Limpkin

[Joseph Przybyla]

I resurrected this one from the archives for the theme this month. I started from the original and processed it again using Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D7000
Nikon 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 VR AF-S ED shot at 300mm (450mm FFE)
1/2000 F/5.6 Matrix Metering +1 EV ISO 3200 AWB
Post processed in Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC, blended a couple dark areas in the upper background
Cropped for composition and presentation

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Joe, I think the pano crop works here and echoes the bird and outstretched wings. I'm not sure if it's heat haze, or movement (breeze), but the bushes seem to have an unusual look to them and also the colour looks a bit too vibrant???

Therefore, I just wonder (you were there, so it's just my take on things), to help the subject, adjusting the greens and adding a Graduate filter to below the subject may help, plus some NR, likewise adding some more USM to the subject.

Cropped for composition and presentation

Is this a big crop, can I assume shot landscape, please don't say Portrait to Landscape, it kills the IQ and people still suggest it, why????

I could well be way off, perhaps a compromise between the two, just an alternative thought Joe.

TFS
Steve

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hi Steve, looking at the date on the image it was late June so most likely heat haze involved. This was shot in landscape, the bird was filling approximately half the frame so a little cropping on both sides of the bird. Then changing the 2x3 to 16x9. I revisited the sharpening, desaturated the green and used the haze filter. Trusting this is an improvement, the edit is posted above.

[Steve Kaluski]

Trusting this is an improvement

Hi Joe, my comments are really based on 'perhaps' how it might be improved, or observations in PP, at the end of the day, like all feedback, you have to distill as to whether, it's better or not and if in this case it also reflects from memory the overall appearance. Personally I feel it is an improvement, but at the end of the day as i said - it's your call.

[John Hackney]

Great shot. Your second edit looks very good.