This was taken yesterday morning (tis the season). There is a certain "sameness" to the "poses" of all my Avocet chick images, and this one is no exception, though I found the raised, muddy foot and the mud on the beak very appealing, and, of course, the furry chicks themselves. Except for running NR three times (at 9) in Elements and adding a tiny eye-catch-light, the image was processed in LR2 -- crop (50%), clarity (21), vibrance (13), highlights (13) and sharpening (101). I didn't think the light from right to left was a problem. Should I have cloned out the white spots? How can the image be improved? C&C invited and appreciated . . .
They are very cute. Mud adds to it. Must be tough for these little guys to slog through the muck!
The whites just ant. to the wing appear a bit hot on my monitor.
I think the biggest improvement for this shot would have had to occur at the time of shooting, and that would be a lower shooting angle. Perhaps that wasn't possible, but most birds, and esp. chicks do best when shot at their level.
Randy and Peter, thanks for comments . . . I agree the whites referred to look a bit hot to me, also, but they do not show up on the histogram display in LR2.
I like these kind of pictures of little chicks. The mud is at something too the frame so as said. Perhaps you goog tone down the whole frame a bite to get more power to all of the colors of your picture.
Wendell I have very much enjoyed your baby avocet shots. I wonder how in the world the babies of long legged waders fit their legs when in the egg. To me the whites especially around the face do seem hot here too maybe you can soften those but the overall scene with the pose and mud looks great.
Matt, 'preciate your comments. Actually, as birds' eggs go, I believe avocets' are proportionally rather large, and, of course, the babies legs are folded and flexible -- ain't nature wonderful. I don't know why hot whites (as you and I suspect are present) do not show as overexposed on my software's histogram. Perhaps I'm "reading" it wrong, somehow.
Last edited by wendell westfall; 05-27-2010 at 10:08 AM.