A study in contrasts

[purplehaze]

Remember how I said, when I met the heron, I was on my way to shoot the pelicans in the rising sun? This is one of those shots. Note how the one pelican is warmed by the sun, while the lower one is still in the shadow of the trees. I kind of like the contrast, but am wondering whether you think I should selectively lighten the lower one and, if so, by how much?

[Manfred M]

I find the image is working fine because the tail feathers of the leading bird are about the same shade as the one in the shade.

If I were to find a fault with this image is that there is no separation between the two birds. Had there been a gap, the image would have been stronger. Rather than lightening the lower bird all that much, I would be tempted to neutralize the blue colour cast first and see about lightening after.

[Shadowman]

Agree it makes for an interesting set.

[purplehaze]

If I were to find a fault with this image is that there is no separation between the two birds.

I got this a second or two later, but it doesn't hold quite the same interest for me.



Actually, in terms of faults, I thought someone might mention how little we see in the first image of the one bird's wing.

Rather than lightening the lower bird all that much, I would be tempted to neutralize the blue colour cast first and see about lightening after.

So exactly how do I neutralize that cast?

[Manfred M]

So exactly how do I neutralize that cast?

In Photoshop I set up a Hue / Saturation adjustment layer and desaturate the blues and cyans on the birds (by making a selection). This keeps the sky the same colour. I then selected the lower bird and adjusted the mid-point to brighten it.

[purplehaze]

Thanks, Manfred. This was a really useful exercise. I translated your recipe into Capture One as follows:

1. Created a Luma Range layer to isolate sky, erased those bits of the bird captured in the range, and rasterized.
2. Copied first layer and inverted it.
3. Used Color Editor to select blue colour cast on birds and desaturate it.
4. Copied second layer and erased most of selection on top bird.
5. Brightened and increased contrast on lower bird.



The contrast may be a bit much, but the main thing is learning the process. Thanks again; I feel like I have had a productive evening.

[Wavelength]

Great images

[purplehaze]

Thanks, Nandakumar. Not my best, but the one has taught me a lot.

[lesno1]

Great photography Janis and also good editing they are all good but i prefer the first one

[billtils]

Super shot Janis, and well done on your editing work in Capture One.

I'm with Les in that I (slightly) prefer the original, and in regard to Manfred's "separation" comment, my tongue in cheek response is that you should have shouted at the birds to move further apart .

[Urbanflyer]

For those not wedded to reality (tongue in cheek), it is possible to create that separation in post.

[billtils]

For those not wedded to reality (tongue in cheek), it is possible to create that separation in post.

Indeed it is, but it would be considered very infra dig in wildlife photography.

[Urbanflyer]

Indeed it is, but it would be considered very infra dig in wildlife photography.

I understand that--in competitions--but outside of those venues? Still a big sin? (I generally don't do wildlife)

[Manfred M]

I understand that--in competitions--but outside of those venues? Still a big sin? (I generally don't do wildlife)

No just in competitions, but this is generally true in any quality image turned out by wildlife photographers.

Images that do well in competitions do so because they are good images.

What is the problem with the overlap? Simply because it connects two unconnected subjects rather awkwardly. If you get a mother bird with her chicks all around her and right her, then the image can be quite strong, even when there is overlap. Not all overlap is bad.

Let's look at a quick mock-up of separated birds...

[purplehaze]

For me, I like the challenge of getting it right in camera. I am getting practised enough with some kinds of action photography to anticipate and wait for the right moment. More often than not, I am a fraction of a second or more too slow, but I am getting better. I am not against manipulation per se, but how much more satisfying to witness and capture a scene like this: https://www.charliewaite.com/gallery...ew-photography. Which scene was not in fact inevitable.

To get back to the issue of colour cast, though; is it always to be eliminated? The bit of cast in the second image, for example?

[Manfred M]

For me, I like the challenge of getting it right in camera.

I totally agree. The closer you can get in camera, the better the image tends to be in the end.

I am getting practised enough with some kinds of action photography to anticipate and wait for the right moment.

More often than not, I am a fraction of a second or more too slow, but I am getting better.[/QUOTE]

If you speak to any of the top bird photographers (or for that matter anyone who shoots action images), they always shoot in burst mode in order to get several images to work with. In their experience is that if you wait for the right moment, chances are you will be late and will have missed the moment.

I am not against manipulation per se, but how much more satisfying to witness and capture a scene like this: https://www.charliewaite.com/gallery...ew-photography. Which scene was not in fact inevitable.

Any honest bird or wildlife photographer will tell you that getting the perfect shot takes a combination of perseverance, practice and most of all pure luck. Unless you are at the right place at the right time you won't be able to get the shot. I know a number of excellent bird photographers and they will stay in one spot for hours on end anticipating and waiting for that perfect shot. Often they walk away empty-handed but every so often their perseverance pays off.

To get back to the issue of colour cast, though; is it always to be eliminated? The bit of cast in the second image, for example?

That is up to the photographer to decide. If it enhances the image, then it should stay. If it adds an unnecessary distraction it should go. If you can't decide, try it to see if you like it. When I do my retouching, I will head in a certain direction and will try things. If it works for me, I keep on going but if it doesn't I go back and try something else.

Creativity is highly iterative. We can never get to the final answer in one go. That takes time. I have literally come back to an image years later, looked at it and figured out what it needs. Most of the images I have posted here are the result of me experimenting with them over at least one or two days.

PS - the only reason I separated the birds is to give the viewers and idea of what that might look like versus the overlap. Again, it's part of the approach I have suggested of trying things to see what works and doesn't work for you.

[purplehaze]

Burst tends to be my default mode when I am shooting handheld. What doesn't always occur to me is to depress the shutter before the moment I am waiting for. I will have to practise that.

I don't mind that you demonstrated the separation. I appreciate what you say about the iterative nature of creativity and that is certainly my experience. What is frustrating to me is how often I cannot decide whether a change results in an improvement or just a difference. I spend an awful lot of time hesitating between such iterations. That is when I know I have to turn the page and walk away for a while. If there is a "right" choice between the two, it usually hits me instantly the next time I look. But only if.