When all else fails...

[Bill Dix]

D90, 80-400 VR @ 360mm. ISO 800, f/6.3 @ 1/1000s. Matrix metering @ -1.0 EV. HH. Large crop.

This was taken a few days ago out of my back window. Taken through two panes of glass, and considerably cropped, it lacked good IQ but I liked the classic nuthatch pose, so I resorted to applying a Paint Daub filter to get a painting-like effect. I know this is a cop-out, but probably a device that many of us have used from time to time. I'd be curious to know how folks react to it.

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Bill,
I respect your decision for disclosure...I don't have a problem with it...as a matter of fact, I like your painterly master piece...:D You have a good head angle, with good eye contact and good color rendition...I like the slanted pose...well done Sir...keep them coming...:cool:

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Bill

.... no cop out at all, an excellent base image for what you were trying to do. When working these type is all about feel, remember to always work in layers so opacity can be changed to lessen the effect to taste, would have slight more detail through out but like it a lot !!!!

[Bill Dix]

Thank you Gus and Alfred. I did experiment briefly with several stroke lengths, degrees of detail and layer opacity, as well as several other filter options, before settling on this. But I can imagine a bit more detail might work. Once I decided to try a filter on it, the possibilities were endless. Appreciate the comments.

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Bill,

I love it!!

How did you do that, is it a plug in filter for CS4 or a separate app?

[Bill Dix]

Bill,

I love it!!

How did you do that, is it a plug in filter for CS4 or a separate app?

In Elements 7, Paint Daub is one of the Artistic Filter options, like Watercolor, Palette Knife, etc. Very simple to use, with options for stroke width, detail, etc. Alfred's suggestion to use it on a layer is good advice. I'm guessing this is the same in Photoshop.

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Thanks Bill, I will into CS4 options, love the image and effect.

[Craig Markham]

Very effective use of the effect, Bill. Captures the nuthatch stance perfectly without troubling us with the details and makes for a pleasantly viewable image.