Help Me Choose

[Khaos]

Which one? Original, first crop, or second crop. Thanks for looking.



Original

http://khaos.smugmug.com/photos/18933492-L.jpg (http://khaos.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=18933492)



1st Crop

http://khaos.smugmug.com/photos/18933494-L.jpg



2nd Crop

http://khaos.smugmug.com/photos/18933489-L.jpg

[JamesJWeg]

Original for me.

James.

[behr655]

I like the original and the 2nd crop. The 1st crop is just too much "in your face".

Bear

[Lucky Hack]

I like the original and the 2nd crop. The 1st crop is just too much "in your face".

Bear

I've got to agree with Bear on this one, in the first crop there is too much subject and not enough background to frame it. The original and the 2nd are both good.

hoping this helps -Ian

[ehughes]

I like the 2nd crop. Nice detail :thumb

Ed

[bfjr]

2nd :thumb

[rutt]

2nd crop. But needs a deeper shadow. Try taking to lab and moving the shadow endpoint of the L curve inward just until you start to lose shadow detail (might not be much). Then move highlight endpoint inward until it seems not too dark. This will also increase feather detail. Do this before sharpening.

[Khaos]

2nd crop per Rutt's excellent suggestion.

I didn't yet, but I will probably use noise ninja on the background only.

http://khaos.smugmug.com/photos/19024929-L.jpg

[rutt]

2nd crop per Rutt's excellent suggestion.

I didn't yet, but I will probably use noise ninja on the background only.



Noise in the background works for me, actually. I'd leave it alone. Because of the feathers and soft focus on the beak this is going to be a difficult selection to make well. You are more likely to make it look unnatural than anything.

[pathfinder]

Noise in the background works for me, actually. I'd leave it alone. Because of the feathers and soft focus on the beak this is going to be a difficult selection to make well. You are more likely to make it look unnatural than anything. Color select, contiguous, perhaps? Might work.