Duck! A wonderful wild bird needs more space to fly! Can you tackle this?

I just managed to keep up with this one. Taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 100-300 f/4 EX DG.

Hi Steve,
Very well done! I like the way the sharpness of the bird plays to the blur of the wings. It gives a real sense of motion.
I'm not sure this is good advice (I still stink at editing) but would it help to lighten the wing tips just a bit? Maybe bring them out from the background a little more?

Thanks for the feedback and suggestion John. Here's the image brightened up 1/3 stop which I think helps to separate the duck from the background.

Nice capture Steve. Ducks are fast!! You did very well here, and I agree that the combination of sharpness in the eye combined with just the right amount of blur in the wings create a great sense of action.

The second version does achieve greater separation from the background, although some of the areas on the breast and wings look a bit "hot" with some loss of detail and texture. Perhaps some selective editing, or use of shadows/highlights tool could give you the best of both worlds.

I also notice you cropped out the somewhat distracting foreground in the second shot, and I think this is a good choice. This does bring the feet and tail close to the bottom edge of the frame, although you I think you have enough space that it's not a problem. Another option to consider (for example if you were going to make a print), would be to clone out that area, rather than cropping it. It would take some time to do well, but it would keep the space and remove the distration.

But all in all, an excellent image.

Good comments Don.
I'm inclined to think that cropping tight on the duck's feet rather than trying to clone in the space is a preferrable option.
A correspondingly close crop at ( just above) wing height should balance it nicely and all interest is there in a smooth long sweep matching the fast gettaway of the wide eyed duck.

Don Cohen said:

Nice capture Steve. Ducks are fast!! You did very well here, and I agree that the combination of sharpness in the eye combined with just the right amount of blur in the wings create a great sense of action.

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I agree, except domestic varieties when they are fed too much and waddle on the beach! I love this picture. The colors are wonderful and the beauty of the birds sailing into the air is so special. The extra red of the background is perfect. The birds feathers need to be kept dark as they were originally but maybe increase the contrast. The lightened version doesn't look too natural. Never rob nature of browns, gold or sienna!

Don Cohen said:

The second version does achieve greater separation from the background, although some of the areas on the breast and wings look a bit "hot" with some loss of detail and texture. Perhaps some selective editing, or use of shadows/highlights tool could give you the best of both worlds.

Click to expand...

I'd go for just the curve tool and some slight dodge and burn as well as minimal sharpening.

Don Cohen said:

I also notice you cropped out the somewhat distracting foreground in the second shot, and I think this is a good choice. This does bring the feet and tail close to the bottom edge of the frame, although you I think you have enough space that it's not a problem. Another option to consider (for example if you were going to make a print), would be to clone out that area, rather than cropping it. It would take some time to do well, but it would keep the space and remove the distration.

Click to expand...

When we have such a lovely image, why take a shortcut that sacrifices the milieu needed for the picture to be really alive with the special world of this creature? After all, is it the bagging of the bird as a picture trophy that counts? I'd argue persuasively that the true value of the photograph is in allowing us to also see the bird you were fortunate to enjoy in a fleeting few seconds?

It serves no purpose but to degrade the image. Either add in the needed foliage or else pay $5-12 to have a retoucher do it overnight! We think nothing of using a software program or .atn action that someone else devised. nor many folk get to take such a picture. This is perhaps a picture that's worth the extra effort!

Asher

John, Don, Andy, and Asher' thanks for your comments and suggestions. Here is another version of post processing. I've increased the contrast and reduced the exposure a little. I think it still helps to separate the duck from the background and restores some of the lost detail.

Steve,
I think it looks great...now, not to drive you crazy, I'd think the crop on the original was better. The bird seemed to be flying "into" the frame and you had a better sense of motion. What do you think?

Steve Robinson said:

I just managed to keep up with this one. Taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 100-300 f/4 EX DG.

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This wild duck is alive and flying into the frame as has been pointed out. Such a bird really deserves a milieux. But then what about the distracting lower edge?

So. with Steve's consent, here's the major challenge: either clone or create that missing space with the matching foliage or else place the duck in an ecologically correct background with ideal positioning for importance and allowing the bird to really fly!

Who is up to this?

We can go beyond what is to what might, could, should be. The camera alone cannot always do this for us! Let's get this bird flying free!

Asher

With all due respect to an already fine image, I took up Asher's challenge.
The duck flies free!

There you are, John, now you have yet another job, retoucher, LOL! look what a difference this makes. How long did it take?

BTW, I think the whole picture could be increased to give the lady? more room to fly into.

Asher

Yikes, you'd never want to hire me as a retoucher! This was done in about 15 minutes on PS using the hand-grenade approach. Divided the bottom section into 4 or 5 "zones" in my head and simply copied strips directly above the white onto separate layers, flipped the layers so the grass lined up and smoothed everything out with the brush tool on layer masks.

I have to go walk the dogs, you take care of stretching the left side, ok?

John Angulat said:

Yikes, you'd never want to hire me as a retoucher! This was done in about 15 minutes on PS using the hand-grenade approach. Divided the bottom section into 4 or 5 "zones" in my head and simply copied strips directly above the white onto separate layers, flipped the layers so the grass lined up and smoothed everything out with the brush tool on layer masks.

I have to go walk the dogs, you take care of stretching the left side, ok?

Click to expand...

Well, I added a little more space for her and some minor finessing. Should have added a motion blur! So there's one more step. Or, of course we could just replace the entire background?




© Steve Robinson 2009 "Wild Duck in flight"

Wow John and Asher, more technique to learn. This is a much better comp with more room for her to fly in. Maybe you guys would like the full image to work with?

Yes, that would be great and I'd make this a challenge. We would replace the background and see how far we could go. We need a new heading, "Recomposition Challenge" in which folk would try to bring out more of the qualities and potential of the bird. After all a Dvorjak concerto can be played in Stockholm, Sao Paulo or Durban, so why not your bird in different scenes?

My idea is simply contrary to the work of nicolas who looks, captures, makes the color accurate, checks contrast and dust spots and it goes to the printer. I see the image file as only the train ticket and not the destination.

Use yousendit.com to send yourself the RAW file and then send me the URL. Meanwhile, I'll have Sean Demerchant create the prefix, "Recomposition Challenge"

Asher

Okay guys, here is the full image and I've resized it to, I hope, make it easier to retouch.