From The Junk Pile....

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10-16-2011, 05:58 PM
Arthur Morris

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From The Junk Pile....

Came across this from the Hooptie Deux last winter while attempting to get 150gbs of pix off of the laptop and into the collection :).

Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/4 sec. at f/13.

Don't be shy; all comments welcome.
10-16-2011, 06:18 PM
John Storjohann

Hi Artie;

For me, the dark blue band is a distraction; I'd crop to just below the band, creating almost a pano from the shot...as is, it has a really nice pastel quality to the color...an almost dream like quality to the image that is very appealing...I just find myself wanting a wee bit more form or color to the image. Maybe a low-opacity layer of NIK's tonal contrast using the "Balanced" pre-set? Interesting to see your take on blurs!
10-16-2011, 06:20 PM
Indranil Sircar

Beautiful composition, Artie. I like how the pink is reflected on water and those upright spoonbills with the heads turned upward as if at a concert!
10-16-2011, 07:28 PM
Andrew McLachlan

Hi Arthur, just love the amount of blur in the spoonbills. I can't decide on the dark blue bands across the top so I would make two versions here...one with and one without:S3: Spoonbills are such interesting looking birds. I hope to shoot them one day.
10-17-2011, 07:29 AM
denise ippolito

Artie, I love the Spoonbills and the softness that the blur created. I like the bands but I would lighten them a little as they contrast too much with the softer color tones and draw the eye too much. A great find for sure!!:S3:
10-17-2011, 08:48 AM
Arthur Morris

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Storjohann

Hi Artie; For me, the dark blue band is a distraction; I'd crop to just below the band, creating almost a pano from the shot...as is, it has a really nice pastel quality to the color...an almost dream like quality to the image that is very appealing...I just find myself wanting a wee bit more form or color to the image. Maybe a low-opacity layer of NIK's tonal contrast using the "Balanced" pre-set? Interesting to see your take on blurs!

Quote:

Originally Posted by denise ippolito

Artie, I love the Spoonbills and the softness that the blur created. I like the bands but I would lighten them a little as they contrast too much with the softer color tones and draw the eye too much. A great find for sure!!:S3:

Thanks John and Denise, I struggled with the mangrove strips.... I already lightened them five stops :). So I got rid of them, added canvas bottom, used Robert O'Toole's APTATS II tricks to drag the main image down and reveal the BKGR. Needed to erase the edge using a Layer Mask and then created seven additional layers and dragged each down a bit. Now I have two versions :S3:.

Jay, I'd love to see you do a repost with your NIK color suggestions!
10-17-2011, 08:50 AM
Arthur Morris

ps: Good suggestion Andrew. I think I like the NO MANGROVES version better :e3. I guess it's a case of "try it, you might like it."
10-17-2011, 09:32 AM
Dan Brown

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arthur Morris

ps: Good suggestion Andrew. I think I like the NO MANGROVES version better :e3. I guess it's a case of "try it, you might like it."

Nice "junk" Artie! I too prefer the "no mangroves" version but I would clone the top dark edge with the paste blue band that is just below it, or try CA on it. And then smooth the whole thing out a bit with something?

Here's a try - I cloned the upper edge with the blue below it, applied Topaz clean-flatstyle to a bg copy, reduced the opacity to about 50% then erased selectively down to the bg over the spoonies, flattened, then to add some color, I applied Topaz simplify-watercolor, on a layer, then reduced the opacity to about 75%. Just another look.
10-17-2011, 04:32 PM
John Storjohann

1 Attachment(s)

Hi Artie;

Love the repost...I went in and added a layer of NIK Tonal Contrast and left the layer at 100% opacity. Lowering the opacity might have been another option...it's all a matter of personal taste and vision...I have to say though, NIK Tonal Contrast, particularly in version 4, has become a favorite of mine. I also added a layer of Topaz Clean.
10-17-2011, 04:51 PM
Andrew McLachlan

Love it without the mangroves! Pane #6 is my favorite :S3:
10-18-2011, 06:46 AM
denise ippolito

Artie, The crop works really well and makes the whole image more cohesive.
10-18-2011, 07:02 AM
Arthur Morris

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Storjohann

Hi Artie;

Love the repost...I went in and added a layer of NIK Tonal Contrast and left the layer at 100% opacity. Lowering the opacity might have been another option...it's all a matter of personal taste and vision...I have to say though, NIK Tonal Contrast, particularly in version 4, has become a favorite of mine. I also added a layer of Topaz Clean.

Thanks John. I love your version. What added the patterned watercolor look to the water?
10-18-2011, 07:04 AM
Arthur Morris

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Brown

Nice "junk" Artie! I too prefer the "no mangroves" version but I would clone the top dark edge with the paste blue band that is just below it, or try CA on it. And then smooth the whole thing out a bit with something?

Here's a try - I cloned the upper edge with the blue below it, applied Topaz clean-flatstyle to a bg copy, reduced the opacity to about 50% then erased selectively down to the bg over the spoonies, flattened, then to add some color, I applied Topaz simplify-watercolor, on a layer, then reduced the opacity to about 75%. Just another look.

Thanks Dan, I like it all but not the eviction of the faint vertical bands. What is CA?
10-18-2011, 07:05 AM
Arthur Morris

Quote:

Originally Posted by denise ippolito

Artie, The crop works really well and makes the whole image more cohesive.

Thanks Lady D.
10-18-2011, 07:31 AM
John Storjohann

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arthur Morris

Thanks John. I love your version. What added the patterned watercolor look to the water?

Good morning, Artie. Topaz->Clean->Stylize Details added the watercolor effect...I added it after apply NIK Color Efex->Tonal Contrast->Balanced. The tonal contrast helped bring out the patterns a bit more with some deeper color separation Topaz Clean gave it that smooth, water color effect. I probably use those two filter sets NIK's Color Efex 4.0 and Topaz's Bundle more than any other plug-in for PS, with the possible exception of OnOne's Phototool's Pro. I highly recommend any or all of them, not only for OOTB but for image correction/enhancement when use on layers with a low opacity. Take care.
10-19-2011, 01:32 PM
Bob Miller

My favorite is #9- John's repost....I love the feather detail and the water
Artie....Thanks for sharing....i now know how careful I must be when deleting
10-19-2011, 01:38 PM
Arthur Morris

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

My favorite is #9- John's repost....I love the feather detail and the water Artie....Thanks for sharing....i now know how careful I must be when deleting

Thanks Bob, I am with you on Pane 9. The image was always a keeper just not one that I had processed....
10-19-2011, 06:16 PM
Cheryl Slechta

Late again, but I think I like Pane #9 the best - I like the more subtle colors and added texture:S3: