PDA

View Full Version : Crested Francolin


Tobie Schalkwyk
12-10-2014, 03:17 AM
This is one of the instances where a bird in its environment works for me, instead of the typical soft BG which accentuates birds well in other cases. Snapped early morning in the Kruger National Park.

The usual tonal & sharpness adjustments in LR. Just about full frame.

All C & C's welcome.

Nikon D7100
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4D IF-ED (@ 450mm FFE)
f/8 | 1/640s | 640 ISO | Beanbag
keith mitchell
12-10-2014, 03:58 AM
Tobie agree looks very good in it's environment, you are lucky that piece of grass through the head stayed just to the left of the eye, think there is a place for all b/g like it a lot.

Keith.
Tobie Schalkwyk
12-10-2014, 04:21 AM
Tobie agree looks very good in it's environment, you are lucky that piece of grass through the head stayed just to the left of the eye, think there is a place for all b/g like it a lot.

Keith.
Thanks for looking & commenting Keith! I ​have actually tried to remove that particular grass stem at first but there was no way of doing it cleanly - not even my old trusted Content Aware Fill in PS could help me out this time, so eventually I decided to leave it as is! :S3:
keith mitchell
12-10-2014, 04:51 AM
No where your coming from Tobie the frustrating times I have tried to do the same and in the end agree with you leave it alone.

Keith.
christopher galeski
12-10-2014, 05:23 AM
like it ,nice environment shot,like how the colors of the bird blend in with the grasses.
Marina Scarr
12-10-2014, 08:39 AM
I like the image much more than the thumbnail. I wasn't even sure where the bird was when I saw the thumbnail. This bird surely knows how to camouflage itself and you've done a great job portraying that. I'd consider a little more room on top or maybe even try a vertical
Tobie Schalkwyk
12-10-2014, 11:57 AM
<snip>I'd consider a little more room on top or maybe even try a vertical
Thanks for looking & commenting Marina. A vertical does not work due to the width occupied by the bird. The closest I could get to is a square. I must admit I like the OP's crop more:

http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=147428&d=1418230350
Jim Crosswell
12-10-2014, 12:22 PM
I like the setting, pose, sharpness and composition of the OP works for me. Well done Tobie.
Gerhard Weldhagen
12-11-2014, 06:16 AM
Well done getting a clean shot of this bird, from experience they are not easy to get out in the open.