Sunset Stilt

Another pan-blur! These four Black-necked Stilts were flying around looking to settle down for the evening. The low light allowed for a good pan-blur and I switched to 1/15 sec to get the effect. Minimal processing here - adjustment layers for selective colors and saturation. I edited a version without the overlap but then decided to go ahead and post the original. Also, notice that it has one shadow. It seems the stilts were on different plane with the one in the front being furthest from the camera and was in focus. Does this work?

Edited version with no overlaps...

I think it's a creative idea (new to me) and I prefer the edited version. I think you did quite well but it still doesn't work...
I think it's an impossible situation....Had it just been the second bird where the primary focus is good I would like it much more...asking to get 4 birds in focus w/ pan blur is pushing boundaries of realistic expectations..

BTW, Nice edit. I cannot see any evidence of manipulation...I know what you did, but it is rather transparent unless REALLY looking for it.

This is very, very cool, Indranil! Love the sense of motion in both the wings and water. I'm wondering if there should be shadows under each bird or maybe none at all, but I like the composition.

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Originally Posted by Steven Kersting

I think it's a creative idea (new to me) and I prefer the edited version. I think you did quite well but it still doesn't work...
I think it's an impossible situation....Had it just been the second bird where the primary focus is good I would like it much more...asking to get 4 birds in focus w/ pan blur is pushing boundaries of realistic expectations..

BTW, Nice edit. I cannot see any evidence of manipulation...I know what you did, but it is rather transparent unless REALLY looking for it.

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Steven, thank you so much for your comments. Appreciate it a lot. The blur is intentional at 1/15 sec and you are correct about the focus. I did keep the focus on the second bird as I panned which is evident here. My preference would have been the leading bird but it is not.

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Originally Posted by Brendan Dozier

This is very, very cool, Indranil! Love the sense of motion in both the wings and water. I'm wondering if there should be shadows under each bird or maybe none at all, but I like the composition.

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Hi Brendan, thank you so much. Appreciate it a lot. The shadow did bother me a while. This was taken with sigma 50-500@266mm. If I had zoomed out further, I would have gotten the shadows. Let see what others think before I add or remove the shadow altogether.

Indranil,

This is one of my favorites of your pan blurs thus far. The composition and colors are beautiful. I prefer the original even with the overlap as I can see that the water lines present in the wing of the bird you moved no longer line up with the lines in the water in the repost. Shadow doesn't bother me. It seems a little flat... possibly a minor levels adjustment? Nicely done.

Richard

Indranil - I like the "non overlapping" one better - It's good that you have at least one bird sharp which draws the eye to it and back and forth along the line of birds, but always back to the sharper one. Nice colors too!

Indranil, Nice repost. I like the colors and I feel the blur works well with the one bird giving the eye just enough of a place to rest.:S3:

Indranil,
Your talking my language.:bg3:
Perfect exposure, looks like you used flash.
Anyone who has done pan burrs will appreciate how well you stayed on you subjects at 1/15 of a second.
Top self.
James

Very nicely done blur, Indranil. I love the sunset colors on the water and the composition with the birds. Looks beautiful. :S3:

Indranil, I prefer the repost with no over-lapping of the stilts. Love the colors in the water and the amount of blur too! I think I would like to see the shadow removed, a shadow under each bird would look to busy I think. Very nicely blurred! :S3:

Non-overlapping version in the repost seems to be the preference. I need to go back to the drawing board to align the water lines :w3 Thank you all. Appreciate it a lot.