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Post by Gord on May 4, 2011 22:38:15 GMT -8
Ive been meaning to contribute to this great area of the site hosted by Ken. Finally, I have something! Background can really make an image, but it's easy to overlook it when focusing on capturing and framing the subject. In this case of a very cooperative Golden-crowned Sparrow, a large piece of light coloured lichen on a tree branch (near the sparrow's tail) is rather distracting to the image. The obvious solution is to move a little bit and by 'checking my edges' I was able to detect and try to eliminate the distraction. This is easier said than done. Firstly, the subject might not like you moving around too much and move or fly away. Also, in nature photography there's always a branch, twig or leaf laying in wait to get in the way. In this case, I only needed to lower myself (slowly) about six inches and a few inches to the left to find that the distraction was not in the frame but the bird still was. I think it is a much better image even though the green patch below the bird is a little 'loud'. Im my own worst critic sometimes!
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Post by kenpossum on May 10, 2011 7:55:01 GMT -8
Excellent advice and examples Gord! A little care and attention before the shot can really pay off.
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Post by martin on May 14, 2011 22:24:29 GMT -8
Gord, excellent article on how to achieve THAT shot. Of course your subject does have to cooperate and stick around. If you are not so lucky and you absolutely need to remove something this can be done with a stamp or clone tool in post processing. This is of course erring on the side of cheating. Gord I hope you don't mind but I used your shot as the example. Leaves, twig and spot roughly and quickly removed, 5 Min's.
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Post by Gord on May 18, 2011 21:37:39 GMT -8
Martin, no problem at all on using my pic as an example. You did a very nice job there and without doubt it is an even much better image. Outside of cropping and resizing, I do very little to the photos I take mostly because I have no time to spend doing it.
I guess it depends on how one thinks of it when it comes to post editing in terms of 'cheating' or 'artistic enhancement'. Naturally, do what one can to make a good image in the field, but often it's impossible to capture a picture without at least some distraction or unwanted items in the frame. I say the focus is on the subject and if some tinkering is needed to enhance what is already a great shot of the subject, I see no harm. Otherwise, it will be very very hard to get a photo like the above as so much has to happen
-good light -cooperative subject -pleasing pose from said subject -focus -exposure
Birds love to be in or near cover so it is unrealistic to think one can get a photo without some of that cover 'in the way'. If the image is photoshopped, I still say the photographer should receive due credit for capturing the bird in a nice pose, properly exposed and focused. If the one in a thousand is captured without the need to remove branches or leaves (such as employing tactics as outlined in the original post here) then double credit for nice subject that is well framed as well can be extended.
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Post by kenpossum on Jun 16, 2011 7:36:08 GMT -8
I agree 100%. If you were a flower photographer, you would be taking great pains to be sure all distractions are removed from the composition BEFORE you shoot. Bird photographers do not have that luxury, and we are obliged to do the same type of editing after we shoot. I see no problem with this.
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