Kookaburra

[Camellia]

How's this one?



Thanks

R

[jiro]

Very nice, Raylee. Your lens is good! Lots of detail on the feathers. A bit tight on the crop but still very nice. Good work!

[maloufn]

How's this one?



Thanks

Raylee. Nice capture. Good detail. I would try and blur the background even more with the blur tool in PS CS4 to isolate the Kooky. Good shooting.
Nasseem

[jeeperman]

Nice shot Raylee. I agree the crop is a bit tight and the background could use a little blurring but what a nice sharp shot of the Kookaburra. I would be proud to have taken it.

[Donald]

So THAT'S what a Kookaburra looks like!

You're getting all this sort of stuff so sharp.

[Camellia]

Thanks everyone.

I've tried again with the crop but now I'm really not happy with the background. I used the blur tool but it's still too busy. Anyway, here's version 2.



Donald - my secret is that I don't even touch the ones that look soft when enlarged - they go in the rejected pile. Maybe I'm being too harsh, I'm not sure.

R

[Katy Noelle]

Raylee, these are really, really gorgeous! (I mean, not only this, but, all of your birds!) They are sharp! The feathers are wonderful - like I could reach out and touch them. Are these all taken with you new lens, then?

Just my personal observation with no opinion of what's "right or wrong" (Pops doesn't like us using those words)....

I agree about the crop being tight in the first one but I did focus on the bird, more, with that one. The second one - I like the background. Like another photo that I've seen around here recently, it looks like an Audubon print - in it's habitat-type of thing. In other words, the pattern of the branches seems so artistic, to me but, now, I do wish the bird was popping out more. Thing is, I don't know what I'm talking about. so, something or other like that...

(It looks like a Eucalyptus tree? It's been a loooooong time since I've seen or smelt one!)

[Poider]

I got this one yesterday at the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide



Peter

[djg05478]

How's this one?



Thanks

R

Delightful Feathers nice and sharp. Yeah, if the background were a little blurrier it would highlight the bird more, but luckily the bird has a fair amount of 'white' color setting it apart from the background and you got the head and eye so sharp, that draws my eye into the bird.

[jiro]

...I've tried again with the crop but now I'm really not happy with the background. I used the blur tool but it's still too busy.
R

How about this, Raylee?

[Dave Humphries]

Donald - my secret is that I don't even touch the ones that look soft when enlarged - they go in the rejected pile. Maybe I'm being too harsh, I'm not sure.

Nope, very wise.

Willie's edit is a great version of a good capture.

Cheers,

[Camellia]

Thanks Willie - now what's your secret please? Did you apply a gaussian blur? I was only using the blur tool.

R

[jiro]

Thanks Willie - now what's your secret please? Did you apply a gaussian blur? I was only using the blur tool.

R

Yes, mam.

[maloufn]

Raylee,

Now that is the shot. Jiro that has made it. Thanks for explaining the use of Gaussian blur which I have never tried yet.

Nasseem

[maloufn]

Yes, mam.

Jiro would you be kind enough to explain step by step how you applied Gaussian Blur in PS to the
background for those of us who have not used it before. That would be great.
May I also take the opportunity to thank you for your beautiful images and your generosity helping us
startups. It is much appreciated.

Nasseem

[jiro]

Jiro would you be kind enough to explain step by step how you applied Gaussian Blur in PS to the
background for those of us who have not used it before. That would be great.
May I also take the opportunity to thank you for your beautiful images and your generosity helping us
startups. It is much appreciated.

Nasseem

The sequence is not that complicated, Doc.

1. Normally, I start by trying to "isolate" the element that should be in the foreground. This one is typically the main subject. You then have to extract this image in the frame by using the QUICK SELECTION TOOL inside photoshop. (this is the 4th tool from the top on the tools palette). Once you have selected the main element for the foreground, put this on a new layer by pressing CTRL+J. You can label this foreground if you want. Now, you have to layers; The background layer (that has all the elements from the original image) and the main subject.

2. You can make a copy of the background layer so that if you make a mistake you can always go back to the original one. So, make a copy of the background layer. This layer is the one that we will blur. We will name this one gaussian blur layer. The foreground layer should be on the top most location on the layers pallette.

3. Select the gaussian blur layer and apply gaussian blur. What I do to determine the blur value that I will use for the gaussian blur is to imitate the type of lens that I am imagining. If it is a wildlife shot, normally they use a telephoto lens like a 300mm f5.6. So, my setting for the gaussian blur would probably start at 4.5 to 5.5 . This is not a rule, just an idea. If you want to imitate a macro shot, then definitely you will use a lot of gaussian blur to the background.

That's it. The only problem with this approach is tha "halo" effect when you combine the two layers. So, on the last edit you will use the clone tool to eliminate the halo on the edge of the foreground element. Usually this is the tedious part but it's worth it.

Hope this helps, Doc. Maybe Sean can make a small tutorial on this for us here at CiC.

[maloufn]

The sequence is not that complicated, Doc.

1. Normally, I start by trying to "isolate" the element that should be in the foreground. This one is typically the main subject. You then have to extract this image in the frame by using the QUICK SELECTION TOOL inside photoshop. (this is the 4th tool from the top on the tools palette). Once you have selected the main element for the foreground, put this on a new layer by pressing CTRL+J. You can label this foreground if you want. Now, you have to layers; The background layer (that has all the elements from the original image) and the main subject.

2. You can make a copy of the background layer so that if you make a mistake you can always go back to the original one. So, make a copy of the background layer. This layer is the one that we will blur. We will name this one gaussian blur layer. The foreground layer should be on the top most location on the layers pallette.

3. Select the gaussian blur layer and apply gaussian blur. What I do to determine the blur value that I will use for the gaussian blur is to imitate the type of lens that I am imagining. If it is a wildlife shot, normally they use a telephoto lens like a 300mm f5.6. So, my setting for the gaussian blur would probably start at 4.5 to 5.5 . This is not a rule, just an idea. If you want to imitate a macro shot, then definitely you will use a lot of gaussian blur to the background.

That's it. The only problem with this approach is tha "halo" effect when you combine the two layers. So, on the last edit you will use the clone tool to eliminate the halo on the edge of the foreground element. Usually this is the tedious part but it's worth it.

Hope this helps, Doc. Maybe Sean can make a small tutorial on this for us here at CiC.

Thank you Jiro. A tutorial would be very helpful for our members. Keep those lovely pictures coming in.

Nasseem

[jiro]

Thank you Jiro. A tutorial would be very helpful for our members. Keep those lovely pictures coming in.

Nasseem

I'll see what I can do regarding the actual tutorial.

[pwnage101]

How's this one?



Thanks

R

WOW I really like this one! The masked blur in the last version makes it look too fake for my taste, and the wide crop version draws too much detail to the background. I think if you made it warmer and brighter in PP it would be perfect. Allow me....



I see the lens used was: EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS. I would like to see this shot at f5.6

[Camellia]

Thanks Troy. I think I do tend to err on the side of being too cool in my WB.

I think this has been a very worthwhile learning experience. Thanks everyone!

R