An Artist of the Floating World (Copied From Avian)

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Randy here's an 'Arty-Farty' one for you...(no relation to Artie Morris :D:D)!!
In-camera blur taken at Wakodahatchee Wetlands last December on a high-key sort of evening.
1D 3 300 f/2.8
ISO 1250
f/2.8 1/60 sec
Exp comp + 2 2/3
As you can tell from these settings the light was pretty low. In PP I tweaked up the exposure a little more and cloned a cople of bits from the bottom.
Look forward to your C & C's
Warm regards to all,
Nicki

[Randy Stout]

Nicki:

Looks like a a half remembered dream!

I am at work, where my monitor doesn't show fine details at the very top of the exposure range. I will check it out further when I get home.

I really appreciate the different take. Shake em up!

Cheers

Randy

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Shake em up? I'm working on it!!! :w

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Very surreal, Nicki....liked it a lot. white-on-white with a touch of color and contrast...nice.

[Stu Bowie]

Excellent exposure control here Nicki, and I really like how the egret blends away into the BG. Fine work.

[LeeFortier]

I love it. The abstractness is wonderful.
Then again, being from New England where we have received 5 feet of snow in 5 weeks, this is what I would see if this bird happened by about now. LOL
I still love it.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Kaustubh, Stu and Lee, thanks so much - I'm glad that you are enjoying the image!

[Ofer Levy]

I guess if I don't have anything good to say about an image I shouldn't comment...:w
Seriously though I think there is a forum for this kind of images and I wonder why the moderators haven't moved it yet.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Ofer, this is an in-camera image. As far as I can tell the OOTB forum is for images that have been altered.
My image is about the essence of 'birdness' - just as valid a viewpoint IMHO as the more conventional view.

[Randy Stout]

I guess if I don't have anything good to say about an image I shouldn't comment...:w
Seriously though I think there is a forum for this kind of images and I wonder why the moderators haven't moved it yet.

Ofer:

We often see blurs, pans and other more interpretive images in Avian. This image is not the result of post processing, but done by thoughtful creation in camera.
I don't expect everyone to like every image, and most posters can accept a comment along the lines of "it doesn't work for me".

We do try to maintain a cordial, collegial atmosphere however and have a bit of an open mind about photography.

Randy

[denise ippolito]

OOTB FORUM: This forum is for images modified or created using post processing techniques and / or images created entirely in camera.

I think this image conforms to the rules of the Avian forum but could be copied to the OOTB forum as well. That would be the call of the Avian moderator (Randy, since he commented on the image) as to whether or not the image should be copied or moved or neither.

BTW Nicki it's a lovely high key image. I do wish we could see the eye a bit more clearly.

[Randy Stout]

OOTB FORUM: This forum is for images modified or created using post processing techniques and / or images created entirely in camera.

I think this image conforms to the rules of the Avian forum but could be copied to the OOTB forum as well. That would be the call of the Avian moderator (Randy, since he commented on the image) as to whether or not the image should be copied or moved or neither.

BTW Nicki it's a lovely high key image. I do wish we could see the eye a bit more clearly.

Thanks Denise for clarifying the OOTB guidelines. I do agree that this image could go into either forum.

Cheers

Randy

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Randy and Denise, thank you for your support

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Nicki,
I happen to like these kind of presentations......do them with macro subjects as well but I do understand it is not everyones cup of tea. I do think it belongs here and could be copied to OOTB but you are fine on where you placed it. I would recommend putting a thin black or dark border around the image.....as the BG is bleeding a bit into the bpn light bg theme. Always a good idea with lighter BG just for presentation here on BPN. It would be interesting to see this one with a bit more contrast as suggested also......but these often fall into the very subjective category and this one works for me!

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Thanks so much Roman - I like your suggestion for a thin border when presenting here!
This image might also work well with a contrast boost - but I produced this as part of a panel of 20 images that had to work 'as a panel', hence this particular incarnation!!

