of it with the Patch tool plus some cloning and some spot healing. Tried using the fill but it didn't work b/c of the reflections and the proximity to the adult.

[Karl Egressy]

Okay, Karl, I gave it a try. It can be done, but it takes time and some experimenting. I did most of it with the Patch tool plus some cloning and some spot healing. Tried using the fill but it didn't work b/c of the reflections and the proximity to the adult.


Thanks Marina, very nice of you.
It looks pretty good.
I'll try it again on my own just to practice probably with the pach tool instead of cloning.
It looks much better this way.

[Marina Scarr]

Surround the chick very closely with the patch tool. Instead of moving it down, move it directly upward. There is room for your to drop the patch just below the beak and above the chest. Then you can clean up the rest with various tools. That one was the toughest.

[Alan Murphy]

Marina's last edit looks great to me. The water color adds a lot.

[Karl Egressy]

Surround the chick very closely with the patch tool. Instead of moving it down, move it directly upward. There is room for your to drop the patch just below the beak and above the chest. Then you can clean up the rest with various tools. That one was the toughest.

Thanks Marina, thanks for your help.
This is my version;
I used quick mask with the brush tool at 97 percent. Then I applied a radius to the selection at 15.
Then with control J I created a layer.
Then with the move tool I moved this selection over the chick.
I then used the clone tool to clone out some of the repeating pattern.
This is the result:

[Marina Scarr]

That looks pretty darn good, Karl. It does take some trial and error and some patience, but it can be done! The only thing I might suggest is that that light line going down the picture (through the bill) got a little squiggly down below. I would try to keep that straight if possible and the viewers' eye will tend to wander less and see discrepancies.

[Ian McHenry]

Hi Karl
I think it might have been an Eric Hosking picture of a similar bird which first attracted me to bird photography.
If I had not seen your first post and only your latest edit I would have said an unreserved excellent image.
However the interest factor of the chick still makes that one my preferred image.
I do like Marina's 1st edit for colour depth.
A fine example of watching the BG.
Nice work.
Cheers: Ian Mc

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot. Love the water color, very nice light, great pose, and grat comp. I really like this shot with the chick cloned out.
Either way great shot.
Well done.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Great colours and exposure. Details look good on the adult. I agree the chick is/was a distraction...I could have lived with it had the face been visible.

[Frank Schauf]

Beautiful and colorful image. Sharp and well composed.