Theme: I don't do smiles!

[Gerald Kelberg]

A very serious looking European Bison from our recent expedition to the wildest Netherlands.

Inspired by Steve's Lioness on a Mission, I spent an amount of time playing with this image and created at least a dozen different versions. Given the objective is to have fun playing at variations - objective was achieved!

Canon 1DX, EF 200-400 plus Ext 1.4 III @784mm - on tripod
1/400 sec f/8.0 ISO 3200
DPP4, then Photoshop CS5.1. Used Silver Efex for the original conversion then added a copy of the original colour version - varying opacity and masking greens.

The result reminded me of an old hand coloured print - which is the effect I was looking for.

Does it work? What do you think?

[Jonathan Ashton]

Love the details I appreciate there would have been considerable time spent but it leaves me thinking I bet the colour version looks darned good.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Gerald - this is one magic conversion!
I am loving it, no nits whatsoever, superb work - congratulations

Kind regards,

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Gerald a quite interesting version , good to see you going out of the comfort zone .
I do like the stare the bison gave you , nicely rendered tones and that hint of color is quite interesting. I think very nice IQ overall.
Very very nice Gerald , well done .
Keep the bisons coming .....

TFS Andreas

[Glenn Pure]

I'd be happy with this if it was mine, Gerald. You've achieved a nice effect and it does remind me of hand coloured prints. Tone and detail on the bison is excellent and your composition looks good too. Nice contrasting background and the vegetation in the foreground looks good too. Nothing I'd change here.

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Gerald - Glad you had fun playing with conversions. The result you've achieved is quite nice with excellent detail in the fur of the bison and that yellowed look of an old photo you were aiming for. The stare is great. Nice one.

TFS,
Rachel

[Mike Poole]

Simply a really nice shot, with a great pose, beautiful texture in the shot and a well executed conversion.

Mike

[haseeb badar]

Hi Gerald -- This is superbly done , the conversion works for me and the stare from the subject is making this quite an image. Lovely details as well. I would like to have one more round of sharpening, especially on its face. Nicely done.

TFS !

[Gerald Kelberg]

Many thanks for all the positive feedback - it lifts my spirit!

Gerald