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Thread: Nyala bull

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    Default Nyala bull

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    This area is one of the highest concentrations of the Nyala species in Southern Africa.

    This Nyala bull was feeding off aquatic vegetation in one of the pans. I noticed that a African Jacana family were feeding closely around him. After a while they began edging closer to him and then gauging his reaction to their close attention they would gradually pick ticks off his body. Occasionally they would even wrap their large feet around his lower legs to get a higher position up his body. Unfortunately the images I captured of them doing that were not sharp.

    The break in his feeding pose here is a reaction to alarm calls from other nyala nearby. You can see the alert stance and ears pointing forward in the direction of the threat. I was forced to shoot up against the reed bed as the sun would have been behind him, from the opposite position, in order to achieve a cleaner background.



    Canon 7D, Canon 300 f2.8 plus 2 X extennder Mk III - ISO 800 - F8 - 1/800 sec

    ACR basics
    PSE 9 - LM - cloned a few items in bg - Levels - Neat NR - USM

    I only cropped some on the LHS as well as the bottom. I realise it needs some more space on top above the horns but my PS skills are not that great especially as it is not clean. If anyone can advise to the best method here I would value your input.

    I also see now that I did not get enough out of the dark areas on his leg and rear lower areas.

    C & C welcome

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    Hi Carl, very beautiful species, one that I have never seen even picture of. The birds are an added bonus. I think you handled the exposure well, good sharpness, good techs. Adding canvas in this picture is tough. I think the seam would be hard to hide. You would be better off leaving it alone. Overall, good picture, just a little big in the frame. Loi

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Carl, nice to see you posting in this arena to, good to stretch your wings in different forums and a good way to get different POV & thinking.

    For me the image is a little tight and I understand you too have reservations about the crop, just needs a bit more above and also to the RHD (?). Maybe swopping the 2x for the 1.4 might have given you a better option, likewise a hint more IQ, however you are then into cropping so a little bit of trade off here I think. Techs look good and a reasonable amount off SS. Applying the NR wonder if you needed to at 800, however personally I might just ease of the amount, it also gives the appearance than in parts you have added some 'blurring'? I do like the added vegetation in the mouth, well seen, likewise having the two Jacana's, if they are on the same plain as the Nyala then the RH one would be a bit more sharper, perhaps a masking issue?

    I think you can afford to look at the exposure for the FG and drop it a little, likewise adding a hint of contrast & bringing up a fraction of shadow, just acts as a nice platform to the foot of the image. Some selective exposure on the whites just brings back a bit more detail too. Personally I might go a tad cooler overall, and may adjust the greens a fraction, but all personal choice. A fraction more selective sharpening on the subject.

    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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    Thanks Steve and Loi. Steve I deleted your email by accident. Not sure if a hassle to resend.
    I will have a look at the suggestions mentioned and try a RP. The RH bird is a masking issue - and I did add NR. Thanks


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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Email sent.
    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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    Hi Carl - you've gotten some good suggestions above. Only one I would add is to add back in more room on the bottom for the virtual legs that are below the water. Nice to see a nyala in the marsh environment and the leafs in the mouth add to the image.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Default RP

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    Thanks Steve and Rachel. I never applied any NR here - I covered most of the points and using your take on it Steve I still find it not quite to your repost offering. Let me know what you think?

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    Forum Participant edwardselfe's Avatar
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    RP much better in all respects. Think it might need a little less sharpening in general and particularly on the vegetation in the water as it looks quite crunchy!
    Ed

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    Forum Participant edwardselfe's Avatar
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    Enjoy seeing a beautiful antelope in such good condition. You were lucky to get such a sighting - envious!
    Ed

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    Steve I still find it not quite to your repost offering
    If you are saying you prefer my take Carl, then I think it might be the software & the small adjustments I have made. I much prefer the vegetation in the RP as there is better clarity, as to the greens, personal choice in the saturation I feel. I would not apply any sharpening to the FG, again, personally I prefer the more diffused detail in the OP, if that is not a contradiction in description. To me, there is still a cast running through the image, primarily in the subject, but this again is just my take, you have a far better grasp of the truer colour rendition and therefore respect your choice.

    Just a thought, have you calibrated your monitor recently, also which way is it facing, away from any light source ie window and are you looking at it parallel to you line of sight? It's amazing how little things can change the perception of the image.

    Carl I'm not saying this is better, but this is a combination of your OP & RP, hope this helps. If you need further help and I can do that, drop me a line, or start a list of Q&A's and take it with you next time you see G&A.

    Cheers
    Steve
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    Thanks Ed. In all honesty these guys are like RB quelea's around here. At the start up summer here now, we are still experiencing very dry conditions. With the water drying up it's not uncommon to see up to 40 or so in the open feeding on the green areas where the water has receded.

    Steve - if you are talking of the cast mainly in the neck area it seems normal to me.I don't see any other. I'll recalibrate my screen and check again.
    I personally do think yours is better and you seem to have got more detail out which might be why I did an extra round of USM. I will email you later thanks.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    I wonder if it's the magenta that is coming through, also what doesn't help in my RP is sharpening on top of a RP as it does make the image more 'crunchy', however you have better control with the RAW.
    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 Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    One of the most beautiful antelopes in the world. A nice shot, Carl...with some good improvements made already. I can only echo that you must be careful with excessive noise reduction, specifically on the subject (I do none on my in-focus subjects no matter the ISO) and even on the OOF BG. Looking forward to more of your wildlife photos from Zululand!
    Steve's RP colour is spot on as your last RP still had some magenta lingering in the antelope...
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Beautiful species Carl. One I have never seen before. Well done.

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    Sorry a bit late getting back here. Thanks guys. Morkel - I dont remember doing any NR on the Nyala. I do not generally do that as per everyones advice. I did however use NR excessively on the BG. Points noted thanks for the advice. Wish I could get a better idea of how to pick out the magenta in the image. Any tips apart from visual? Thanks

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    You have it from previous, check your email
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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