Quality In = Quality Out

[Arthur Morris]

If you start with a great image when going Out-of-the-Box with Photoshop and or various filters, success is almost guaranteed. Start with a good exposure, a pleasing COMP, accurate focus, sharp when needed, good light angle, the right subject to film plane orientation, and a good head angle, and you can produce something noteworthy.

In most but not all cases, if you start with an image that has major flaws, going filter will not help.

This Canada Goose flapping after it bath was photographed at JBWR this past week and then Fracted with the ROUNDED preset (I think....) I ran the filter on a layer and then blended back in the head with a low opacity brush using a technique that I learned from the Blur Guide. :)

Don't be shy; all comments welcome.

[denise ippolito]

Artie, This was a fantastic image to start with and I hope you will share the original with us. I like the fract. effect and the colors look awesome. I might try to clone out the one bit of black feathering from the filter that looks like it is coming out of it's mouth. I agree that starting with a good image is the way to go. I have on occasion created soup from a stone but it is much easier to start with a good image:)

Artie and I both took this image-care to guess who's was better? His of course!!!!!!!!!!Actually I always shot these wing flap images at an angle thinking I could get the entire extended wings, after seeing his full wing flap head on I am starting to rethink that choice. It is most important to set up for this shot well in advance and give yourself plenty of room so that you won't clip any of the wings.

[Steve Adkins]

Artie, I like the image, action, angle and BG tones. The frac + wing motion is a great combo. The mouth feather could exit IMHO. :)
Hope to see the original.

[Judy Howle]

Artie, I like the composition, motion and the fract effect. I agree, lose the mouth feather.

[Kerry Perkins]

Artie, your formula definitely holds true, as does the antithesis... :cool: I love everything about this one except for the effect on the neck and head. At the very least I would blur that a bit and would prefer to remove it altogether, but I can't really explain why; just seems cleaner to me.

[Indranil Sircar]

Artie, agree with your approach and you have shown us the result with this image too. Like Denise, I too would love to see the original. For me, the fracted wings with the colors and effects on the water and bg, makes it an excellent composition.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks guys and gals. It is 3:46 am right now; I fly back to Orlando at 7am. Will rework the image later today as per your suggestions and will lose the feather in the mouth as well as the one remaining "crest" feathers. I will post the original in Avian this afternoon. BTW, the ORIG is razor sharp. Later all.

[Arthur Morris]

You can see the original in avian here.

If the word "here" does not show up as an active link best to go down below left and select Blue from the dropdown menu :)

[Christopher Miller]

Very lovely image, Artie! The colors, pose, and frac work are all awesome. I agree with you on the importance of starting with a good image. Ninety-nine percent of the time the recipe to a good OOTB image doesn't read "Just add Photoshop."

[Arthur Morris]

Jeez, I forgot to post the improved version; thanks all for the comments and suggestions :)

[Judy Howle]

It cleaned up nice!
Judy

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Judy. I actually had to use the Clone Stamp Tool for the job.

[denise ippolito]

Looks great!

[Cheryl Slechta]

The repost looks great - love the fract work and the colors are yummy:)