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Thread: Herr Hornbill

  1. #1
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Default Herr Hornbill

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    Something different for Avian...mods if you feel this is more "OOTB" please move it, but IMHO it is not.
    Traditionally folks don't like to see birds in monochrome...

    Southern Ground Hornbills are critical in the African ecological landscape, sadly these birds are facing a steady decline in population.
    This one was photographed in the Kruger National Park, and even though most prefer to see them in colour with the vivid reds on the facial pouch, I feel the duotone here conveys detail that often gets lost in the rich colours. The plumage is naturally dark.

    Techs:
    Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
    f4.0 @ 1/640 SS @ ISO-450
    Conversion in Nik Silver Efex 2 with further tweaks in PS for tonal range and emphasis.
    Blended bright spots in the background (OOF flowers)
    Pretty much full frame
    Morkel Erasmus

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hey Morkel,
    you have a real talent to make different stuff, i mean good !!

    Love the framing and B/W processing ( is their any online course available).Great texture and contrast where it really counts.
    Well done, mate.

    TFS Andreas

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    Really like the processing on this one. Not a natural look, per se, but still elegant. I would like to see a version without the 'vignette' ... not sure which I would like better.

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    Sweet shot Morkel, love the black and white and is perfect for this bird. Excellent work.

    Gary.

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    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
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    I like it a lot, but do feel it is OOTB.
    Very moody and great detail in this "film noir" portrait.
    Dan Kearl

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Morkel:

    I like it a lot. The B&W really helps focus on the texture and forms, rather than being overpowered by the strong colors. Will I give up color, no, but there is a reason people do so much black and white landscape work, even when there are great colors to be seen, it lets you appreciate some of the details and characteristics of an image that often get lost in a sea of color.

    This will type of image will be a natural for the soon to be launched Friday theme.

    Cheers

    Randy
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    Wow!! Stunning image. I just love the detail, excellent comp, and superb pose.
    Very well done.

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    I,m not a big fan of B&W photography in any form but this picture looks good, Morkel.

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Hi Mork, incredible detail, sharp, and it works for me - I like it.

    Ive been experimenting with this as well, but just havent posted anything.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Dear Ofer,
    no not missed them.And i like them as said above.
    But you did not get my point, so no need of going further.
    You will or cannot get it.
    It is sad , but that`s sometimes the way life goes.So go your way and let other`s go their way.

    Cheers mate.

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    It's funny, but I often look in on the Avian forum and glance down the thumbnails, but not being a dedicated bird photographer I don't often see something which I feel I could comment on. So I was quite surprised and pleased to see an image which stood out in an artistic way but not in an over the top OOTB (where I often go) way and I certainly would like to comment on it.

    What I'm about to say is my own opinion, of course, and is not intended as a comment on anyone else's photography or imagery except for this one photo.

    B&W or indeed duo and trio toned images are a valid expression of photography and have a place in all genres of photography and birds certainly lend themselves to what some people consider a very pure form of photography. Removing colour concentrates the eye on form, texture and composition. Black and white as a form of expression for nature photography is often neglected in favour of colour, any colour, as if removing colour renders an image dull or less important. I would say that there is a large weight of photographic evidence that this is far from the truth and perhaps more pertinent is the inability of many photographers to really come to terms with the difficulty in reproducing fine tone and detail along with contrast in b&w. Well used, b&w is intensely dramatic, elegant and rich and allows the eye to see many beautiful things about the subject without the distraction of colour.

    If it is considered OOTB in Avian, then ipso facto it should be considered OOTB for Wildlife as well.

    As far as this image is concerned I have these comments.

    I like the leathery texture of the pouch which I hadn't noticed in any of my close up portraits because the intense red tends to hide it.
    I think the feather detail has been rendered very nicely and the bill detail is very well shown.
    I think the background is beautiful, lovely soft tones and the marginal vignetting looks more like the darker tones which would be shown by the many bushes which you find in Kruger.

    As far as appropriate subject matter for showing in b&w is concerned, I think this is a good bird for the job.

    I few of my friends have returned to shooting in b&w film, I think it would appear strange for them to believe that their images straight out of camera and processed in the dark room would be now considered OOTB … how times have changed.

    The bottom line is some people will find it appealing, others won't and I don't find a problem with that myself. I suppose if the weight of Avian photographers decide that b&w has no place in their particular field here, then that's that.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Morkel, when we photograph an image there are a whole raft of factors we often consider, but more often than not, this is perhaps done at PP where we can control many of those factors contained within the shot, or unless we specifically go out with intent to shoot in a specific way, manor, style etc. However, in this case I feel one of the key areas relating to this shot is how best to portray the image(s) to the audience and the message you wish to convey. Going colour or B/W is perhaps the biggest step anyone takes and both have their own merits and is the most influential to an image as to wether we like it or not, as this choice is oh so personal.

