Painted Bald Eagle

[Indranil Sircar]

I thought I will try painting effect on one of my Homer Bald Eagle images! This was taken from the boat with the backdrop of black rocks. The rock perch was covered with lichens and sprinkling of fresh snow. For processing, I used DAP Cezanne as the foundation with overlay of the original image and adjusted the opacity with a mask. I applied Topaz Adjust 5 for multiple adjustment including tone and details. Then used adjustment layers for curve, saturation (desaturation and mask to bring back color selectively) and selective colors (for neutrals). Finally applied slight vignetting and selective usm on the image. Hope you like it...

[denise ippolito]

Awesome redition Indranil, I like the composition, pose and painterly effect you applied. I might add a touch more on top if it were mine, but that is just a personal preference. The background looks great, nice job!

[Dennis Bishop]

This is just great. For many reasons. The colors are wonderful. The soft background not only gives a feeling of depth, but that curve that starts in the lower left ends up just about at the eagle's head. I love the pose of the eagle, too. You've hit a Homer run with this one.

[Brendan Dozier]

Very nicely crafted composition, Indranil, and like the pose you captured. Has a wonderful painterly quality, really like the colors and textures of both the eagle and BG. Nice work!

[Cheryl Slechta]

Indranil, this is beautiful! I love everything about it, especially the lighting on the rock perch and the pose against the gorgeous background. Really well done

[John Storjohann]

Indranil, this is a really nice image...careful composition, very nice processing, a wonderful sense of depth, and I love the painterly feel. If it were mine..I might add a touch of Nik's Tonal Contrast/Balanced just to the foreground. I think it would add a bit of pop and give even greater separation and depth...either way it's fantastic.

[Michael Zajac]

Indranil, you did a great job with DAP. It looks like a painting.

[Indranil Sircar]

Thanks all. I appreciate it. Here is a repost with a bit of added canvas on the top and tonal contrast on the fg...

[denise ippolito]

Indranil, I do like it with a bit more canvas on the top and the TC looks subtle.

Just noticed the extra canvas on the right which I am not crazy about.

[Dennis Bishop]

Here's my subjective reaction, Indranil. After doing a side-by-side comparison, I like the original post better. Here's why.

My approach is to avoid intense colors, so I like the foreground better without the added tonal contrast. When I first saw the re-post, I liked the extra canvas at the top. However, when I compared the two side by side, I realized that -- because he's nearer the top of the image -- he seems to be in a loftier position in the first one. Especially with the attitude that seems to exude from his pose and features, that seems fitting.

[Indranil Sircar]

Just noticed the extra canvas on the right which I am not crazy about.

Thanks Denise, I was thinking about that too while cropping... and you are correct. I should have taken it out.

[Indranil Sircar]

Here's my subjective reaction, Indranil. After doing a side-by-side comparison, I like the original post better. Here's why.

My approach is to avoid intense colors, so I like the foreground better without the added tonal contrast. When I first saw the re-post, I liked the extra canvas at the top. However, when I compared the two side by side, I realized that -- because he's nearer the top of the image -- he seems to be in a loftier position in the first one. Especially with the attitude that seems to exude from his pose and features, that seems fitting.

Hi Dennis, I like your subjective analysis and the subtle difference you have pointed out. One of the reason, I had chosen Paul Cézanne's template in DAP was to bring out the tonal contrast and depth to the image. I had already chosen tc as my personal preference which John pointed out was not enough and hence a bit more boost... I see your point of view and I think it could have gone either way. Regarding the space on top, I like your perspective and will play around with it a bit more before my final choice of crop. Thanks again for your comments.

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Indranil,

Greetings. Wow, a fine job on this one. Just the right touch with the filters. I'd vote for the repost with the original crop on the right.

The color is great. I'm sure the original without the filters is pretty spectacular as well. Do you have a preference?

Good show!

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Indranil, very nicely filtered. Love the rock face and the Eagle looks very majestic atop the rocks. Nice work!

[Maureen Allen]

Beautiful, Indranil! Love the eagle's pose and pensive expression. The filtering is wonderful. Though both versions are great, I prefer the repost with the extra room on top.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Indranil,
I like the OP best so....very nicely done!

[John Ippolito]

Indranil, the op is quite beautiful, I like the xtra canvas on top as well. Very,very nice work.