Sand Hill Cranes

[Joseph Przybyla]

Dottie and I went to Circle B Bar Reserve this morning. I found this pair of Sand Hill Cranes walking through the marsh. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D7000
Nikon 80-400mm F/4.5-5.6 VRII AF-S ED shot at 400mm (600mm FFE)
1/640 F/8 Matrix Metering +1 EV ISO 1800
Post processed in Lightroom 5 and Photoshop Elements 10
Cropped for composition

[Daniel Cadieux]

Nice to get two of them in the frame, and that is some pretty neat habitat you found them in. Not sure what was above the frame but if you have it and if it is not distracting I'd add back up there (and right to retain the ratio). Although seemingly minor I would also remove the yellow flower merging with the front bird's forehead. Lastly, I would NOT sharpen the in-focus twigs and branches, only the two birds. I like the details on them, especially the scaling feathers. I also think the flying insect is a neat bonus :-)

[Joseph Przybyla]

Daniel, thanks for taking time to view, comment and offer suggestions for improvement. This post is implementing your suggestions. The image is full frame as shot. I sharpened the image then using the Adjustment Brush in Lightroom I put a mask over the background and applied a negative sharpening equal to the sharpening on the birds, so that the sharpening was only applied to the birds.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the setting, sharpness and composition in the repost. I would clone out the white dot in the top left at the leaf. Nice image Joe.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hey Joe, to me that extra room makes a real difference, and that yellow flower gone is better too as my eye kept looking at it. The thin twigs have lost the oversharpened look. A good repost!

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Joseph, the thumbnail doesnt do this justice. Both Cranes really pop from their colourful surroundings, and your repost looks good with regards to the FG vegetation. Having said that, you seem to have lost some contrast on the cranes in your repost, and I dont feel they are as sharp as your OP.

Place your OP cranes in your repost - job done. :w3

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hi Joseph, the thumbnail doesnt do this justice. Both Cranes really pop from their colourful surroundings, and your repost looks good with regards to the FG vegetation. Having said that, you seem to have lost some contrast on the cranes in your repost, and I dont feel they are as sharp as your OP.

Place your OP cranes in your repost - job done. :w3

Hi Stuart, thank you for viewing and commenting. I have revisited the image and applied your suggestions. Thanks again for all.