Mallard colors ECU

ECU is a term used in movies and television to mean "extreme close-up". I loved the colors that I got with this mallard, which was already very large in the frame. I cropped it even closer (and could maybe go more?) to isolate the patches of color, ran an Alien Skin film look filter (Fuji Velvia 50 for Artie!), then applied the buzz sim look in Topaz Simplify. I set that layer to 67% opacity to tone it down a bit and masked back some detail in the eye, bill, and leg. I know the blacks are blocked, it is the look I wanted in this case.

Thank you for your comments, as always! :)

Kerry, Really nice effect applied and the colors and details are nice. I might crop a bit off the top, just to where the ULC of BG is no longer visible. Very creative preening image.

Thanks Denise! This is one of those where I cropped a dozen different ways trying to find the sweet spot. I was afraid that taking out that ULC would center the eye and bill too much, but here is that crop and I think it does work better. Thank you for your excellent eye, as always. :)

PS - looks like PS gave me a little extra saturation too! All I did was open, crop, and save...

Kerry, I do like the crop better-but the added saturation might be a bit too much:). Anyway I think your main focal point is the bill entering the feathers and not the eye -which being in the center is okay w/ me since your eye goes there first and then wanders around the entire image. IMHHO:)

Thanks Denise! I told PS not to color manage, but it just can't help itself sometimes. ;)

Lovely painterly feel to this..TFS..after comparing the 2 images...I kinda like the first one, put them both up on my monitor, flipped back and forth..

Kerry, this has a really nice look to it. I especially like the textures on the lighter feathers.

Beautiful colors and texture. I like this perspective.

love the vivid colors and textures Kerry..and I really like that you kept the eye visible here, really well done :)

Like the colors on #1 and the crop on #2 - this is a humdinger of an image, Kerry. I bet it would be beautiful as a large print. Beautiful texture on the feathers - you can almost reach out and touch that bird!

Thanks everyone!

Jules, I think I ended up converting to sRGB twice! Easy fix...

Beautiful Kerry. Personally, I like the first image.