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Dick Boone
01-31-2008, 01:05 PM
About the only way you can get these guys in the image from nose to tail is make the image a pano. D2x + 300mm f4 lens on tripod. ISO 100; 1/350th @ f5.

Alfred Forns
02-03-2008, 10:54 PM
A pone squirrel Oh my God !!!!!!!! Way cute !!! You are right about this one Dick !!! Pano is the only way to go Would like to give the little critter a bit more room is possible Love the direct eye contact and pose !!! Big Congrats !!!

Robert Amoruso
02-04-2008, 06:21 AM
Dick,

I like how the head is framed by the stump and the tail framed by the rock, the outlines are very close to those of the squirrel's at the head and tail.

I think a contrast boost might be in order use a curves adjustment layer or local contrast enhancement using the following: USM filter at 20%, radius 50 (from David Kennedy).

Neat idea for a pano. :)

David Kennedy
02-07-2008, 01:20 PM
The pano crop was certainly the way to go, but I wish that there was more room to the right for the squirrel to look into. Robert's right that some added contrast would help separate the squirrel from the rest of the image. Sadly, I cannot take credit for the local contrast enhancement trick (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/contrast-enhancement.shtml). 15% at R 65 is also popular. And 20% at R 50 is sometimes too much, so you find yourself backing off the percentage.

Robert Amoruso
02-07-2008, 07:31 PM
The pano crop was certainly the way to go, but I wish that there was more room to the right for the squirrel to look into. Robert's right that some added contrast would help separate the squirrel from the rest of the image. Sadly, I cannot take credit for the local contrast enhancement trick (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/contrast-enhancement.shtml). 15% at R 65 is also popular. And 20% at R 50 is sometimes too much, so you find yourself backing off the percentage.

The local contrast trick is all over the place but you started mentioning it first here David so credit is due.

Robert O'Toole
02-22-2008, 11:40 AM
The pano crop was certainly the way to go, but I wish that there was more room to the right for the squirrel to look into. Robert's right that some added contrast would help separate the squirrel from the rest of the image. Sadly, I cannot take credit for the local contrast enhancement trick (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/contrast-enhancement.shtml). 15% at R 65 is also popular. And 20% at R 50 is sometimes too much, so you find yourself backing off the percentage.

Actually I learned this technique from Microsoft of all companies. They published this USM contrast enhancement in 2001 or so. They explained it can be used to compensate for the low pass filter in DSLRs. I have been using it ever since. Works great for for removing haze especially when applied selectively. MS recommended 20-50-0, I often use AMT 10 to 30 R 40-60 and T 0-4.

Robert