If I were a Photoshop Jock...

[Joerg Rockenberger]

...I probably could make this image very good, if not spectacular, by:

- expanding the canvas on all four sides but particularly to the left and bottom.
- blur the background to make it smoother. Or replace it completely with something different?
- lighten the shadows on its neck and in some parts of the body.
- repair the missing feather tips.
- anything else?

Or I simply could go back and try again. But then, what are the chances to get it perfect right in the camera...

Curious about your comments. Thanks in advance! JR

PS: Just to make sure: I envy you all who could fix this image and have the highest respect for the skill you developed. By no means, this is intended to be a slight on PP.

Canon 40D, 400F5.6, 1/800s, F6.3, ISO-400, Manual Exposure, Handheld

[Katie Rupp]

Hey John, your title reminds of the song "If I were a rich man..." Anyway, I know your frustration; currently I'm focusing on improving my photoshop skills partly because it's way too hot and too sunny here in Vegas for much luck at bird photos and also to hopefully solve some of the issues you've posed here. I have learned this much (the hard way) that getting it as right as possible in-camera makes post-processing so very much easier...let's see what our more experienced techie's can do.

[Harold Davis]

hey JR!! what do you use for PP?

[Lance Peters]

Hi John - the answer to lots of your question lies within Robert O'Tooles APTATS CD.

The shadows can be adjusted with the shadows/highlight tool in P.S. as in the repost.

Anything can be changed/fixed these days just depends on your skill and the time required. Personally I always try to get the DIFFICULT things to fix right in the camera.

All I did on the repost was adjust the shadows - no time to do any other fixes - sorry. (BG could be blurred with a grassian blur etc etc.)

[Alfred Forns]

Hi John the hardest part would be rebuilding the wings !!! As lance mentioned with Robert O'toole's CD you can learn !!! The rest is not all that difficult !!!


Agree with all your own suggestions and think is one image worth working, it can be spectacular !!!!! Big Congrats !!!

[Dan Brown]

Here's a few QM attempts. Could definately do more with a bigger file and more time! like darken the bright left side of the BG. Dan Brown

edited photo with darker left side. Dan

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Great capture, love the intense look on the bird.

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Thanks for your comments! And especially thanks to those taking the time to edit the image.

The problem for me is to balancing photographing with PP. Right now, I am playing around with Photoshop 6. That's just what is available to me. And I know that there are plenty of resources out there addressing most of my questions and shortcomings re PP. But then, how to trade off being in the field and photographing vs. learning how to improve my pics by PP?

I am really struggling with this - as well as to identify the pics worthwhile of further work... and to trade off $ investments and time in computer gear (right now a 13in admittedly very good laptop) vs upgraded photo gear (500? drool...).

That being said I'll be a sure customer of ROT's new edition of APTATS. Just hope we'll have a bout of bad weather here. :)

JR

[Nonda Surratt]

Neat image John and the re-posts rock!

I'm going to second what Katie said on getting right in camera, but learning PS is a very good thing too!