Motif: White Pelican with Pink Bill (?)


Posted by Heather Forcier on Tue Oct 21, 2003 11:02 am

All times are UTC-05:00

Reply to topic  
 First unread post  | 22 posts | 
Image
© Heather Forcier, all rights reserved

White Pelican
Gulf Coast – Texas


Texas was my first real outing with Canon equipment, and I found the transition to go fairly smoothly. We came across a small group of White Pelicans one afternoon and with the high key water and heavily overcast skies it was challenging to me to get the right exposure. The levels have been adjusted in PhotoShop, but the soft lighting is still very evident. I am still a little unhappy with how this has turned out, reposts of this image with the steps of what you did in Photoshop welcomed. I would love to see this taken to a level that I cannot take it to myself, if it's possible with this image.

I found this particular photo rather interesting because of the pink bill and the turned head. I am curious about the pink bill, is this a juvenile bird?

Digital capture with Canon 1D
Canon 500 f/4 with 1.4x teleconverter
Exposure manually set at 1/500, f/10
ISO 250
Flash with Better Beamer -.7
Tripod, Wimberley Sidekick

Image comments/critiques appreciated!
[b]NatureScapes.Net Site Co-Founder
[url=http://www.hforcier.com/][u]Website[/u][/url] | [url=http://www.500px.com/heatherforcier/photos][u]500px Gallery[/u][/url] | [url=https://plus.google.com/117191412635501853092/][u]Google+[/u][/url][/b]

User avatar
Posted by:
Heather Forcier
Site Co-Founder
Location: Vermont
Member #:00003
Posts: 8188
Joined: 17 Aug 2003

   

by Lillian Roberts on Tue Oct 21, 2003 11:09 am
User avatar
Lillian Roberts
Forum Contributor
Posts: 725
Joined: 26 Aug 2003
Location: Palm Springs, CA
Heather,

You won't get any technical help from me, sorry, but I love the composition here, and the lighting works OK. The image looks slightly soft overall to me, and possible just a tiny bit tilted to the right.
Lillian Roberts
NSN Member #130
 

by AlexC on Tue Oct 21, 2003 11:19 am
User avatar
AlexC
Forum Contributor
Posts: 5948
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Member #:00024
Heather, Looks to me like a young bird, Not being a bird expert I suspect this much!!, The image is very nice and with great exposure, For my taste I would only darken the mid-tones(levels) to bring out the shadows just a tad, a few passes of USM could not hurt either!!, Still I like the pose and the brand new bill!!, Congrats!!! 8)
[b]Alex Calzadilla[/b]
[b]Miami, Florida[/b]
[b]NSN-0024[/b]
"At the feast of ego everyone leaves hungry." - Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea, Tucson, AZ
 

by Dennis Olivero on Tue Oct 21, 2003 11:40 am
User avatar
Dennis Olivero
Lifetime Member
Posts: 7342
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Member #:00020
Love that light for swans and white pelis.. Lovely turn of the head. Nice going HF!
[b]Dennis Olivero[/b]
[url=http://www.northernlightnaturephotography.com][b]Northern Light Nature Photography[/b][/url]
NSN 20
 

by Sandy Mossberg on Tue Oct 21, 2003 11:45 am
User avatar
Sandy Mossberg
Lifetime Member
Posts: 5802
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Boynton Beach, FL USA
Image
Heather, maybe something like this. I changed it in curves. You may not like it this dark. Wish I had more time right now.
Sandy Mossberg
Boynton Beach, Florida, USA
[url=http://www.sandymossberg.com][b]SandyMossberg.com[/b][/url]
NSN 0015
 

by E.J. Peiker on Tue Oct 21, 2003 12:28 pm
User avatar
E.J. Peiker
Senior Technical Editor
Posts: 86776
Joined: 16 Aug 2003
Location: Arizona
Member #:00002
I like it just the way you have it - it conveys the overcast conditions well and renders the Pelican in a very natural lighting way. I would change nothing.
 

by MoCa on Tue Oct 21, 2003 12:55 pm
User avatar
MoCa
Forum Contributor
Posts: 356
Joined: 27 Aug 2003
Location: Antwerp - Belgium
Image
Heather, I'm not saying that this is better, I like the pastel collors from your version, but this what I did:

Background copy
select the multiply option in the layers palette
use the slider tho set the opacity amount as you like, in this case 67%
Monique, I am packed and ready to go, I may not look like much but I am well behaved and can grow on you like a fungus, with no cure for it!!! 
________________ 
Alex Calzadilla 
 

by Laura Stiefel on Tue Oct 21, 2003 12:59 pm
User avatar
Laura Stiefel
Lifetime Member
Posts: 4184
Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Location: Northwest, Ohio
Member #:00229
Hi Heather! This is such a beautiful bird. I love the pink bill and the body position here. I remember your last White Pelican post as being drop dead gorgeous. :) This one is very, very nice. I've played around with it in PS a bit but don't necessarily think I've come up with anything better, just different.

I darkened the background, added a touch of saturation to the red and yellow channels, added a little bit of contrast, and applied a shot of Larry's Edge Sharpening. I have no idea what this bird looks like in person and am afraid to render it completely inaccurately! I appreciate the invitation to play with this shot as I find that is how I learn best! :)
Image
Laura Stiefel
[b]NSN 0229[/b]
 

by Bill Whala on Tue Oct 21, 2003 1:03 pm
User avatar
Bill Whala
Forum Contributor
Posts: 5979
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: Littleton, Colorado
Very nice pose. I like the detail that Sandy's version shows but I like the high-key look of the original post better overall.