[Keith Bauer]

Hi Nicki: This is an interesting take on the bird. For me it is a little too high key. I took the image and played a bit in PS just adding some contrast via a pretty strong curves adjustment layer. That seemed to create a bit more definition. It provided a bit more pop (at least for me). I'm glad you posted it. Certainly created a bit of controversy

PS. I didn't post my rework since I did not ask your permission and that feels uncomfortable. This is your art, not mine.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Keith!
I think that I was definitely after the 'dreamscape' idea with this one, and as I stated above, this was part of a panel of images that had to work together as a unit. A higher contrast version would be fine, but for me that would be saying something different. I appreciate that you did not repost without permission - much appreciated!
Controversy can be stimulating
Best regards,
Nicki

[RakeshDhareshwar]

Surreal !!!!

[Daniel Cadieux]

This is a bordeline image in the sense that it could go in either forum (here or OOTB). I like the high key and dreamy effect. I also like the bill adding a touch of colour. I'd keep the whites and pales intact while giving the blacks and darker midtones a boost. I also think an alternate comp could strenghten this, perhaps an horizontal with more room in front and less top and bottom. All in all a nice piece of artwork, well done! :-)

PS. I didn't post my rework since I did not ask your permission and that feels uncomfortable. This is your art, not mine

Keith (and Nicki), BPN's guidlines #6 gives permission for reposts as an instructional tool. It would be interesting to see your version Copy/pasted from the actual guidlines:

<TABLE class=cms_table_cms_table width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=cms_table_cms_table_tr vAlign=top><TD class="cms_table_cms_table_smallfont cms_table_cms_table_td">6.</TD><TD class="cms_table_cms_table_smallfont cms_table_cms_table_td">By posting images to BPN you give the BPN staff, users and members permission to download and modify any image submitted for critiquing. The sole purpose for downloading an image is so that it can be modified for instructional purposes only and then be re-posted in the original thread. The photographer is the copyright owner and retains all rights. Modified images may not be used for any purpose other than for instructional use at BPN.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Ofer Levy]

Hi guys, this is image doesn't look to me like something you can do in the camera alone. I can see the bird together with a pink area all around it was cut in post and placed on a new white canvas. That turned it into Digital Creation work. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Cheers,

[Daniel Cadieux]

Ofer, although I can understand your concern I'm not convinced this was pasted onto a new canvas. Nicki did state that she bumped the exposure in PP, so what was likely already a very bright almost white sky was in turn exaggerated after her tweak. The only way I see any noticeable pink around the bird is by bringing the image into PS and darkening the black and/or midtone points in levels quite a bit...and even then it does not look like a cut job.

We should give Nicki the benefit of the doubt that she has disclosed all that there was to disclose - I'm confident she has.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

This is a jgp of the raw file. As I have already stated (and which Dan reiterated), I tweaked up the exposure a bit, cloned out a couple of bits from the bottom, oh yes, and cropped it. Ofer, I don't cut and paste - I don't have the PS skills - or the time.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

OOps - you see, I can't even upload an image properly
Dan, how do I do this from within the reply? I went to 'manage attachments' and thought that it had uploaded, but obviously not...:2

[Daniel Cadieux]

It should have worked from the "manage Attachments" option (just like it would on the original post). Did you do a "preview post" before hitting the submit button? Did you see your image?

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Thanks Dan - I must have missed out a stage last time!

[Ofer Levy]

Ofer, although I can understand your concern I'm not convinced this was pasted onto a new canvas. Nicki did state that she bumped the exposure in PP, so what was likely already a very bright almost white sky was in turn exaggerated after her tweak. The only way I see any noticeable pink around the bird is by bringing the image into PS and darkening the black and/or midtone points in levels quite a bit...and even then it does not look like a cut job.

We should give Nicki the benefit of the doubt that she has disclosed all that there was to disclose - I'm confident she has.

I am compeletly lost in here....:wh

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Nicki, I think this is a wonderful image and works in either forum in my opinion. I am happy to see it posted in both, actually. It is very much in keeping with your high-key style that you have shown us previously. Regardless of how an individual reacts to this image I would have to say that it certainly fits the description of a "bird as art".

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Thank you Kerry