Laughing Buck

[Steve Canuel]

This buck was laughing at me because he knew my meager photographic abilities would not allow for a properly captured photo. This picture came out looking soft everytime I tried PP so I decided to go that direction and see what I could come up with. 20D, 1-400L, f6.3, 1/125s, ISO 1600. I did a couple of heavy handed passes with NR and some light blending modes in layers (don't remember exactly which ones) to come up with this "painterly" interpretation of the scene.
Steve

[Fabs Forns]

The painterly look works great here. I would move the buck a bit more to the right for a stronger composition.

[Steve Canuel]

Thanks for the comments Fabs. I'm often torn on how to compose a subject heading one way and looking in the opposite direction. Do you give him room to look back into or room to walk into?

[Fabs Forns]

Steve, the room should be always for him to look into, even if the body is the opposite way. Negative space in front of the face :)

[Steve Canuel]

Thanks Fabs, I should be able to remember that!