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Thread: Dust Bath

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
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    Default Dust Bath

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    This young American Bison was photographed at Yellowstone National Park taking a dust bath. I think they do this to rid themselves of pesky insects. This frame was one of my favorites b/c I could still see the crazed eyes, the hooves and the bone on the ground (which I felt was a nice touch) through all of the dust.

    I have decided to start posting my images at 800 on the long side. It takes me too much time to go back and resize my photos, and I will have more time for posting more images if I don't post larger. I hope you all understand.

    Canon 1D3, Canon 100-400L @ 300mm
    F8, 1/640sec, ISO 800, manual mode
    Handheld and way too close

    C & C welcomed and much appreciated.

    Marina Scarr
    www.marinascarrphotography.com

  2. #2
    Ken Watkins
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    This I like a lot as it shows the fun side of animal behaviour. I wonder if more of a pano with more room for dust on the RHS would be possible

    Not to sure what you mean on the resize slowness, it is relatively quick and simple in PS using Automate/Fit Image.

  3. #3
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Marina, nice sharpness & clarity to this one, the plumes of dust really convey the scene well and the look to camera gives the impression of a naughty boy caught doing something he knows he shouldn't be doing.

    It takes me too much time to go back and resize my photos, and I will have more time for posting more images if I don't post larger.
    Providing the final image is not flattened and still in Layers as a PSD then a preset crop tool, two actions and job done, well you might add a hint more USM too, but it would be a shame to limit your images to 800.

    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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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Marina - good action capture and my initial reaction was the same as Ken's, a pano crop from the top would strengthen this. I have found the sharpening actions posted by Morkel in the sticky to be very quick and easy to use and they resize the image as part of the action.

    TFS,
    Rachel

  5. #5
    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
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    Thanks all. When I post a picture, it's usually a picture that has been post processed some time ago. When I process I make a TIFF and a JPG @ 800 for my website. I never know which picture I am going to post on BPN so I don't process a second one at 1024. For me to post it larger, I would have to find the original and resize. This way, all I have to do is pick a picture and post.
    Marina Scarr
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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Marina,
    i feel sorry for you or the all the others who like to watch the images at a larger size,simply because it is more enjoyable to watch larger images.

    About the image , nice dust bathing scene with all important parts clearly visible with good detail and sharpness.like the colors as presented.

    I do not understand what the bone is good for, but thats personal.If it was mine , i would go for a tighter (maybe pano) version.

    TFS Andreas
    I would try to give the dust a tad more contrast by B/W overlay adjustment layer,as Steve say give the dust more form.

  7. #7
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Taking onboard Andreas's comment Marina, how about something like this, WDYT?

    BTW it's not through contrast, just channels & Levels combined.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

  8. #8
    Ken Watkins
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    Marina,
    Thanks for the explanation, it makes more sense now.

    What do you think of the darker dust?
    Last edited by Ken Watkins; 08-28-2012 at 10:42 AM.

  9. #9
    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Kaluski View Post
    Taking onboard Andreas's comment Marina, how about something like this, WDYT?

    BTW it's not through contrast, just channels & Levels combined.
    You're going to laugh. Your version is exactly how I originally processed it. After looking at the original and remembering how it looked when I watched the behavior, I went back in and lightened it. So I guess this begs the questions, do we process to what looks best to the collective eyes, to our recollection or to our personal taste?
    Marina Scarr
    Florida Master Naturalist
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  10. #10
    Ken Watkins
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marina Scarr View Post
    So I guess this begs the questions, do we process to what looks best to the collective eyes, to our recollection or to our personal taste?
    Hopefully personal taste and recollection to a lesser extent. It is after all your image

    I for one prefer the lighter dust
    Last edited by Ken Watkins; 08-28-2012 at 11:36 AM.

  11. #11
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Marina and Steve,
    after watching the RP i would go even further by lighten the BG and FG to get more separation between the subject and the rest.
    Andreas

  12. #12
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    You're going to laugh. Your version is exactly how I originally processed it.
    Great minds think alike Marina, therefore there must be some merit in the RP.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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    I have seen bison taking dust baths countless times. To my eye, the RP is somewhat artificial looking. IMHO, the OP is much more accurate representation of a bison rolling in the dust. So, I prefer the OP.
    Andrew

  14. #14
    Ken Watkins
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    Just by chance I have just watched a documentary on Bison filmed in Yellowstone, all of the dust in this was as light as the OP.

  15. #15
    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Watkins View Post
    Just by chance I have just watched a documentary on Bison filmed in Yellowstone, all of the dust in this was as light as the OP.
    Ken i am asking how can you compare an image with a documentary seen on TV by color or contrast, i do not understand that. Can you please explain that.

    Cheers Andreas

  16. #16
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Quirky shot Marina - I too can see this working with some off the top. Good repost by Steve.

    Interesting discussion on workflow. I process ALL my images (those that I decide to process from RAW, heaven knows I don't have time to work up all my RAW files) down to 1000px first off. This is both for my website and for BPN and DeviantArt. I then resize to 800px and resharpen, this is for another forum and for Facebook. Doesn't take too much extra time if you have all your frequent steps written as actions.
    Morkel Erasmus

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    BPN Viewer Tom Graham's Avatar
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    I like Steve's RP for overall color, contrast, etc.
    But I like the OP because the dust looks more real.
    However, I've never seen a bison dusting, so guess I really don't know what/which is "real"
    Tom

  18. #18
    Ken Watkins
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andreas Liedmann View Post
    Ken i am asking how can you compare an image with a documentary seen on TV by color or contrast, i do not understand that. Can you please explain that.

    Cheers Andreas
    Andreas,
    For me it looks quite obvious from the ground in the OP that the dust should be light, then watching lots of light dust being kicked up in the documentary seemed to confirm it. Simple as that

    It seems that others agree, I have never been to Yellowstone and probably never will, but whatever the OP looks more natural to me. I'll bow to the experience of Andrew .
    Last edited by Ken Watkins; 08-28-2012 at 10:02 PM.

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    Cool behavioral image and some good points regarding resizing. I have just added a few new things based on the comments to my to-do-list. Create actions my own for web display.

    That's all from me. I am off to bed.

    Jamie

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