Been re-working some images using the PP stuff that I have learned here. Yes this still has issue, light angle being a biggie. However in my defense (meaning excuse). First I have never before or since seen a RT on anything at eye level and driving by rather closely on this little access road didn't spook him. In fact! he didn't even move when I got slowly out of the car (road didn't get me in good light). So as I inched closer and moved sideways everything was fine till this image, obviously, right after this he launched right at the camera and I choked, probably wouldn't have been fast enough to get him anyway. Besides in a blurred sorta way it looked like he was coming right down the lens which rather scared the you know what out of me.
I do love that foot! (do I have a foot fetish? nah).
This is one dramatic image. No wonder you keep working on it. Even though the angle of the light is a problem, the warm color on the bird is terrific.
I love it! I think this is one that breaks the rules.
Cheers
Gail
Hi Nonda, nice opportunity at a normally skittish hawk! I to like that foot! The image seems a bit foggy to me though. So, in my repost, I adjusted levels, curves, hue/sat, and selective color (black and grays only). Then, I selected the BG and ran Noise Ninja to smooth it out a bit, then reversed the selection and sharpened with USM a bit. I also tried a "linear burn" on a duplicate layer for the hot spots on the breast and forhead. Lastly, I lightened the eye area and saturated the yellow in the eye only. These adjustments seem to have improved the image.:)
Dan already did what you have done except for the selective color, did the eye about 3x and and backed it off each time..Which I did with most of the other stuff since afraid I was 'over doing'. Obviously I wasn't :-)
Ok back to it and see what I come up with
Here's what I came up with
Last edited by Nonda Surratt; 12-16-2008 at 12:08 PM.
is it me or do the eyes just not look natural in the reposts? the monitor i'm on may be too small to tell, but anyways. looks like the work is paying off! the reposts do look much better. cool capture. your self critique pretty much nailed it for me!!
Yep the eyes look weird 'here'. Funny this is the only image that has ever went wonky in the transition from monitor to downsizing for ETL??? Since I might actually print this will leave as is, will try the crop.
RTH
