A snap I took recently C&C please.

[pbsaxman]

Would appreciate some feedback on this shot I took at Thorpe Perrow. I have tweaked it a little but only a crop and unsharp mask (maybe a little too much??)

Any feedback would be welcome as having viewed GC's stuff I feel inspired at the mo!!

Its also the first pic I've posted in over two years so be gentle (but honest I do want to learn!!)

[jimmy156]

In my opinion, you have captured the subject really well, nicely captured, the bird is totally sharp and its in an interesting position. However the overall photo is let down by a busy, distracting background. I understand this might have been hard to avoid in a hawk sanctuary/zoo. (I also agree that perhaps a little too much unsharp mask is noticeable around the birds eyes and beak)

[AOK]

pbsaxman said:

Would appreciate some feedback on this shot I took at Thorpe Perrow. I have tweaked it a little but only a crop and unsharp mask (maybe a little too much??)

Any feedback would be welcome as having viewed GC's stuff I feel inspired at the mo!!

Its also the first pic I've posted in over two years so be gentle (but honest I do want to learn!!)

I like the composition and the energy

As said already, its hard to get a good background at a wildlife park/sanctuary.. but, if you don't mind cutting up photos, stuff like that bucket and even the signs are quite easy to remove. But it depends what your views are on originality!

As for the blur, somehow it does not quite look like real bokeh. Any chance seeing the original pic out of interest? Was the background not at all blurry?

Edited by AOK on Thursday 12th August 19:00

[pbsaxman]

As requested here is the original. The background was quite blurred as you can see. I did think about decluttering the image but wasn't sure if my photoshop skills were up to doing it without ruining the snap

If I hadn't mentioned the unsharp mask would it have been obvious anyway??
Thanks for the comments so far though, very helpful.

[Simpo Two]

pbsaxman said:

If I hadn't mentioned the unsharp mask would it have been obvious anyway??

First thing I saw, just before the cluttered b/g

[dibbly dobbler]

Simpo Two said:

pbsaxman said:

If I hadn't mentioned the unsharp mask would it have been obvious anyway??

First thing I saw, just before the cluttered b/g

To be fair though Simpo you are a photo god and notice these things - I wouldn't have

[pbsaxman]

dibbly dobbler said:

Simpo Two said:

pbsaxman said:

If I hadn't mentioned the unsharp mask would it have been obvious anyway??

First thing I saw, just before the cluttered b/g

To be fair though Simpo you are a photo god and notice these things - I wouldn't have

Fair comment though. Its useful for me so I can learn to make it slightly less and therefore less obvious, hopefully! As to the background I was stuck with my location as once the show starts you aren't allowed to move and until it started I didn't know where the action was going to be. Bit of a bu**er really when one's ability to declutter is based on trial and error!! Bit like the unsharp mask really

[rottie102]

pbsaxman said:

Bit of a bu**er really when one's ability to declutter is based on trial and error!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH0aEp1oDOI

Edited by rottie102 on Thursday 12th August 22:42

[AOK]

rottie102 said:

pbsaxman said:

Bit of a bu**er really when one's ability to declutter is based on trial and error!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH0aEp1oDOI

Edited by rottie102 on Thursday 12th August 22:42

meh.. some weeks ago i went through the trouble of downloading cs5 just for the content-aware spot heal function (wasn't present on CS4 and would be invaluable for the motion-rig photography I do).. but then when I gave it a go I found that it really isn't as clever as this example made it out to be

I've already uninstalled it, but maybe it would be interesting to see how content-aware would deal with the bucket and signs in the OP's picture?

[rottie102]

5 sec with CS5 and content aware fill. I didn't play with the edges etc.

Of course it's not flawless, but it did save me a lot of time with many photos.

Edited by rottie102 on Thursday 12th August 23:53

[AOK]

rottie102 said:

5 sec with CS5 and content aware fill. I didn't play with the edges etc.

Of course it's not flawless, but it did save me a lot of time with many photos.

Edited by rottie102 on Thursday 12th August 23:53

ey thats not half bad! I just found that whenever I'd apply it for anything which has an edge going through it, it would simply guess wrong and make a mess of it. Out of curiosity, did you attempt the bucket? You're right though, if thats the result it gives for cloning a localised area like that, I'm sure it saves lots of time in the long run!

[Big_Dog]

Just wondered, what does it look like if you move your crop to leave the hand/glove in frame whilst still leaving the rest softened. The hand/glove helps detract from the clutter behind.

[rottie102]

AOK said:

rottie102 said:

Out of curiosity, did you attempt the bucket?

??

[AOK]

did you attempt removing the bucket (on the floor, next to the chair) using content aware spot heal? Because my feeling is it would struuggle

[rottie102]

AOK said:

did you attempt removing the bucket (on the floor, next to the chair) using content aware spot heal? Because my feeling is it would struuggle

Another few seconds later...

[Major Bloodnok]

Simpo Two said:

pbsaxman said:

If I hadn't mentioned the unsharp mask would it have been obvious anyway??

First thing I saw, just before the cluttered b/g

The head and leading edge of the left wing are particularly affected. I might have put it down to compression artefacts, but over-use of unsharp mask works...

[pbsaxman]

rottie102 said:

AOK said:

did you attempt removing the bucket (on the floor, next to the chair) using content aware spot heal? Because my feeling is it would struuggle

Another few seconds later...

That really improves the shot

Mind you shame I've only got Elements 7 and CS anything is but a dream

So to recap what I've learned so far

Don't overuse unsharp mask
Decluttering the background IS important even if it takes ages.
Never retire so you can afford CS
Try alternative crops to include various aspects of the original.

Thanks guys, very helpful.
I'll go away and try harder

[Simpo Two]

pbsaxman said:

So to recap what I've learned so far

Don't overuse unsharp mask
Decluttering the background IS important even if it takes ages.

I think you did very well in the circumstances - as you were in a fixed position the background was mostly luck and the subject was difficult. But the sharpening was down to you - Unsharp Mask is infinitely adjustable - if Elements has a preview facility you can slide the slidy things and see the effect. When things start getting lines round them you've gone too far.

(BTW I'm not a photogod, merely a fussy git )

[pbsaxman]

Simpo Two said:

pbsaxman said:

So to recap what I've learned so far

Don't overuse unsharp mask
Decluttering the background IS important even if it takes ages.

I think you did very well in the circumstances - as you were in a fixed position the background was mostly luck and the subject was difficult. But the sharpening was down to you - Unsharp Mask is infinitely adjustable - if Elements has a preview facility you can slide the slidy things and see the effect. When things start getting lines round them you've gone too far.

(BTW I'm not a photogod, merely a fussy git )

It was a first effort with the unsharp mask and I did find it difficult to decide when I had got it just right so thats a good tip ta. Overall I must confess to having been quite pleased with the image but as I said at the beginning the aim is to improve so all the comments are gratefully received.

[Major Bloodnok]

Some useful articles here, including a six-part series on sharpening. It's Photoshop-based, so there'll be a lot you can't do with Elements (but, equally, quite a bit that you can), but he does go into the theory and practice of different methods in some detail, so may be useful.