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Thread: Cascade Red Fox

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    Default Cascade Red Fox

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    So many problems with this photo but did not get anything any better so have processed it several times trying to get it right - maybe not possible. I exposed for the fox and the snow had lots of fringing - blue and red. I added a warm filter (summer in Topaz at about 50%) to tone down the blue snow. I then removed the fir needles in the foreground because of the fringing, and used PS lens correction to get rid of the blue fringe on the foxes feet. I sharpened the face more than the rest of the photo - not sure where I focused but it looked a little soft to me. She only sat there for an instant. I think the color in the fox is about right.

    Any suggestions?

    Nikon D3S, 200-400 f4 lens plus 1.4 converter, at 460
    ISO 800, f5.6, 1/320 sec
    Manual Exposure

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Laurie, based on your intro I think you have done remarkably well, creating a nice image, albeit a fleeting one, like the stance and look to camera.

    From your description about the fringing it sounds like Colour Aberration which generally can be easily fixed in either LR or PS (ACR), not sure about Nikons own software. The image to me gives the impression it has been lightened, has it? I think you could get some more detail/form from the snow, it's not all white, there is always some colour in it and getting more out of it will certainly help too. Sadly posting a link to download the original CRS file is not possible and to my knowledge you cannot resolve the CA issue in PS apart from ACR so I'm at a loss to say how you could improve this any more. Others hopefully will chime in with additional thoughts.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Laurie,
    like the look into the camera ,the relaxed looking position.You described a lot of problems that you managed well ,i think.
    Steve already told some points for making the image better,i want to add that i think if youn have it not to go that tight on the bottom.
    I tried to work on the file this is my attempt. WDYT? It is for Steve ,too.
    Cheers AndreasName:  _DSC0848b.jpg
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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Andreas, I'm away so using the laptop, so... I think you have got more detail out of the snow, but perhaps as for the subject, it might be between the two, as I like Laurie's OP because of the softness to the coat (fur), going darker although has added more detail, but it looks a little crunchy to me.

    Wonder if this is somewhere between the two, some subtle tweaks in the fox and more detail in the BKG without too much of a cast, I think? Over to Laurie I think.

    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hey Steve,
    the OP is a tad too soft in the fox (not the edges) so i pushed it your way with a HL layer (not OL) at 15 %.The background is multiplied 2x and neutralized with ED.After all that i reduced the overall sat. plus reduced then blues ,cyans ,yellows and reds.

    Your overall image looks just too warm due to work on laptop ? I think you are right with a bit less of my contrast push in the fox.

    Cheers Andreas

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    Steve and Andreas,

    Thanks for the pointers. I tried the Colour Aberration in ACR but it did not help with the fir needles so I used the lens correction in PS which did take care of the very small amount of blue fringe on the foot. I'm not using any Nikon software.

    I do like having more detail in the snow with both of your reposts - I will try again and try to get a better balance on the color of the snow.

    I don't understand what an HL (and OL) layer is or what neutralized with ED is, can you explain? To sharpen the face more I masked the face with Topaz and used Detail.

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    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
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    I am just really envious, you saw and got a great shot of a Fox!
    The reposts both have a color caste (one blue and one yellow) that are not an improvement
    although the detail on the fox looks nice.
    I think the OP with a bit of enhancement on the Fox only would look the best for me.
    Congrats getting this one!
    Dan Kearl

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    BPN Viewer Tom Graham's Avatar
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    Of the original and two reposts, I prefer Steve's repost, especially the snow BG.
    Tom

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hello Laurie,
    ED is the eyedropper tool in Photoshop,the tool to measure the colors in PS.
    HL is Hard Light blend mode in the layers palette.
    OL is Overlay blend mode in the layers palette.
    Hope this helps.

    Dear Dan ,my RP is by far not at all "blue".If you take it into PS and make use of the EYEDROPPER TOOL you must recognize the values 220 -238 in all three RGB channels or if you wish 0/0 in the two LAB channels ,which means they are neutral.Just hover over the whole white BG and you should see it in the color values.This tool is not lying.
    Maybe you should do something with your screen.
    Tom -you are right my BG is a tad too contrasty i prefer Steve`s BG ,too.

    I hope all are satisfied now. Andreas

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Thanks for the clarification Laurie and hope you are able to extract more detail both in the snow and subject that is there within the OP. Please RP as it would be interesting to see how you get on.

    I meant to change it yesterday, but it's Chromatic Aberration, not Colour.

    cheers
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Laurie - great pose and eye contact. Definitely an image worth working on and good tutorials by both Steve and Andreas.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Love the OP !!! looks so much nice as a hi key image ! Not too hung up with the details in the snow .

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    I like the OP, it has more contrast and the subject looks more natural. I haven't seen these animal's in real life so could be wrong. Superb and well done.

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    Andreas, I don't know who is supposed to be "satisfied", the post is not yours, I was commenting to Laurie and the OP.
    I find the OP better than your repost, nothing personal and while I appreciate the tutorial you gave, the comments were
    not really directed towards you and your reply is a bit snarky for me.
    Sorry.
    Dan Kearl

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    Ken Watkins
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    Quote Originally Posted by dankearl View Post
    I am just really envious, you saw and got a great shot of a Fox!
    The reposts both have a color caste (one blue and one yellow) that are not an improvement
    although the detail on the fox looks nice.
    I think the OP with a bit of enhancement on the Fox only would look the best for me.
    Congrats getting this one!
    I agree with Dan's comments entirely. The extraction of further "detail" produces a largely unnatural look for me.

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Interesting discussion and reposts/workflow!
    For my tastes, the fox in the OP looks best, and I quite like the high key effect you achieved, Laurie...that being said I've never shot in snowy conditions and have never had to deal with this kind of exposure conundrum. I have the utmost respect for guys like Sid and Chas who seem to nail exposing for the snow every time. I am surprised by the amount of CA you got using the combo you used?? I almost never get CA on any of my Nikon lenses...could it be because of the light conditions and/or the snow??
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Morkel, when shooting in snow I have never had any CA, the ONLY time I've noticed it is when the subject is backlit and the exposure comp is say +1.5 -2+ and that is not constant on all images, it's just the fringing areas only at time.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Dan, by saying my RP has a blue cast you are commenting on "my RP" made from OP of Laurie.I commented that you are not correct by saying it has a blue cast,described above.If you say something like this ,please check it before hand otherwise you receive an answer. But i do not take personal,because i do not know you and you do not have to say sorry ,if you have your opinion about something in here.
    You can find ,what ever version of the image is posted here ,to be good . It is only up to you ,and that is good.I do not understand ,why you hang yourself upon one phrase i made .It was nothing personal,nothing for you or Laurie or someone else.So keep it easy, i do so too !!!!
    Looking forward to keep looking ,commenting and posting by me and all you other guys. I am part of this here ,because i want to have fun not hazzle. OK?!
    Cheers Andreas

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    Thank you all for your comments. I manually exposed for the fox so maybe that is 1.5 -2.0 + exposure comp, I don't know. The light was strange and I thought its was backlit but remembering where it was taken and the time of day I just don't think that is possible. The fringing was mostly in the fir needles that were in the front of the fox so removing them was easy. I have tried reprocessing the image but did not improve on the original - maybe because my workflow is so different that Steve of Andreas.

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    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
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    I am going to have to go with the OP b/c it's the most authentic when you consider the snowy conditions. You have a killer pose here, with gorgeous colors and details. I am envious!!!
    Marina Scarr
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    won't touch OP , OP is best here
    TFS

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