Just my 2¢

------------------------------------------------------------------------

While I was typing a couple more versions showed up. They show what I was getting at. Very nice!!
Bill Whala

"Aves of similar plumage tend to converge with one another"
 

by Greg Downing on Tue Oct 21, 2003 1:19 pm
User avatar
Greg Downing
Publisher
Posts: 19318
Joined: 16 Aug 2003
Location: Maryland
Member #:00001
Just goes to show you how many ways you can process an image! I like the original the way it is but think that Laura's is also pretty sweet, though perhaps a bit over the top with the yellow saturation as well as a bit over-sharpened. How come I have never seen this one before? I would love to get a hold of the original and play with it in PS!
Greg Downing
Publisher, NatureScapes.Net
[url=http://www.gdphotography.com/]Visit my website for images, workshops and newsletters![/url]
 

by Alan Murphy on Tue Oct 21, 2003 1:30 pm
User avatar
Alan Murphy
Lifetime Member
Posts: 27330
Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Location: Houston, Texas
Member #:00014
Heather, your is great as is Lauras. Lauras is a little over saturated but I llike the sharpness. The only thing missing for me is a catchlight, that would give it the pop it needs.
Alan Murphy
NSN 0014
www.alanmurphyphotography.com
 

by Bill Keown on Tue Oct 21, 2003 2:23 pm
Bill Keown
Lifetime Member
Posts: 1157
Joined: 23 Aug 2003
Location: Minnetonka, MN
Member #:00140
Just my opinion and probably worth about 2 cents. I like your original. When I first saw it I thought of a nice pastel chalk painitng. Not that all of the reposts do not have merit as they all do. Amazing how many ways you can optimize an image.

Bill Keown
 

by Chas on Tue Oct 21, 2003 2:52 pm
Chas
Lifetime Member
Posts: 6891
Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Location: NC
Member #:00037
Image
Ok, I will bite-lol

1) Select > Color Range > Select -Highlight
Adjust selection via levels to desired density
Deslect

2) Click on the exact center in curves and go STRAIGHT down via the arrow on your keyboard to darken the midtones. And/or drag the left bottom corner toward the right along the bottom to increase shadow/black density

3) Increase saturation by five

4) You can also lighten the catch light in the eye if you wish, zoom in on the eye and use the brush tool set to one pixel. Light gray works better with this one than white.

5) Use the sharpen tool w/ Mode set to luminosity to selectively sharpen areas

6) Make sure you post as sRGB

Best,

Chas
Charles Glatzer M.Photog, Canon Explorer of Light, https://about.me/charlesglatzer
Check out www.shootthelight.com for info on workshops, seminars, appearances, etc.
NSN 0037

  
 

by Bruce DiVaccaro on Tue Oct 21, 2003 5:53 pm
User avatar
Bruce DiVaccaro
Forum Contributor
Posts: 18925
Joined: 27 Aug 2003
Location: Sheffield Village, Ohio
Heather,

The image was very nice to start with. I like the head turn and the bill position. You sure have received some excellent suggestions.
Bruce DiVaccaro
Sheffield Village, Ohio
NSN 135
 

by Jim Urbach on Tue Oct 21, 2003 7:44 pm
User avatar
Jim Urbach
Lifetime Member
Posts: 29711
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: Sanford, Florida
Member #:00049
Heather,

I like Chas' version the most. I don't understand why the catchlight is not stonger.

Jim
Enjoy viewing

Jim Urbach

http://www.jimurbach.smugmug.com


http://jimurbach.smugmug.com
 

by LHays on Tue Oct 21, 2003 8:46 pm
User avatar
LHays
Lifetime Member
Posts: 12363
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Location: Northern Kentucky
Member #:00040
Heather
It's certainly a great shot. There are things that I like about each version but perhaps also like Chas's the best.
Lana Hays
NSN 0040
[url]http://www.lanahays.com/[/url]
 

by Sheri Whala on Tue Oct 21, 2003 11:42 pm
Sheri Whala
Forum Contributor
Posts: 355
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: Littleton, CO - USA
Heather,

I agree with Lana. Very nice shot no matter which version!
Sheri Whala
Littleton, CO
NSN 0192
 

by Ken Cravillion on Wed Oct 22, 2003 12:33 am
User avatar
Ken Cravillion
Forum Contributor
Posts: 8534
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Location: Oshkosh!!!
Member #:00072
I like all of the versions. All good ina different way.
Ken Cravillion
 

by Harvey Edelman on Wed Oct 22, 2003 6:56 am
Harvey Edelman
Forum Contributor
Posts: 5863
Joined: 22 Aug 2003
Location: Florida
Gee...you have so many new versions to choose from :) . Could possibly use some color correction as the back is a little wan in color but a well framed and nicely done image.
Harvey Edelman
0145
http://www.harveyedelman.com
 

by Mike Wilson on Wed Oct 22, 2003 11:57 am
User avatar
Mike Wilson
Forum Contributor
Posts: 16364
Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Location: San Diego, CA
Nice straight on portrait. I like these shots that show the whole body with the head turned in profile.
Mike Wilson
San Diego, Ca
[url=http://www.naturescapes.net/membership.htm]NSN 0047[/url]
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by:  
22 posts | 

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group