Red-crowned Crane in flight

Arrived last night from Japan and am only now just thawing out.

AKA the Tancho or Japanese Crane, these number only about 1100 in the wild, up from 33 left at the start of conservation and breeding efforts.

This is one of my favorites. Early morning light and only -10 or -15 deg C without the windchill but the opportunites were worth it.

Putting a workshop series together for this spot and others on Hokkaido for 2009.

Canon EOS-1D Mark II N and 28-135 IS.
1/640 sec at 5.6 Exposure compensation: +1 1/3 ISO: 400
Focal length: 100mm
Hokkaido Japan

Sorry for the pixelation in the sky, I use an action set up for small file sizes.

Image Copyright 2008 Robert OToole

Great pose. I would take a slice off the top and the bottom and take some red out of the whites. Welcome home and now get your butt over to Macro; you have been missed.

later and love, artie

You should have seen it before I took out the red, the image was made early so the light was very orange. I dont want to correct it all out.
Thanks for the wecome back (I am over at Macro).


Robert

You are getting around! Thanks for all the help on the IPT... I love the multiply layers quick mask technique from your APTAT CD. I like the warm light here. Perhaps it could be a bit tighter to show off the open bill.

Thanks Milo. You are right, as Artie is, about the crop.

Things that look great at 3000 or even 1400 pixels dont look so great at 700!! I apologize, I really should put in more time to each image, I confess to overuse of Actions in PS. I really should have cropped it tighter.

Glad you like the CD, any comments or questions email me anytime.

Robert

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Robert O'Toole

Things that look great at 3000 or even 1400 pixels don't look so great at 700!! I apologize, I really should put in more time to each image, I confess to overuse of Actions in PS. Robert

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Good advice to Robert and all aspiring photographers; "Don't put junk out there. Ever." Post one lousy image because you are too lazy to do it right and folks will remember it forever. Never compromise your principles...

Later and love, artie

Now you are saying my image is lousy junk? Thanks for that :)

Didnt realize I was posting junk. Guess I should learn how to use Photoshop.

Seriously in my post I was only agreeing that I should have done a tighter crop before running an action. I dont feel that the image is junk or lousy.

Robert

The image did not and does not look good; it does not look at all sharp as posted. You yourself said "I apologize, I really should put in more time to each image." I was just agreeing with you and trying to help by giving you good advice. Early on in my career friends like Kevin Karlson and Tom Vezo would always be complaining, "I can't believe they published the worst one I sent." I always told them, "If you wouldn't be proud to see it in a magazine, don't send it."

With the web, everyone can see any image that you post. You are great in Photoshop, the best I have ever seen. And you are an amazingly talented and creative photographer. All that I was saying is don't be lazy; do your best with every image that you post; the world is looking.

I used the word "lousy" to get your attention; glad that it worked. In a few years, you will thank me for the advice.

later and love,
artie

ps: Food for thought: I endorse you; when you put stuff on line that is not your best, it reflects on me too...

Cropped and re-uploaded at 140 KB.

Thanks for the advice.

Robert

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Arthur Morris

The image did not and does not look good; it does not look at all sharp as posted. You yourself said "I apologize, I really should put in more time to each image." I was just agreeing with you and trying to help by giving you good advice. .

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Thanks again for the advice.

You dont think it is sharp? You didnt mention that one previously. I see plenty of detail in the feathers and the eye and beak. If I sharpen globally I will get halos all over the wing edges. I tend to go for less is more when it comes to sharpening. I actually though it was a good image for a 700 px 39KB image.

Robert

YAW for the advice. It was given from the heart.

It looks better now than it did ten minutes ago; did you re-post it with a crop?

later and love, artie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Arthur Morris

It looks better now than it did ten minutes ago; did you re-post it with a crop?

later and love, artie

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Yaw, see 2 posts above. The orig was only 39 K, I reposted cropped and 140KB.

I know that your skills far exceed mine at this point (both in photography and in using Photoshop), but I would have been very happy with a "lousy piece of junk" like this. :) But I do understand Arthur's point, and I will definitely keep it in mind!

Inge

Great flight shot,I Iove the light!