Finding a place in the sun

[Morkel Erasmus]

Hi everyone!

I created this image a while back, and it's the result of careful studying the heron's behaviour combined with timing the shoot with the smog clouds that often drift in front of the sun at sunset in our town.

Would really love your feedback on this. Had to clone out some busy perch material that crowded the shot. Personally I love the mood in this shot, and because I waited many afternoons for it, it makes it even more special.

Equipment:
Canon 1000D with Tamron 70-300 Di
f8.0 @ 1/640 SS @ ISO-200
EXP -1

PS: the different tones in the sky and across the sun are the result of the varying density of the smog cloud that drifted by. the colours are natural, saturated by about 5-10 points extra.

[Ramon M. Casares]

I don't only love the mood on this image but also, and specially, how the pose of the bird goes perfectly with the shape of the sun, that simply made it for me.
Congratulaitons!

[Stu Bowie]

Ramon got it spot on with regards to the curved posture of the heron following the curvature of the sun. Although my head says remove the branch curving up towards the beak, I think it should stay, as it seems to form a circle to the heron. However, I would maybe remove the middle branch, LR. Congrats on your planning coming together Mork.

[Doug Brown]

I love the composition and color. Great pose too. I would like to see the silhouette of the bird a little sharper.

[Mark Dumbleton]

Super stuiff Morkel. Love the mood and great timing to manage this shot with the sun directly behind the bird. Agree on wanting this a bit sharper.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for the great comments Mark, Stu, Ramon & Doug!

I didn't want to oversharpen, and I find it odd that the silhouette isn't sharper since I was shooting @ 1/640 @ 300mm focal length. this was with my Tamron (before I'd gotten the 100-400 L) and it isn't a magnificent lens ITO sharpness.

I've sharpened the silhouette selectively now - let me know if it looks overdone to you now?

[Mark Dumbleton]

Dont notice much of a difference to be honest. Really like this image Morkel! Wouldnt mind one in my collection!

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Mark! appreciate it.
I notice the difference when scrolling between both images in my browser, but I wanted to prevent halos so I contracted the selection by 1 pixel before sharpening.

[Arthur Morris]

Well done on all counts bro'. The important thing for folks--especially beginners and intermediates--to realize is that you picked the perfect and only spot to put your tripod and set it to the perfect height.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for the compliment Artie! This was actually shot handheld - I tried many different comps and luckily the heron also posed differently a few times, but I only had about 2 minutes, and then the sun was behind the tree it was perched on. it is quite a large crop too, unfortunately. I will definitely stake out this spot in the spring with my new longer lens again...

[Arthur Morris]

This was actually shot handheld

Congrats Mork. You got to correct me! :) :o :)

[Morkel Erasmus]

haha is that considered a notable 'first' here on BPN by any chance??

[Arthur Morris]

Not a first for BPN, just a first for you. And turnabout is fair play I have been wrong a bit, not often mind you, but when I am wrong I simply say "I was wrong." My late wife used to say with a smile on her face, "Ah. This time you were wrong. Now the score is 2,578 for you, 7 for me."

This instance was more about an incorrect mindset than about being right or wrong. I just wanted to give you a thrill

[Morkel Erasmus]

:) :) :D

I merely meant by my question - is correcting you a notable first that a BPN user should aspire to, not that it would be the first time you were corrected on the site ever.

And yeah you are right it was just an assumption about the shooting conditions which really doens't make any difference to the shot.

but nonetheless: thrill received. thanks ;) :)

and thanks for taking the time to give your constructive input on my images - I am really benefitting a lot from this site overall.

[David Fletcher]

Super composition Morkel and mood. Gels very well and liked it as soon as i saw it. Has appeal. Many thanks for the entertaining dialogue too. ;)

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

beautiful mood,colors and light!

[Arthur Morris]

:) :) :D

I merely meant by my question - is correcting you a notable first that a BPN user should aspire to, not that it would be the first time you were corrected on the site ever.

