My favourite Kite

[Hilary Hann]

I hardly ever have something suitable for the OOTB themes, but when I saw this one I thought I could share one of my favourite images which has a fun back story.

Last year I was talking to a friend who showed me a cool site where you could order iPhone gel skins made with one of your photos. So I went home and went through my files from my 2011 Kenya trip to see if I could find something suitable and for some reason stopped at this photo of a black shouldered Kite from Lake Nakuru. Let's face it, not an image I'd post in Avian and I have no idea why I chose it but it must have chosen me!

This is the full frame image

[Hilary Hann]

To fit the iPhone skin I made it the following vertical proportions, did some fiddling to make it fit my signature style (or what I hoped would become a signature style) and came up with the following image. I think I may have posted it for c&c last year, can't remember.

Anyway, I felt quite pleased with it so decided to enter it into a couple of awards where it amazed me with doing very well.

It received a gold at last year's State awards and a gold last weekend at our National Photography Awards. Never give up on any image, especially if you have OOTB skills.

As you can tell, I'm quite proud of this image (in a totally non bragging kind of way).

[Paul Lagasi]

Another lovely example, I do remember this image from last year. Its amazing what you achieved by giving it your signature. Love the eyes.

[Nick Palmieri]

Great transformation. I am amazed how the lighting was accentuated in such a positive way after the effect was applied, wow. Works well as presented but thinking a little tighter wouldn't hurt???

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks Paul and Nick.

As far as cropping tighter, I think that is one of the reasons it scored so well, that I left the bird plenty of space which wouldn't be the case in a traditional bird portrait. But I know what you mean and I sometimes wonder. Still, I'll sell it as is because people seem to have responded to it.

[Hazel Grant]

Amazing, isn't it, when you almost get rid of something and then go back to it, and wow, there the vision is! Beautifully done! Well deserving of the honor.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Hillary, beautiful results with this one. I'm impressed with the wing addition! It makes the image in my opinion (and your texture work of course)

[Dennis Bishop]

Good eye, Cheryl. I had to go back, again, to see about the wing. All I'd picked up -- besides the artistic effects -- was that the kite had been rotated a bit.

I like the crop just the way it is. As wonderful as the kite on the tree is, the image wouldn't be the same without that background. The color, the freeform vignette, and the texture are super, and I think they need some room to work as well as they do.

[Hilary Hann]

Thank you so much for the comments, it is rewarding when other photographers appreciate ones efforts.

[denise ippolito]

Amazing! I love the background color and the way you brought out the eyes! Congratulations and very well deserved!

[Judy Howle]

You transformed a mundane bird shot into a work of art! Congratulations! The composition is perfect and the background and processing are outstanding!