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Thread: Japanese Waxwing V

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    Default Japanese Waxwing V

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    This is the fifth in my series of Japanese waxwings taken recently at a suburban park in Shanghai. I created versions of this shot with the natural background, but for this one I created an artificial BG using the dominant shade of green from the original. I carefully isolated the waxwing, copied it, then pasted it as a new layer against the green background. What this technique lacks in naturalness it makes up for in simplicity and noise reduction. Original posted below.

    Device: Nikon D3S
    Lens: VR 600mm F/4G
    Focal length: 600mm
    VR: ON
    Aperture: F/6.3
    Shutter Speed: 1/250
    Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
    Exposure Comp.: +0.3EV
    Metering: Center-Weighted
    ISO Sensitivity: ISO 1000

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    The original.

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    Craig, I guess it's a nice job extracting the bird from the original image and placing it against a uniform background. But I am frankly not such a big fan. The image you posted seems to me to be too 3D and the green background too "Kodak"... Would love to see a post with a vertical crop of the original (with the entire bird) and the branch intruding from the right being cloned out. JR

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    Hi, Joerg. Thanks for your feedback. My third shot in the Japanese waxwing series is similar to the one here; the two shots were taken just seconds apart:

    http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...III&highlight=

    The shot linked to above is more in line with your vision.

    Also, note that I mistakenly reported my ISO for this shot as being 1000. It was actually 1600.

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    I very much prefer the image you posted before but for the pose of the waxwing. An image of the pose in this thread but the composition and exposure of the former would be best IMO. I know that we can't always have what we want... :o

    JR

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Hey Craig, well done for disclosing what you did. There again, I wouldnt have expected anything else. Good PP work, and I like the detail and colours on the head, and the reflection in the eye. Im going with Joerg here, and cant see why you cant do something with your original image. In doing that, you can include all of the waxwing. Cheers.

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    BPN Viewer Pieter de Waal's Avatar
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    Hi Craig the subtle colours and fine feather detail captured on the Waxwing is fantastic. However I also prefer a version with the full bird and the more natural background.

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    Thanks a stack, Pieter, Peter, and Stu. My version in Pane 1 is just one of many that I made. I fell in love with the original shot in Pane 2. I tend to make several versions of shots that I love. Below, I've posted my more conventional version. As for the concept of the artificial background, I'm simply trying to do something different, something innovative.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Craig Brelsford View Post
    As for the concept of the artificial background, I'm simply trying to do something different, something innovative.
    Frankly, this may be a path taken often but rarely successfully... JR

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    I think all this cloning is crazy. I'll stop there.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Christoph Belanger View Post
    I think all this cloning is crazy.
    I . . . I'm flabbergasted. I don't know what to say. I disclosed everything, everything. My cloning is completely aboveboard. I'm not trying to trick anyone. I'm just trying to create the best possible image. You can call me a photographer, you can call me a graphic designer . . . I don't care. What I want is an image that pleases me and pleases others.

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