Tri-color Heron

[Andrew Harrell]

Here is a pic of a tri-color heron for C&C



Sony a77, 300mmF4 @ 7.1 and 1/1650, ISO 320

In LR, worked on Contrast and Exposure slider to bring out colors. Crop to enlarge slightly and remove excess water trail on left side.
In PS CC worked to remove the bird's shadow on the water that was right at the bottom of the frame -- real dark and did not add anything and was a bit distracting.

My own comment: The angle here is a little "downward" and not ideal. This is because I took the photo from inside my car as I traveled along a dike road, with the bird about 10' lower than me. I thought about pulling ahead in the car, getting out, sneaking down the bank and getting into position for a shot, but as I contemplated doing that, the heron changed course, moving farther away and leaving me with no good shot. So this is the best I got from this particular round.

(EDIT: I now see what appears to be a lens spot in the upper left -- how did I miss that!! Will fix in PS the next go-'round)

Thanks for any comments on how to make this shot better.


AP

[Adhika Lie]

You know, I've never seen a tri-colored heron with actually three colors yet and this is my first time. Beautiful bird! You are right, I think shooting from the eye level will make this very flattering. That said, with this particular image, I will say this can get a little exposure/brightness bump. What do you think Andrew?

[Diane Miller]

Excellent!! I love the light feathers and/or blush of light on the back. Glad you were able to get a shot. It isn't obvious to me that you were that far above the bird.

I'd like to see the bird moved slightly forward in the frame. And I'd soften the very bottom part of the reflection with a partial opacity clone.

I appreciate the desire to protect images with a signature, but yours are so prominent they really block the eye from appreciating the composition. If someone is going to steal an image, there is not much they can do with one this size.

[Andrew Harrell]

Diane: LOL, it's the default from LR. I meant to change it the other night and forgot. I'll do it for the re-post.

I will also incorporate the changes that you and Adhika suggested.

Thanks!!!


AP

[Sandy Witvoet]

Hi Andrew, I echo Diane's comments... The Heron "pops" nicely here... LOVE that foot! Head angle is (maybe?) not quite ideal, but is a great profile and nicely separated from the neck/body. Beautiful!

[Glennie Passier]

Andrew, Great looking bird. Love the raised foot. I, too was surprised that you were so far above the bird. The image does not look that way. I like water trails. I think a water trail may look better than so much "nothing" in front of the bird? I know you want that negative space in front, but just enough for him to move into. The tip of his tail feather is so close to the edge...I think you could afford a little more canvas there. Ahh....dust bunnies.

The purists may comment on the head angle, but that does not bother me.

Well done!

[Warren Spreng]

Love it, very sharp, love the foot position.

[Andrew Harrell]

OK, here is 2nd go with the image incorporating some edits suggested (but not all, and I'll explain) ...





Hopefully I boosted exposure/brightness a bump, per Adhika's suggestion
I re-cropped and added back the water trail on the LHS per Dianne/Glennie's suggestion
I removed the dust bunny
Removed watermark
I did not do the "partial opacity clone" suggestion of Diane's because I just don't know how to do that yet in PS. Frustrated I could not figure it out right away. So much to learn in PS!!!!!

Anyway, hope you find the re-post a bit better.


AP

[Glennie Passier]

I like the repost a lot Andrew. The added exposure has worked well. I think perhaps there is just a little too much water trail? The bird is just centred a bit too much. I would take the "partial opacity clone" as the clone stamp on the LHS panel and reduce the opacity in the top tool bar. I'd start off at about 50% just to see. Lighten or darken to your taste. I hope you don't mind me fiddling? Sometimes it's easier to suggest edits visually rather than verbally. I've done a curves adjustment layer on the image and used the 2nd eyedropper tool (on the LHS of the curves panel). I clicked on the blue part of his bill to change the colour of the FG water, just to break up the blue a little. The possibilities are endless. I've then grabbed a very big brush and revealed some of the layer below, and most the bird. It's a bit quick and dirty here, but you get the idea.

WDYT?

[Diane Miller]

Nice RP by Andrew, but I don't think you need that much on the left. Glennie is correct about the partial opacity cloning -- a good tool to have.

I don't see her RP -- good help is hard to find...

[Andrew Harrell]

Glennie: OK to fiddle!! (Maybe you forgot to post your mod?) But no, I have no clue what you just said and probably did. I'll do some Googling this week and try to get up to speed ....


AP

[Glennie Passier]

HA! A senior moment no doubt! I've now added it where it was supposed to be. Looking at it now, I think I've gone a bit overboard. Prof. Google is most helpful when the "Grasshopper" is not so readily available.

[Diane Miller]

Good work on the reflection! Not sure about the brownish cast -- maybe halfway in between. I keep having an urge to rotate it a tiny bit CCW.

[Sandy Witvoet]

Glennie's RP nicely brings up the BG and exposure nicely.... but it looks really orange. Somewhere in between with a bit of CCW rotation perhaps?