Lapwing

[Ben_Sadd]

Normally I do not like foreground elements, but I am quite pleased with the effect the the grass has here. What do you think?

Any other C&C most welcome.

7D
500mm +1.4
Av +2.33
SS 1/160
f/5.6
ISO 400 (was sure I had 800 set but apparently not :) )
Cropped to about 40% of FF, so would not like to go further.

[Julie Kenward]

Ben, I like it. I think it would be even stronger if it just barely skimmed the bottom of the bird instead of actually touching it and giving the underbelly the green cast. Still, it's a lovely image.

Very nice job on exposure here. I don't suppose you thought about adding a bit of blue to the sky or did you want to stick with the high-key look of the BG? I think a bit of blue color wash (similar to the amount of green in the grass) would be lovely and help the viewer to separate the white body from the BG. Just something to think about...

[Sid Garige]

Ben,

Nice exposure, composition and like the foreground too. Well composed and executed.

-Sid

[Mikko Viljamaa]

Ah Lapwings, the sure sign of spring in Scandinavia... Julie is right, little less green on the belly would make this one more pleasing to me at least.


Mikko

[Ben_Sadd]

Thanks for the comments.

I would have also liked the foreground to be slightly lower relative to the bird, but I was as high as I could be, without carrying around a step ladder, when making this shot. The lapwing was on an embankment.

Jules,
Yes, I had considered putting some blue in the sky, and had even tried. I had no problem with the clear sky areas, but had problems getting something natural looking when working with the blurred grassy areas that would still show a little of the sky's colour through. Any good suggestions on how I might do better?

[Julie Kenward]

Ben, if you have Adobe Camera Raw you can add a graduated filter to it there. You can also add a gradient layer in PS and then mask it off as it moves towards the grassy areas. I usually do that with a large, soft brush taking the opacity down with each swipe as I get lower to the FG.

Let me know if you need more of an explanation.

[annmpacheco]

So that's what the Northern Lapwing looks like!!! I like your image and the foreground is pleasing. Would like to see what you do with the sky. TFS, Ann

[Ben_Sadd]

Ok, here is an attempt. I processed a second tiff in acr using the graduated filter. Overlayed it onto the initial tiff as a layer, then quick masked the bird.