Back lit dancer

[Randy Stout]

This trumpeter swan was flapping with strong back lighting earlier this spring. I thought the whites contrasted well with the dark background

D850 500PF f/7.1. 1/2500s. ISO 4000. HH

Post: small crop from top. Tweaked the contrast for more dramatic effect, cleaned up a few spots in the water. Darkened the foreground.
The brown on the head and neck come from feeding in the pond muck.

Advice and comments always appreciated.

Cheers

Randy

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

I really like the concept here Randy, love how the dark water contrasts with he bird. The wing pose and water drops are nice.

[Bill Dix]

Lovely backlit wings and water droplets.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Randy, is the crop based on RoT's?

Initially I thought it needed a rotation as the HL's on the water offer an optical effect, but I guess you based it on the top of the wings? I do like the overall colour and glad you pushed things, I just wished you had more tonal range in the wings. I would add both top & bottom a Graduated filter and really darken them down, forget the clipping unless you go for a print, makes more of a graphic reflection, even add a vignette to pull focus further in. Dust down the gimmick, or as some folk say - 'tricks' (not sure what that is, but...) and go for it Randy!!!

TFS
Steve

[John Mack]

Love how those wings just glow. The bird really pops against that dark water. Nice one.

[David Roach]

High contrast totally works on this canvas for me. All the light including rim light, through the wings, water ripples and of course droplets put it over the top. TFS

[Randy Stout]

Hi Randy, is the crop based on RoT's?

Initially I thought it needed a rotation as the HL's on the water offer an optical effect, but I guess you based it on the top of the wings? I do like the overall colour and glad you pushed things, I just wished you had more tonal range in the wings. I would add both top & bottom a Graduated filter and really darken them down, forget the clipping unless you go for a print, makes more of a graphic reflection, even add a vignette to pull focus further in. Dust down the gimmick, or as some folk say - 'tricks' (not sure what that is, but...) and go for it Randy!!!

TFS
Steve

What me, do post processing stuff? I am just a boring, non artistic kind of guy. Last time I went artistic , it was not well received!

Randy

[Steve Kaluski]

What me, do post processing stuff? I am just a boring, non artistic kind of guy. Last time I went artistic , it was not well received!

Well I think you should Randy, it's a great image IMHO. :wave:

[Randy Stout]

Here is another version, pushed a bit.

Vignette, teased out a bit more detail in dynamic range of wing feathers, rotated CCW 1/2 degree.

Randy

[Steve Kaluski]

Randy, for me, this works, it has so much more life, but I guess it's all personal preference. :S3:

[Jonathan Ashton]

A really pleasing image....... for me the first is more pleasing, it seems more likely/credible.

[Steve Kaluski]

A really pleasing image....... for me the first is more pleasing, it seems more likely/credible.

Jon, should there not be times when we move away for 'credible' to a more artistic POV, because of the dramatic light & setting etc, as per here??? You should checkout Andrew Parkinson. :w3