Adding space to a bird in flight

[Ronald Zigler]

I added some more canvas to the right side of the image to give the bird more space. I had never done this before, so it may be too noticeable. I imagine the important question is whether this image makes such an edit worth it.
Canon 60D, 300mm f4L + 1.4x, 1/2000, f8, ISO 1000, HH

[Gerald Kelberg]

Hi Ron, if you value the image - it is worth doing it. I think that the composition here can be improved by having more space between the feet and the edge, but maybe you have added a little more than was needed. You seem to have done three increments, whereas, I think one would probably have been enough.

I think Robert O'Toole details the process in his APTATS 1. Make a copy layer; Extend the canvas on the LHS of the Background by about the amount of extra space required and then move the copy layer to the left exposing the RHS of the background until you are happy.

You might want to make a slight curves adjustment to match the tonality of the join. Then get busy with a soft eraser brush working away the sharp edge - reducing the opacity of the copy layer helps you to see the image beneath as you expose it then go back to 100%. Just a little care and patience and you can do a good job in five minutes. So it is probably worth it.

Nice GB Heron, by the way!

Gerald

[Ronald Zigler]

I think I will need some lessons on photo editing before I can follow your suggestins Gerald. I appreceiate them nonetheless. I just have not worked with layers in Adobe Elements.

[Kerry Perkins]

Ron, what made this a difficult (and obvious) clone job is that you had very little to work with as far as clone source goes. The repetitive patterns are a real giveaway to what was done. One trick to hiding the cloning steps is to sample from both the left and right of where you are cloning, but in this case there was nothing to sample on the right. Make any sense? If the area you are adding is larger than where you are sampling you will have this issue also, as you have no choice but to repeat patterns.

[Ronald Zigler]

Thanks Kerry. I am going to try to work a bit more with this image and try to do a better job. While I have other images of the bird in flight, I believe I favor this image not only for the wing positions, but the curve in the neck, the open beak and the legs that are not lost in the background wooded area.