Improvement?

Chris_Johnstone · #1 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 04:29 PM

Hey guys and gals.

Been taking a lot of shots of swans and mallards down at the harbour recently. What can I do to improve this image in the field or digitally?

I dunno how you put photos in the actual post...

Chris

glsammy · #2 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 04:39 PM

I've had a little go at it:

The image white at the top left of the bird is slightly blown, i.e. you should have applied a little more negative exposure control, i.e. increase the shutter speed.
I've adjusted the shadows/highlights to remove most of the blown bits, then applied some mild sharpening using unsharp mask in photoshop.

You can of course go as far as your imagination lets you, how about completely changing the background?

The possibilities are endless!

matt_xyz · #3 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 06:59 PM

Hi Chris,

The image is slightly soft, either a tripod or a faster shutter speed would help that (assuming there was no focusing problem). The other problem is the burned out highlights, as Graham has mentioned. It can be very tricky exposing white feathers correctly, especially when some are in sunlight and others in shade. It would have helped to have stopped down a touch (i.e. a faster shutter speed or smaller aperture) and also to have checked the histogram on your camera. You don't want any part of the histogram touching the right hand side. If you take a shot and you see the histogram has disappeared off the right hand side, then stop down and take another. Apols if I'm telling you things you already know.

As Graham has shown, the softness of the image can be improved using Unsharp Mask and the exposure can also be adjusted somewhat. It's practically impossible to correct burnt out highlights though.

Matt

HowlinWolf · #4 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 08:16 PM

Sorry, but I'm having a bit of grief at the moment re-posting your image. Please ignore.

HW

HowlinWolf · #5 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 08:47 PM

This is my version of the image, Chris. Firstly, I cropped the image so that the Swan is looking into the frame. Then I adjusted levels in Photoshop before cloning out all the distracting out-of-focus highlights. After giving it some unsharp mask, I finished it off with a 2 pixel keyline border. That's all.

HW

Chris_Johnstone · #6 (**permalink**) 24-02-2007, 10:51 PM

Hey,

Graham, I gave to say I like the first image more than the second. The second is too cool and I don't really like the halo of the darker colour around the head (as appears on my screen). I agree with the sharpening though.

The image you were editing was the original,

This was my attempt...

Thanks for the criticisms.

Chris

glsammy · #7 (**permalink**) 25-02-2007, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_Johnstone

Hey,

Graham, I gave to say I like the first image more than the second. The second is too cool and I don't really like the halo of the darker colour around the head (as appears on my screen). I agree with the sharpening though.

The image you were editing was the original,

This was my attempt...

Thanks for the criticisms.

Chris

I agree, it was only a quick mask and adjust levels for the background.

The Halo effect wasn't ideal was it!