If folks want to aspire to correcting me that is both their right and their problem. :)

As an opionated person, I am always putting my thoughts and opinions out there so I try to craft my words carefully and know what I am talking about.... And when folks post ridiculous opinions or do not say what they really mean to say, I will always call them on it.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for your comments Dave & Manos

Artie - also, I didn't say that is my aspiration :).

If anything - I aspire to be able to:
1. one day create photos that are 10% as good as yours (and I am saying this sincerely!)
2. see pictures and flaws in them as clearly as you do - since I'm fairly new to this whole thing I want to be able to see the flaws in my own photos, and I want to be able to rightly distinguish between elements or aspects of a photo that takes a trained eye to see and 'call' as you would put it.

so please continue to 'call' me on things I might blurt out in my ignorance and in my trying to become a better photographer and a more informed interpreter of photos.

:)

[Kobus Tollig]

Super comp and exposure. Well done

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great colors and mood. Adding to the other comments, I'm wondering what it would look like if the bird were a tad higher in the frame.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I like the colours and mood to this image. I too would like to see the heron sharper. Did you clone out part of the upright twig? There is a darkish smudge from that twig extending almost to the bill. Either way I would fix that small area.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Brother,
This image is killing me! I admire it very much. You handled the situation like a pro!!!!
Love the colors and mood man! Insanely good. Gotta love that smog in your town. :D

[Fabs Forns]

Beautiful and very artistic, Morkel, big congratulations!

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for commenting Fabs, Akos, Daniel & Axel!

Daniel - I did indeed clone a twig that ran to right underneath the beak.
Here is a better cleanup...

[Fabs Forns]

Morkel, in the cloning, you created a line in the sun that was not there :(

[Ryan Lambert]

Morkel, super image allround here. I think you handled the image perfectly and used the opportunity presented...a big congrats

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Fabs & Ryan!

Fabs - I'm finding accurate cloning difficult with shots such as this one which have a very subtle changing colour tone from pixel to pixel - any tips??

[Kiran Poonacha]

Beautiful setting here Morkel,loved the setting here... Congrats..

[Daniel Cadieux]

thanks for commenting Fabs, Akos, Daniel & Axel!

Daniel - I did indeed clone a twig that ran to right underneath the beak.
Here is a better cleanup...

I had a feeling there was something there before! Your additional clean-up has left an even bigger/bolder mark. If you use the patch tool it should give you a seamless clean-up.

[Morkel Erasmus]

I normally use the 'clone stamp' tool...which patch tool are you using?

[Arthur Morris]

Mork,

re:

Artie - also, I didn't say that is my aspiration :).

I did not say that it was :) :)

If anything - I aspire to be able to:
1. one day create photos that are 10% as good as yours (and I am saying this sincerely!)
2. see pictures and flaws in them as clearly as you do - since I'm fairly new to this whole thing I want to be able to see the flaws in my own photos, and I want to be able to rightly distinguish between elements or aspects of a photo that takes a trained eye to see and 'call' as you would put it.

so please continue to 'call' me on things I might blurt out in my ignorance and in my trying to become a better photographer and a more informed interpreter of photos.

Thanks for your kind words. Your goals are good ones. And s I said before, I do admire your enthusiasm. And will do!

[Daniel Cadieux]

I normally use the 'clone stamp' tool...which patch tool are you using?

Morkel, the patch tool is located with the clone tool (click and hold on the stamp icon for the clone tool and other options including the patch tool will be shown).

With the patch tool you circle the offending area, then you click and hold within the selected area and drag to a similarly colured and toned area, and let go. Just like the clone tool, it may take a few times to get the hang of it but it can work wonders.

P.S. The clone tool could have worked here too...you were just too aggressive with it. Try experimenting by reducing the opacity and the hardness of the brush.

[Kiran Khanzode]

Beautiful artistic shot...great light, you are getting into Sid's domain :-)

[Morkel Erasmus]

Just got back from Kruger!

Artie - YAW, and thanks for the compliment.

Daniel - thanks I will play around with it again.

Kiran - your compliment is appreciated!