Altered Deer Image

[Brad Newby]

This is a quite ordinary deer image. I often try to turn something ordinary into a wall hanger - mostly with no success. I think this one is definitely improved by the alterations, but could really use some feedback. Go ahead. I can take your worst.

The trying part was creating a mask for the deer. Then I posterized the reeds into 6 levels. Canon 7D with 100-400L.

http://www.smile-123.com/photos/865945348_dzWvo-L-1.jpg

Here's the original.

http://www.smile-123.com/photos/865945073_Pjq35-L-1.jpg

[Morkel Erasmus]

Hi Brad. I'm sorry but this doesn't work for me (and I'm all for "artifying" your shots). Something is terribly off in the reeds up front, even in the original? are they different than the ones the deer is standing in? also, the texture of all the reeds around the doe makes her disappear and lose prominence. It also seems like the light was already harsh. I do like that you got an alert pose and eye contact. :)

[Hilary Hann]

I have to agree with Morkel but admire you for trying. I think the post production techniques you were using for this image, perhaps are not the most suitable. The pose of the deer is good, the reeds and vegetation is quite graphic so I would have moved more into a mono or duo tone finish. The foreground appears almost posterized and doesn't appeal. Perhaps cropping more of it off and then changing processing would help.

Sometimes we have to accept that our original capture just won't carry a final, stunning art print (I know, I'm doing the same thing all the time :o) BUT working on images such as this can really improve our pp skills so I would keep it up and keep posting them for critique.

[Steve Canuel]

I've got a couple of similar pictures to this that I "artsied up" and personally enjoy. I prefer something closer to the original with some cropped off the bottom. The reflective look of what appears to be dried cattails didn't take well to the PP. I think a more toned down version of what you tried with just a smaller band of cattails on the bottom would look better. Just my opinion though.