Beware of these when they're protecting their young! They tend to swoop over you. However, I was safe in this instance.
D500/500PF, 1/3200th sec@f5.6, iso280, manual mode HH.
Beware of these when they're protecting their young! They tend to swoop over you. However, I was safe in this instance.
D500/500PF, 1/3200th sec@f5.6, iso280, manual mode HH.
What a bizarre bird and great capture. Very interesting indeed TFS
Nice wing position on this one Paul. I like the cloudy BG and good flight position. I think the heavy shadows are a bit unfortunate. Not sure if there is more detail there? I have never seen this species, so thank you for posting. Are those spikes on the wings? Looks like it isn't a bird you would want to dive bomb you.
Hi Paul,
Before i comment on the lapwing, have you swapped out the sky? thanks, Ann
Oh wow, that's a crazy looking bird. Less strong light would've made this better, but it is very interesting as it is.
Nice shot Paul, I may sound repetitive here but I would say, "less is more": a little less luminosity on the yellow and a little less depth to the blacks. I have to say the image does look considerably better in PSCC than on the website.
Thanks all for the feedback:
Wayne: Bizarre indeed!
Kurt: Masked lapwing (often called the Spur-winged Plover) in flight with wing spurs clearly visible on the leading edge of the wings. A spur is an outgrowth of bone covered in a sheath of horn found in various anatomical locations in some animals.
Ann: you got me! hoping no one would notice...lol The original sky was white.
Jonathan: well spotted. I did think about that before I add a little contrast and luminosity as I though it needed a boost...but you may be right here. Cheers.
Hey Paul the rules are copy and pasted for you:
Forums: Avian
For posting and critiquing avian images. The images may include hand of man elements. If your subject is captive, please disclose that fact. If you have attracted your subject or subjects into photographic range with food, water, audio, or by any other means, please let us know in your original post. If you have significantly altered your image by adding or removing elements of the composition, we ask that you let folks know that as well.
This has happened before and as a fellow member I'd rather view your posts knowing any manipulations you have done so i may offer an honest critique. Thank you
Thanks Ann for the reminder of the "rules". I'll keep that in mind.
Bird is nice. fake sky is BS...not even bird photography for me.
This is what Instagram and facebook have wrought... faking bird photos for likes...
Unbelievable a long time poster would do something like this..
Wont comment on anything you do again.
Last edited by dankearl; 05-22-2021 at 10:29 PM.
Dan Kearl
Dan: Ouch! I posted a bird photo some time ago with a sky replacement from Photoshop and even though there was only one comment on the fact that the sky did not look right there were no other adverse comments. The sky was basically white which I didn't like, so thought a sky replacement would improve the image. It was certainly not done for "likes" as you put it. You may wish to look at Artie's recent blog post with a white sky replaced with blue using the Viveza plugin.
I certainly don't have a problem editing my photos how I see fit...although I do agree that sky replacements don't always look good. Consider the use of cloning, removing twigs/branches, hue/saturation adjustments, sharpening, noise removal, etc etc...all edits to the original file...are you against these as well?
Feel free not to comment on my photos if you choose to do so...I don't need yours or anyone's approval. You're a little narrow minded if you ask me.
Hi Paul ... a very cool subject and the flying pose is nice .
Framing looks good to me .
Personally I think the shadowed areas are a bit to dense for my taste ... you seem to like it , which is ok . I would expect more finer detail showing up ... maybe this is a larger crop and/or NR was used on the subject .
Regarding the sky ... well your call if this your way , I would call this a composite . And should be declared in the intro , IMHO . I think many folks here might think , this should go into the OOTB forum .... including me . As said fully ok, if you are working that way ....
TFS Andreas
Thanks Andreas. I appreciate the feedback and suggestions. I've been posting to this forum for quite a while and didn't even check out the OOTB forum! Yes, I agree it should probably have been posted there. Cheers.
I could tell this was a composite at first glance too - and I will add that if you like it then that is all that matters as it is YOUR art. Disclosure is important here to help with critique (but refusal to comment on future images because you did not do so is quite harsh if you ask me). The plover itself looks neat, I'm sure it is not an easy species t photograph in flight. If the sky replacement had been a blurred white and blue it would have looked more natural. BTW the OOTB used to be be quite a thriving forum, but has gone pretty much dead the past year....
"(but refusal to comment on future images because you did not do so is quite harsh if you ask me)."
Why? Paul is faking photos here. How dumb is that and why? Changing out the sky?
He says he did it once before, This site does not have many people on it anymore. Some photos get very few comments.
Why would anyone comment on someones photos when they are not real?
I and others work hard to get good bird photos. I guess we just need to spend more time learning how to fake stuff with photoshop rather
than do the work to get good images to begin with.
It is insulting to me. I would ban him if it was my site.
He only copped to it because Ann called him out.
Otherwise he would have responded and thanked everyone who like his photo 3 times and moved on to post another fake photo.....
It is a bummer to me that social media is killing photography.. I spend a lot of time getting good shots and I really appreciate those that get better shots..
Arash Hazeghi with all his skills with the camera must spend a boatload of time and get really good at fieldcraft to do what he does..
Other great photographers I know the same.
So this is my rant..
No making stuff up, if the sky sucks , go another day, get better light...Dont bullshit us.
Last edited by dankearl; 05-23-2021 at 07:34 PM.
Dan Kearl
So my 2 bobs worth. When I first looked at it I just thought something was wrong with the light on the bird inconsistent with the BG. The bird looks really flat.
I wouldn't do this but if you choose to and own up to it then make it very convincing!