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Thread: Zebra

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Default Zebra

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    Time to get in your last B&W/Toned images for October's Theme. Here's one of a close-up of a zebra. Taken in South Luangwa N.P., Zambia in August 2016. Converted in NIK Silver Efex using control points for structure and contrast and then added a copper toning.

    Canon 7D2
    300 II f2.8
    1/500
    f4.5
    ISO 1600
    Monopod from safari vehicle, ff, levels, curves, sharpened in PSCC.

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel

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    Hi Rachel, I really like the design of this image. Zebras are such special creatures.

    I'm looking at the conversion and wonder if the light areas of hide are white enough - maybe they reflect reality rather than our preconceptions.

    I like the fine detail and textures.

    Looking really good - thanks for sharing!

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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    I agree you have lovely detail in the black and whites. I am sure it is my non artistic inclination but why did you shop his ear off?
    Thanks for the prompt regarding Nik filters - got them from DXO.

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

    Another lovely Theme image, I like the detail and especially the eye of the Zebra. As well as visible whiskers:) Conversion works for me, the slight copper toning is very pleasant to the eye and gives this cheerful and light look/feel to the frame. Subject well isolated from the BG. I feel the composition is a bit tight though and would have liked to see the ear and some more at the bottom of the frame. Otherwise I would go for a much tighter crop, even a square format, to place emphasis on the face alone?

    Thank you so much for sharing Rachel, and I hope you have a lovely evening. My apologies, I was planning to participate more tonight but had to go back to work. A bit late now and I am on my way to the feathers:)

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Gerald, Jon and Gabriela, much appreciated and I'm glad you like the conversion. Jon - Not having the ear was purely a function of the fixed focal length lens and the zebra coming close so I went for what I could get. For me this image was mostly about the eye and the lashes which look even better in the color version which I have attached. It really shows the horizontal pupil of the zebra.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Rachel, I think this works very well as a conversion to B&W - in fact, I think I prefer it over the colour version. I think your rendering of tones in the OP is really excellent and you've brought out lovely detail. Background is wonderful too and provides excellent separation. I'm not fussed about the grass on the lower right though. Nor the partial head crop. Given you don't have more frame, I think the suggestion earlier of going for a considerably tighter crop is where I'd take this one - from below the ear to half way along the neck in your OP. At present as it lies uncomfortably somewhere between a tight detail crop of eye and snout and a full head portrait.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Glenn, I'll take a look at your suggested crop.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel , this works so nice as a B&W !!!!
    Just wish all that annoying twig stuff would not have been there , the twigs are a killer for me and are taking the rest down for me . But understand that you had no chance to avoid them in this case , i bet.
    I do like the conversion and all the nice detail you have extracted .
    The Zebra itself is very very nice !!!!!

    TFS Andreas

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel, viewing both I'm a bit undecided on which I prefer, but probably the colour as the hi key isn't really grabbing me, it's just too stark with the bleached out BKG. The cropped ear is very unfortunate, although the 'vegetation' in the bottom LHC I ok with, but grabbing your 5D & 100-400 would have been the better choice IMHO as it would have provided more versatility with more DoF, why so shallow? Both images certainly need a luminosity layer, plus a Midtown Curve adjustment tweaking the 1/4, 1/2 & 3/4 markers which brings more depth and detail out.

    TFS
    Steve

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Colour version also works for me, Rachel. Yes to midtone curve as per Steve's suggestion, so more punch and emphasis on that lovely light. Maybe a tighter crop, so a different frame altogether, love it

    Hope you have a wonderful week-end,

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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