RS Hawk

[Clyde Hopper]

Hi Folks , I'm looking for any and all suggestions to improve this image . Thanks for your help in advance !

Camera is the Nikon D90 ,Exposure was set at 1/350' ,Aperture at f/6.7 , Focal Length was 500 mm, ISO was at 800 ,+1 EV. HH. Overcast Sky.
There was a good amount of pp , Adjusted white and black points ,added Vibrants and clarity, in ACR . In PS6 selected the bird ,put him on a separate layer , removed many vines and sticks ,Did a levels adjustment on the selection ,then darkened the BG ,and Blurred it too......Also sharpened the bird , and did some lighting of the Eye .
My observations after posting this are ,for the most part I like what I've done ,But question the crop ,Too tight ? loss of IQ ? Something just doesn't feel right and I can't seem to put my finger on it ..... As a side note I'm still having problems using "Save For Web " and may just stop trying to use that feature

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Clyde,

This is a nice picture with a regal position, great eye and plenty of feather detail. Especially for a HH'ing a 500MM lens at 1/350 - nice field technique. The crop is alight you could move the subject to the right, take a layer off the top and clean up the bent stick in the BRHC. The colors look good, nice job with the mid tones (setting the points) on an overcast day. The IQ is alright, how much was the crop,..moreover how big was the subject in the frame before the crop (should be around 15/20% at a minimal).

Every image has a feel and you are probably feeing the tightness here, it could use more room to balance the frame. Nice capture of a beautiful hawk, nice post, keep em coming!

[Kerry Perkins]

Clyde, I agree with Jeff - not a lot I would change other than trying to find a more favorable background situation. To my eye, the tree on the right interrupts the background and the left edge goes right through the bird.

What problems are you having with save for web? It's pretty straightforward if used correctly. One suggestion I would have is not to use it to size the image, that works better with File | Automate | Fit Image.

[Clyde Hopper]

Thank You For the Help Jeff and Kerry . I think you both have pointed out what I'm not liking ,it's the BG . In fact after I shot this frame I took a few steps to my left so that the Pine tree could become all the BG.Which I did process BUT,when I posted it to Flickr It looked over processed and over sharpened . I'm blaming "Save for web " because the photo looked Great till I saved ,I will use your method next time Kerry ,as I did size it . I intend to spend more time with the second shot Again tonight . I have 28 frames of him , so I'm bound to get one right ?lol
Jeff The crop is about 60% .I shot this in landscape and simply cropped in portrait cutting a bit off the bottom as well. So the bird took up around 30% of the center . I do feel I tend to crop to tight most of the time , Rookie mistake ?
Again Thank You Two , Very much. I hope I can return the Favor one day !

[Kerry Perkins]

Clyde, here is my method for sizing and saving an image for BPN posting. It gives you the best image quality possible.

Posting limitations are 1024 max horizontal and 800 max vertical. PS will do this for you and size your image within the 250k size limitation. To get the proper pixel dimensions, go to "file -> automate -> fit image". In the box that pops up put in 1024 pixels for the width and 800 pixels for the height and click "OK". These numbers will stay there for subsequent images unless you change them. Your image is now sized properly as far as dimensions. (Note that this constrains the image to these dimensions, so whichever way it is oriented you will be fine.) You will have to zoom the window to get it to display larger on your screen. Now, when you go to "File -> Save for Web", you will get the interface for doing just that. In the upper right corner of that interface there is a little triangle next to what looks like a stack of paper. Click on that and a menu will pop up. In that window select "optimize to file size". In the next popup window you will see a box for "desired file size". Put 245k in that box just for a little margin of error. Click "OK" and that window will close and take you back to the "save for web" interface. Click "save", give your file a name and a destination and you are good to go. You will get a full-sized image for BPN at less than 250k file size and it will be the best quality attainable by PS.

[John Chardine]

Hi Clyde- Great capture. I just spent 12 days in Florida and would love to have had this opportunity. The bird has a bit of a "cut-out" look against the BG- maybe less strong BG work would reduce this. I think the bird could be sharpened a bit more. I would like to see a bigger version of the image- BPN allows 800px high.

[Clyde Hopper]

Kerry ,A BIG thanks for that I will put that information to good use . I haven't ever seen that in any of the books I have ,although my books are geared towards PSE and not PS6 . John , Thank You too . If your path to Fla ever is by auto ,Please drop me a pm . To get to Fla via Interstate 75 ,you will have to go really close to my house ,(South of Atlanta ,Ga.)and I can give you instructions where to go for a fun spot. It's just one mile from the Interstate and home to Osprey ,Hawks ,GBH ,and most of all Belted Kingfishers . One could Gas up ,run by this "Duck Pond " and not loose an hour of drive time .

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Clyde,

Thanks for the kind words and we are not that far apart - maybe I will head down that way one weekend and shoot together. Cropping, composition and subject placement are very subjective and an art. Jay Maisel says, to be a great photographer one must shoot every day. Over time the vehicle and horizontal framing comes and you start to develop your own voice, how you want to control and balance the frame - you are on the right path here.

[Clyde Hopper]

Jeff , I would love to shoot with you anytime ! I do understand that after one understands how to set the camera ,it becomes more about "ART" . That is why I come in here everyday....To learn from the Masters.....