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Thread: Loon portrait

  1. #1
    BPN Viewer Charles Glatzer's Avatar
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    Default Loon portrait

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    This image is copyrighted material as indicated, and is watermarked! Unauthorized use or reproduction for any reason is prohibited

    Loon portrait, MI '07

    Setting the correct exposure into the camera before the decisive moment is key to consistency.
    It would be extremely difficult to judge the correct exposure for this image via the histogram. Moreover, it would have to be after the fact. Frequently, we get one fleeting opportunity, make the most of it...

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    See you where there is light, or at the computer

    Best,

    Chas

    Last edited by Charles Glatzer; 07-19-2008 at 05:50 PM.

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    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
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    Great composition here Chas. And you're so right about setting the correct exposure ahead of time. I really like the horizontal water droplets below the eye. I might remove the blue specular highlight at the base of the bill. Great stuff!

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Love the water droplets and the framing. Wish for a bit more head turn.

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    I do like the crop here and composition. Good advice Chas.

  5. #5
    Maxis Gamez
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    Hi Chas,

    Love the details and you did very well with the exposure.

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    Great job in getting the blacks, purples, and lavenders in the head feathers. The water droplets are also a great addition.

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    Lifetime Member Jim Neiger's Avatar
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    Well done, Chas. I like the way the bill is clearly visible against the dark bg.
    Jim Neiger - Kissimmee, Florida

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    Gorgeous portrait, Chas !
    Love the iridescent colors and the water droplets.

    Would you explain why you added 2/3 to the incident reading for this image?
    I'm assuming that it was to get more details in the blacks, is that correct?
    Were you confident that you could do this and still be able to recover
    the white highlights? Looking at the histogram after the fact, did the whites "appear"
    to be blown on the histogram and/or did you get blinkies?

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    beautiful image Chas, I like everything about this portrait., if anything a bit too tight, and I think I see some dust spots.

  10. #10
    BPN Viewer Charles Glatzer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Milicia View Post
    Gorgeous portrait, Chas !
    Love the iridescent colors and the water droplets.

    Would you explain why you added 2/3 to the incident reading for this image?
    I'm assuming that it was to get more details in the blacks, is that correct?
    Were you confident that you could do this and still be able to recover
    the white highlights? Looking at the histogram after the fact, did the whites "appear"
    to be blown on the histogram and/or did you get blinkies?
    Hey Mike,

    Yes, I added 2/3 to gain detail in the blacks, but this is only done if there is not a lot of white showing on the loon. And, the bird is slightly side-lit. Since angle of incidence = angle of reflectance, the sunlight will slightly skip off the white highlights allowing more exposure without clipping detail. Had the loon been flat lit this would not have been possible.

    Note- no highlights were harmed in the making of this image.:D

    Cheers and I look forward to seeing you again in the future,

    Chas

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    Quote Originally Posted by Charles Glatzer View Post
    And, the bird is slightly side-lit. Since angle of incidence = angle of reflectance, the sunlight will slightly skip off the white highlights allowing more exposure without clipping detail. Had the loon been flat lit this would not have been possible.
    Thanks, Chas !

    Great tip about the effect of the side lighting in this regard.
    Explains why my past attempts to do this sort of thing (with front lighting) have always resulted
    in blown highlights that I could not recover.

  12. #12
    c.w. moynihan
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    Great exposure Chas. The bg is just too dark. The bill gets somewhat lost in the overall composition, imho.... Nice mood achieved though...;)
    All the best,

    Christian
    Last edited by c.w. moynihan; 07-21-2008 at 07:40 AM.

  13. #13
    BPN Viewer Charles Glatzer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by c.w. moynihan View Post
    Great exposure Chas. The bg is just too dark. The bill gets somewhat lost in the overall composition, imho.... Nice mood achieved though...;)
    All the best,

    Christian

    Chris,

    If the bill is blending into the background your monitor is set too dark. Do you see distinct separation between the two last bars on the left at the bottom of this page? See Jim Neiger's post above.

    Chas

  14. #14
    c.w. moynihan
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    Quote Originally Posted by Charles Glatzer View Post
    Chris,

    If the bill is blending into the background your monitor is set too dark. Do you see distinct separation between the two last bars on the left at the bottom of this page? See Jim Neiger's post above.

    Chas
    Hi Chas,

    my crap monitor at work, uncalibrated, ect doesn't do well with dark shadows I guess. Looking at it now, on my calibrated montior at home, it's much better. Love the mood. I retract my too dark critique. better yet, I won't do technical post prod critiques, unless their obvious from work. Cheers ! ;)

    All the best,

    Christian

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