    Sometimes we also need to explore different avenues in order to keep our imagery fresh (personal choice) and also to offer other routes to those that view. I think the choice of medium here works, especially with this species, it brings out some of the hidden aspects that we might not have seen in colour, so in answer to your question, does this work, well it does for me. The subject has an almost primeval look & feel, perhaps almost sinister/prehistoric and the BKG just bolsters it for me. Might just crop a little off the RHS, nicely process with care and attention, with a good depth of detail.

    TFS
    Steve

    BTW Enjoyed reading HH above reply.
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    Forum Participant christopher galeski's Avatar
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    very nice image Morkel,I like it,withthis image, you are the Ansel Adams of the bird worldwell done.

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    Morkel and others- Black and white can be a very effective "medium" to render a wildlife subject. This portrait is a great example. The lack of colour means your eye takes a different tour around the image although the textures and lighting on the pouch bring you back there even in BW! The BG too is suited very well to the BW rendering. If it were me I would crop some off the right.

    In film days I (we) made decisions about what type of film to put in the camera and made photographs with that in mind. Both types of media were completely legitimate for any subject. As the artist it was your decision how you wanted to render an image and this has not changed in the digital era. These days we can make the decision about BW or colour after the fact. Although this is a fundamentally different process, I do not think it "cheapens" BW at all. Indeed, rendering a digital colour image in BW is not a simple matter of desaturation and is an art and craft in itself.

    Photographs should be judged on their merits as a final product, not on how the product was achieved. In this case we have a highly emotive and interesting image, and is partly so because it is in BW. However, how this was achieved is not really relevant.

    As a tip of the hat to old film guy and gals, perhaps BPN should now explicitly state that although BW images are produced in-camera or in post, that they belong in the mainstream forums and not necessarily in OOTB.
    Last edited by John Chardine; 09-04-2012 at 07:25 AM.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Morkel - I have been enjoying your duo tone series in Wildlife and stopped in to see this one. I like it and I think Hilary, Steve and John have really summed up the reasons why very well. The b&w really allows us to see the excellent detail.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    I love the image. Is a duo tone a black and white or am I missing something? Morkman, can you please post the original here?
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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Thanks guys and gals.

    Artie - Duotone refers to a monochrome treatment that includes a tint like sepia or the likes. In Nik Silver Efex you can tint with selenium, coffee, ambrotype, cyanotype, sepia etc. Tritone would be adding another tint on top of that. Obviously one needs to steer away from overdoing it.

    Here's the original.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Morkel Erasmus View Post
    Artie - Duotone refers to a monochrome treatment that includes a tint like sepia or the likes. In Nik Silver Efex you can tint with selenium, coffee, ambrotype, cyanotype, sepia etc. Tritone would be adding another tint on top of that. Obviously one needs to steer away from overdoing it. Here's the original.
    Thanks Morkman. What is the tint used here? (I do not notice it?) Overdo it if you wish :). As presented here, I actually prefer the B&W to the color version. After optimization you could make something very lovely of the image you so kindly posted at my request.
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    Exquisitely done! I agree with the other fine folks; this picture does come across better in black-and-white! At one point I downloaded a trial version of the same software, and was absolutely delighted with the duotone capabilities...

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  36. #20
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Morris View Post
    Thanks Morkman. What is the tint used here? (I do not notice it?) Overdo it if you wish :). As presented here, I actually prefer the B&W to the color version. After optimization you could make something very lovely of the image you so kindly posted at my request.
    Artie - I concede that I did not really process the colour version save for downsizing and resharpening (and adding my watermark which is a preset action in PS).
    The duotone has got a very slight "coffee" tint if I remember correctly...I prefer to leave it subtle for now, only a hint to move it a bit away from stark B&W tones.

    To assist you in "detecting" the toning...here is a composite. On the left I totally desaturated the OP...on the right is the actual OP.
    You will notice it just lends a bit of warmth and depth to the shot.
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    Thanks for the explanation Morkman. I actually prefer the B&W version in the side by side.

    ps: can you please shoot me an e-mail now :).
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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Morris View Post
    Thanks for the explanation Morkman. I actually prefer the B&W version in the side by side.

    ps: can you please shoot me an e-mail now :).
    you should have mail...not sure what I was supposed to type in it though?
    Morkel Erasmus

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  40. #23
    Richard Mc Donald
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    Hi Morkel,

    I guess by now you know why Arty requested the email, I have a rough idea because one particular person hasn't been sighted for a while.

    Richard

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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Mc Donald View Post
    Hi Morkel, I guess by now you know why Arty requested the email, I have a rough idea because one particular person hasn't been sighted for a while. Richard
    Richard, Please explain. Thanks.
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

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