Henry the XXII

[Anette Mossbacher]

Walrus at sunrise at Moffen island. This island is closed for public and you are not allowed to come closer than 500m with boat between 15 of June till 15 September. We were fortunate that we arrived there after the 15th of September, so we entered this beauty flat like a pancake island.

Many used tripods, I used my own "bag tripod". Means I had my lens on my camera bag instead on a Wimberly or what people use. I just do not like tripods much, except for landscape.
This way it gives me much more flexibility, since sometimes I was flat on the ground to get a different angle, others stayed stable always in the same height with their tripos! Oh well, that is just me and yes was dirty again and smelled like fish!!! My room mate did not like that much


Did the usual in LR and much more in there. Pushed the sliders quite a bit for the walrus.
Photoshop I did levels, mid tones and "darkened" the light from the sun a bit more. This is FF and I have flipped the image.
I ended up having both on the screen and decided for the flipped version

1DX ISO 1600, should have dropped a bit!
70-200mm L IS II & 2x ext. III
f/7.1 1/1000

[Marc Mol]

Love the lighting and subject here, but it's not quite working for me here, as it's neither a silhouette nor a back/side lit image, the horizon intersecting the head is unfortunate as well.
Would like to see the shadows opened up more on Henry. Sorry Anette

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Anette - great lighting and amazing to see the actual sunset since it never really set while I was there. I'm going the opposite of Marc's suggestion and say that I would go darker with less detail. I think it minimizes the walruses behind the subject. The horizon intersecting the face/head is unfortunate but not sure if you could have gone any lower from your description. Also watch the halo coming in along the back. Here's a rp to give you an idea of the direction I am suggesting.

TFS,
Rachel

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

I'm going the opposite of Marc's suggestion and say that I would go darker with less detail.Rachel

Interesting option but somehow my eyes keep on searching for the animal's eye so it would be interesting to go both ways (raising the shadows in the OP at least until the eye becomes visible - without touching the sky's exposure) and compare the final results to each other. I guess in the end one's choice would rest strongly on personal taste / the purpose of the image? Having said that: I'm sure I'd love both versions, for different reasons. To backtrack: I agree with Marc - the OP is just a bit under exposed for a 'lighter' version.

[Anette Mossbacher]

Thank you very much everybody,

Marc, no need to say sorry I am always very happy to hear honest comments and suggestions. I really do highly appreciate them the most
I can just get rid of a layer and the shadow is gone, but I do like it the way
Rachel did it more. I could not go lower as I was with this one already on my stomach. I would have need to dig a hole for me. We have been on a little hill. For total backlit I would have needed to go more to the left ( flipped the image) but there have been all the other photographers and somehow my mind is set to not join in the 30 other photogs to end up with the very same image like everybody has! See it that way. You pick me up at the airport, all passengers go to the right, you will see me going to the left! My husband knows that very well
The BG, yep could clone it out or get rid of it somehow, this is way to much work and just not much me. I have seen it there already, that's the way of life I guess no way around.

Thanks so much everybody.

Rachel I like your version very much, will apply that one. Thanks so much. Halo, yep the one invented it should get put in "time out"

Hope you all have a fantastic day

Ciao
Anette

[Mike Poole]

I actually like the shot, and prefer the re-edit. The way the light has fallen works for me as I like to look for different ways to shoot. My one nit-pick is the horizon line going through the head, but obviously I don't know how much you could have moved your position

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Anette, I prefer the OP as the amount of detail for me, is just right. Shadows, darks, highlights all look good, personally I would leave it as presented, but we all see things differently. The nice warm orange tones typify that end of the afternoon. Comp also works for me too.

Fishy breath, goes with the territory.

TFS
Steve

[keith mitchell]

Hi Anette,your original post is the one for me,as soon as I opened it I knew it was my kind of image, not very well up on the technicalities of photography but I do know what rocks my boat and this certainly does.

Keith.

[Anette Mossbacher]

Thank you very much Mike, Steve and keith,

quite interesting to read all through the comments how everybody sees the image. Will see what I do with the image at the end
Thanks so much for all your input.

Ciao

Anette

PS Steve, my jacket smelled too and did not look so good afterwards. It went into the shower for some major clean up including pants

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Anette , difficult to make decision which way to go with this image .
I do only see two options the one you did, or just really open up shadows ?!?!Like if you were holding a giant reflector.
I like the OP as is with nice colors/contrast and not that much detail . Wonder why i like this !?!?

Comp works me

TFS Andreas

[Anette Mossbacher]

Thanks a lot Andreas, you like the OP because it is not the thing
I actually just need to take one layer off to show the details, they are there, but I really do like it "different"

Many thanks mate

Cia
Anette

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Anette doing it differently can be dangerous for you from time to time ,depending on what you are looking for .

Cheers Andreas

[Anette Mossbacher]

Andreas,
If I don't do it different you all would get bored and could not jump on my images

[Andreas Liedmann]

das ist cooool man

[Don Railton]

Hi Annette,

I'm a bit late on this but I like the OP. I especially like the light and the 'hint of detail' on the shadow side is appealing, its a tease. I Agree with horizon placement not optimal. If the Walrus had I turned its head to the right slightly then that would be perfect... I can smell its breath (& the salt air) just looking at this..

DON

[Anette Mossbacher]

Hi Don,

thanks so much for your time and comment. Glad that you like the OP very much.

have a great day

Ciao
Anette

[Morkel Erasmus]

Anette, can't add much more than that I love this. The OP rocks for me.