Spotted Sandpiper Head Replacement

[Aidan Briggs]

I wasn't happy with this spotted sandpiper image: poor head turn, and the focus was on the shoulder, and the OOF foreground rock bugged me. So I replaced the head with one from a different frame, which wasn't an easy task with only photoshop elements.

What do you think? Anything that could be improved?

50D, 100-400 at 375mm
1/1000, f/7.1, ISO 250
manual, small crop

[Dave Phillips]

looks like a nice bit of work Aidan.....I think the bit of midtone oof in LL should
match the darker part of hill.

Be ready for some possible neg comments re: head replacement.........but I like it

[Aidan Briggs]

Thanks for the comment Dave. If they want, they can refer to this as a photo illustration...it really doesn't matter to me.

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Hi Aidan!

Even though I would never replace a head or any other part, I have to congratulate you for been sincere and for making such a work on Elements.
I will tell you, if you don't let us know about your head-work, I would never suspect.
Like everything about it except the oof rock.

[Aidan Briggs]

Thanks, Juan. I dislike the OOF rock too, but there was nothing I could do to get it out of the foreground: the bird was only in that pose for a moment, and if I moved it would have flown away. Oh well...

[Jim Fenton]

Aidan.....

A) I'd never replace a whole body part either...just sort of negates the capture.

B) However...I must commend you...I would never even have noticed, honestly still can't see where the bird was re-headed, even that I know it was :)

C) I agree about the distraction of the OOF foreground rock, however, I also fully understand that had you moved, you would have lost the opportunity to capture this to begin with. Perhaps you could remove just a tad of the uppermost left edge of the OOF rock and clone in some of the in focus growth just to give it a more defined and IF edge?

[Stu Bowie]

I like the angled pose of the sandpiper. Good light, colour and details captured on him. Congrats on being upfront, and furthermore with great pp skills. Not sure if the mods will keep it in this category. I agree LLC OOF FG not ideal - but with your excellent pp skills, you could have maybe done some rework there too.

[Dan Brown]

Good head job! Now you can tackle replacing the rock!

[Ed Cordes]

All nits and suggestions well covered above. My comment is good work and thanks for your honesty.

[Arthur Morris]

Aiden, Is the head from the same bird? Was the image created at the same relative distance. I ask only because the head looks a bit small for the body. Had you not noted the head-ecotmoy, I would likely not have noticed....

[Aidan Briggs]

Hi Artie, I think the head was from the same bird, but I can't be sure. (there was a pair of them hanging out together) I think the bird was about a foot farther away, because I had to shrink the head a bit. Now that you mention it though, I might re-process this one.

P.S. I emailed you about the NANPA gig.