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Thread: Young Mule Deer

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    Default Young Mule Deer

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    Having snow certainly helps for getting that white bkgd for high key images! The deer are protected from hunting where I live and many become habituated to people and even the dogs. My dog is trained not to bark or chase the deer. Over the years the deer have learned this and consequently I have seen deer graze and walk quite close to the dog. Thus I do not feel I am disturbing the deer when I get close to photograph them.

    There is a piece of grass hanging from the deer's mouth - keep or get rid of it?

    Canon 1D Mark V, Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS @ 185mm, 1/4000, f6.3, exp. comp. +2/3, ISO 800.

    C & C most appreciated.

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    Nancy, when I'm looking at this image on my computer monitor it looks over exposed. I notice that you dialed in +2/3 compensation, which looks like it blew out the highlights in the deer. You might want to lower the exposure on the deer while keeping the background high key. See if you can apply Curves in photoshop (if that's what you use) to the image to bring back the details. I would personally clone out the grass.

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    Here's a quick edit so you can see what I mean:

    Last edited by Moe Ali; 01-06-2015 at 02:01 PM.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Nancy - I much prefer your op and it is a very nice high key image. Love all the snow covering the fur. Only thing I wish for is a slightly lower pov. It feels like you were shooting down on the deer slightly but I don't know if it was possible to get a lower pov. Keep the grass!

    Moe - Nancy purposefully exposed brighter for our January Theme of High Key Images.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Nancy another very nice HK image from you . I like the framing , the overall colors and tones . Agree with Rachel in a perfect world a lower angle of shooting would have been better , but i also do not know if that was possible !!!
    The OP is the way to go for a HK IMHO , not the RP made by Moe .

    Overall the image looks too crunchy and the detail is looking too coarse IMHO . Nancy you have again introduced an operator error , i guess . I would rethink your sharpening work or your detail extraction if you do that .

    TFS Andreas

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    I guess I got ahead of myself. My understanding of high-key is probably way too simple. I thought it just meant a blown out background that kind of creeps into the subject. Now that I look at my edited version, I probably pulled back too much shadow..... but that's the avian photographer in me... always trying to squeeze out the details . I now have a different understanding of high-key.... so thanks everyone!

    Also, Rachel's comment under image "High up in the Branches" helped explain a lot.
    Last edited by Moe Ali; 01-07-2015 at 01:02 PM.

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    Moe, Rachel is correct that this exposure is on purpose for a high key look. But I appreciate your interpretation for a "normal exposure" image.

    Andreas, I struggle with the sharpness. I even got new computer glasses recently just for working on the computer , since I thought squinting was a bad thing! Do you mind sharing your technique?

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Nancy no problem i could share ........ but i would like to know first what are your steps from raw conversion to output .

    Where do you apply sharpening / detail extraction / local contrast . Which settings do you use for that , if you use it . I basically have a two pass sharpening approach one in the RAW conversion ( normally DPP , but also play with others from time to time) and a second one after downsizing . I also use my own way of local contrast boost ( i use a script that i purchased at Adobe Exchange )
    but it has to be used very delicately . And i never use the local contrast on the whole image , always masked through a luminance mask , normally created with TK panel . So i have total control what gets affected .

    Cheers Andreas

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    I can only echo what Andreas and Rachel touched on, Nancy.
    I actually think for my tastes the ideal look likes somewhere between your OP and the RP?
    Cute fawn!
    Morkel Erasmus

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  10. Thanks Nancy Bell thanked for this post
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    Andreas, I use approx. 10 pts. of "clarity" during the ACR RAW conversion. I just recently started using PS from the Cloud and I think the ACR sensitivity is different from earlier versions. I try contrast settings at 20 -25. During PS processing, I select the subject and sharpen using Topaz Detail 3, the lightest amt possible. I use this since I just no longer trust my eyes. I do that sharpening as a last step. Then after resizing for the WEB I use PS "unsharp" mask just on the selected subject, first setting approx. 70 and radius 0.3 -0.4.

    What is TK panel?

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Nancy what i tell you now is just my personal view and not to be seen as a general rule whatsoever !!!

    After reading your reply i come to the conclusion that you sharpen the image 4 times , plus you add a big amount of global contrast already in ACR , which is not ideal from my POV . I rarely work global on the contrast , mostly locally , separate the contrast into three sections . Highlight / Mid Tone / Shadow !!!!! For separating these tones i make use of Tony Kuyper´s luminosity masks created by his panel , just google Tony Kuyper and you will find his website where you buy his action for the panel , well invested money. You can create the masks on your own , but if you are lazy like i am ............ !!!

    Back to your four step sharpening if i get you right .
    You apply clarity in ACR , that means sharpening at low amount and high radius , if you use ACR with default settings you also apply capture sharpening ( found in the detail tab ) . So that was already twice sharpened .
    Then you use Topaz Detail ( tried myself in the past as tryout and refused to use it ) well that was the third time sharpening .
    And then after downsizing you sharpen again , which is quite right .

    From my POV you should skip clarity in ACR , skip contrast in ACR ( i mostly reduce contrast in raw conversion , i do that later as explained above in a more controlled manner ) and even more important skip that Topaz sharpening !!!!!!!! or reduce the amount massively !!!!

    I would try to stick with a two pass sharpening approach ( one in ACR in the detail tab and one after resizing with i.e. USM or Smart Sharpen and play with the radius and amount ) . If you want to add local contrast aka clarity , since PS CC you can use ACR as a filter from the filter menu . You can make much more precise edits within PS rather than ACR when the image is in its raw stage , by using lumo masks created with i.e. Tony´s masks .

    He also has great tutorials on his website regarding all that .

    Hope this helps , again this only my view of things , not saying it is "THE WAY" to go , just my way to deal with it , look at my older posts in BPN i also got some comments regarding crunchiness / sharpness / too much contrast etc . So over the time with the help of some fellows and my own experience ( I learned all i know more or less on my own !! ) i came to the point where i am now and still make progress and i hope it will never end .

    Cheers Andreas

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    Andreas, Thank you SO MUCH for this info! I will study and try to apply.

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Dear Nancy,

    I like this delicate and fragile looking little deer, and the OP fits the theme, I wonder if a B/W conversion would work even better - are you willing to give it a try?

    Kind regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    B&W is an interesting idea! I'll give it a try.

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