Red Shouldered Hawk for Criticism

[Ferguson]

First time. Looking for insight on post processing. The light wasn't ideal, and I know the tail is a bit out of focus, but mostly I am wondering how appropriately it has been post processed.

http://LinwoodFerguson.smugmug.com/photos/237298415-L.jpg

More detailed versions here in Smugmug:

http://linwoodferguson.smugmug.com/gallery/2302503/1/237298415#237298415

Interesting term -- whipping post. Let's see how it goes. :huh

Editing to add, in case customary: taken yesterday in Corkscrew Sancturary, Florida (near Naples), 200-400 @ 400, f4.5, 1/500th, ISO200 with D300.

[DavidTO]

Ferguson,

I moved this post to Finishing School where you'll get better input about the processing. The Whipping Post is intended for critique of what you consider to be your best, portfolio images. Since this is not one of your best images (by your statement), and you're looking for processing tips, I've moved it. :thumb

[Duffy Pratt]

In judging how well you processed a picture, it can be a great help to see the original.

On this picture, my main objection is that the eye and head are so dark, and relatively lacking in detail. Without seeing the original, I don't have a clear idea what can be done about that.

Duffy

[Ferguson]

In judging how well you processed a picture, it can be a great help to see the original.

On this picture, my main objection is that the eye and head are so dark, and relatively lacking in detail. Without seeing the original, I don't have a clear idea what can be done about that.

Duffy

Certainly. Here is one same size embedded, and here is a pointer to the smugmug directory. For this "original" I loaded in ACR set to defaults, and saved as JPG/sRGB.

I agree the head is too dark, I just felt as I lighted it further it was picking up artifacts. Maybe I should be less tentative? Just crank up the Shadow in CS3?


http://linwoodferguson.smugmug.com/gallery/2290161#237719950


http://LinwoodFerguson.smugmug.com/photos/237719950-L.jpg

[Duffy Pratt]

OK, I did this to see what could be done with the head and the eye. I took your original from Smugmug, and I applied a false profile to it with 1.4 gamma. This lightens up the shadows a bunch without messing up the highlights too much.

Then a quick switch to LAB for curves, steepening the whole thing in the bird. Then I applied a shadow/highlight adjustment to lighten the eye itself and to darken the sky. Then a smart sharpen, crop, and save.

The branch in this is way too yellow, and I would do something about that if I was going to make a full version. I might go back and redo the curves in RGB first, or I might try to isolate the branch with a mask or with blend if sliders, if possible.

As far as I can see, the branch is mostly just a detail. The important thing here, for me at least, is that with a false profile, curves, and a shadow/highlight adjustment, you can do pretty good stuff with the head of the bird.

[jfriend]

OK, I did this to see what could be done with the head and the eye. I took your original from Smugmug, and I applied a false profile to it with 1.4 gamma. This lightens up the shadows a bunch without messing up the highlights too much.

Then a quick switch to LAB for curves, steepening the whole thing in the bird. Then I applied a shadow/highlight adjustment to lighten the eye itself and to darken the sky. Then a smart sharpen, crop, and save.

The branch in this is way too yellow, and I would do something about that if I was going to make a full version. I might go back and redo the curves in RGB first, or I might try to isolate the branch with a mask or with blend if sliders, if possible.

As far as I can see, the branch is mostly just a detail. The important thing here, for me at least, is that with a false profile, curves, and a shadow/highlight adjustment, you can do pretty good stuff with the head of the bird.

I like what happened to the head, but the feathers on the bird's back seem to have completely lost their detail and color. Were you just trying to show the head or were you intending for this to be a full retouch?

[Duffy Pratt]

I was basically only looking at the head. With this one, I was less harsh on the curves, and I applied USM instead of Smart Sharpen. I think this is better on the branch color, is better on the feather detail (you were right on that), the head is lighter now, but not as extreme as the first version.

Duffy

[jjbong]

Here's my take:

http://jjbong.smugmug.com/photos/237795645-M.jpg

This was rather difficult, as the head is dark (as others have pointed out), but the lower left part of the bird is nearly blown out.

I fixed both of these using two layers, one in multiply mode and one in screen mode. I used luminosity mask (and inverted luminosity mask) to limit the effects in each case.

Then I went into LAB. I used an L curve to put contrast into the bird. I noticed that there was some interesting detail in the B channel. So I duplicated a layer in Luminosity mode, and applied the B channel to the L channel in overlay mode. Then I sharpened through a K mask.

[Ferguson]

Thanks. I'm apparently a novice at some aspects of CS3. I need to spend some time with these comments to make sure I understand.

More later.