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Thread: Silver Gull - Portrait

  1. #1
    BPN Viewer Mark Young's Avatar
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    Default Silver Gull - Portrait

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    I took this last week, about 90 mins before sunset. This bird was one of 3 that was feeding on the edge of the surf looking for food as the water receded.

    Canon 7D
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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Beautiful bird, beautiful BKGR, loverly light, perfect head angle, and beautiful WHITEs. I like the SQ presentation but the tiny feather sticking up off the back bugs me and I could stand a bit more room in front of the bird. Do you have any more on the right?

    IAC, this a s superb image.
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  3. #3
    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Mark:

    Lovely gull, great bill and eye ring. Good BG.

    The bill is very sharp, the eye might stand a bit more sharpening. It is pretty sharp, but sometimes the way the cornea reflects light reduces the apparent sharpness.

    I wanted to see if I could tease a bit more detail out of the whites. They are not blown in the original, but are so white that i thought it was worth a try to bring out more texture.

    Use quick selection tool and multiply/mask on body only, set at 35%.

    Fairly subtle, but I liked it. You can easily adjust this effect to taste. I also did a quick pass on the eye(sharpening)

    Just an option.

    Cheers

    Randy

    PS: Arite was typing as I was working on the repost.
    Last edited by Randy Stout; 10-19-2010 at 06:42 PM.

  4. #4
    BPN Viewer Mark Young's Avatar
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    Thanks for viewing and commenting.

    Arthur, I will try a repost when I get home tonight with more infront and feather removed.

    Randy, I like the extra sharpening on the eye. Thanks for that. The extra detail is a nice touch too. Thanks for reposting.

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    Excellent portrait for all of the reasons stated above! Very nicely done!

    I prefer the more brilliant whites in the original post which have plenty of detail to my eye.
    I agree with wanting more room on the right but also think it could use a bit less at the the top.
    Here's a repost that shows what I had in mind. See what you think.

    Don't think the eye needs any more USM but I darkened the pupil which can make the eye appear to be sharper.

  6. #6
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Nice portrait, Mark, and I like your handling of the whites. I also like the styled "hair" along the back of the head. Square comp works well with just enough grey shoulder visible, but I agree with a touch more room in front.

  7. #7
    DanWalters
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    Nice portrait! Nice details in the gull and I like the color of the background.

  8. #8
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Well exposed Mark, and I like Randy's repost.

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