Won't you please help me

[chauncey]

No, it's not the Beatles...but don't know what to do with these swans which is part of a series of three images



I think that they're getting lost in the water...have made numerous detailed selections. Suggestions?
Want drama...

[Geoff F]

A slight crop of the top and right side will concentrate the view where it has most impact. Then possibly selectively brighten the top of their wings.

[Glenn NK]

Chauncey:

I don't "do" birds, but on the Naturescapes forum, one common comment is that there should be more space in front of a moving bird/animal than behind it.

Glenn

[pnodrog]

I agree with a bit of cropping but to make them stand out a bit more you will need to darken the water. It will depend on the software you use as to the best approach. With Photoshop I would duplicate the background layer, mask out the birds, use curves to slightly over darken, fine tune the mask and set the layer blend mode to darken and reduce the layer transparency until it looked right. It could all be done with a masked curves adjustment layer but I like the control you get working with a duplicate layer.

The lighting is perfect and the highlights in turbulent water great - a lovely shot.

[Shadowman]

You could try the color dodge blend method.

[ajohnw]

I think I would crop more off the bottom that the top which would make the swan's a bigger proportion of the shot and also give them some where to fly - can't think of another way of putting that. I feel that the right hand crop is about right now. I'd try and leave some out focus water below the birds to make use of the eye's natural response to that. Curiously in this case the 2 birds will then be around 1/3 up and in from the right - rather approximately. Not that I feel this needs to be RULE.

Another perfect shot of the subject from you though.

John
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[The Blue Boy]

Chauncey,

Did you want us to have a quick go? I only ask as some people don't like it when others "mess" with their work.

[chauncey]

I don't mind anyone having a quick go at it, but...a simple crop isn't what I had in mind.
Anything in the direction of an object d'art would be desirable.

[NigelD]

What a lovely capture - 5 mins worth of quick edit - hope it gives you some ideas

[chauncey]

In times past, I've gone with a light and dark background...would there be anything better?






Opinions, or is there anything better?

[nimitzbenedicto]

Hi Chauncey,

I like the 2nd image. Amazing!

The 1st is ok, but seems the subject's merging with the dark background minimizes its impact.

HTH

[pnodrog]

I don't mind anyone having a quick go at it, but...a simple crop isn't what I had in mind.
Anything in the direction of an object d'art would be desirable.

Well a nod is as good as a wink - whatever that means. I basically did what I proposed above but the blend mode was multiply not darken and I also did a bit of dodging on the back of the swans. It could probably do with a little bit of sharpening that I did not do.

[Brownbear]

Hi Chauncey,

A truly exquisite image... I adore the white background and also L. Paul's version

[The Blue Boy]

I've had a quick potter about with this image whilst listening to a podcast, so I've probably gone a bit too far,



Now, I should add that if this were one of mine I probably wouldn't have gone as far as I have.

So, I've cropped it. Added a levels layer. Added a curves layer. Added a Hue/Saturation layer.

I've sort of blurred some of the foreground and background...

And then I had some fun adding the hideous border and font, for which I apologize,

[chauncey]

I put the finished version in the weekly monochrome competition Monochrome Mini Competition #877

[Paniaa]

I like Nigel's take on this pic - great pic by the way. I think L.Paul's version made the wings too light and took away from the lovely rim lighting on the birds' graceful necks.

[Glenn NK]

In times past, I've gone with a light and dark background...would there be anything better?






Opinions, or is there anything better?

I'm going with this one.

Frankly in my opinion, the original wasn't much of a composition (composing BIF is extremely difficult), and your high key artistic version is as good as any there is. You could even put more space in front of the birds because when they are centered, they become static.

Cropping only makes things worse - they need more space in front of them.

EDIT: And I'd keep them both. With the whited out BG, space can be added where needed.

Glenn

[Shadowman]

I've had a quick potter about with this image whilst listening to a podcast, so I've probably gone a bit too far,



Now, I should add that if this were one of mine I probably wouldn't have gone as far as I have.

So, I've cropped it. Added a levels layer. Added a curves layer. Added a Hue/Saturation layer.

I've sort of blurred some of the foreground and background...

And then I had some fun adding the hideous border and font, for which I apologize,

Nice effort.

[arith]

I applied a bit of vignetting.

[Stagecoach]

Chauncey,

I looked at your version in the competition, ya went just too far

It's a great image.

Grahame