image doctor
Image Doctor: Maroubra Seagull
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Photographer: Judd Findlay Added: 24-Jun-12 Camera Type: Nikon D80 Lens: Sigma 70-300mm Shutter Speed: 1/1000 Aperture: 5.6 |
Adjustments: I used Adobe Photoshop cs2, The adjustments I made to the image was, a desaturation of all colours except red, I cropped in then tweaked the contrast and shadows to even out as much of the overall Image as I could. Photographer's Comments: I have never been able to make any photos I've taken of birds look interesting. I was sitting down at Maroubra beach tracking a group of seagulls and playing with different settings on my camera and trying new things and I came up with this photo, which I like, however I feel as though something is missing. |
Image doctor's advice
Hi Judd,
Colour can have a strong impact on a photograph. Some colours, like warm orange can embrace us into a photograph while other colours can distance us. Then there are those colours that are just plainly unattractive.
I enjoy the moment with this gull, just how it is effortlessly sitting in the sky looking for its next meal. What I dislike though, is the dirty grey-green colour of the sea in the background.
One other thought that I have with this image too is that you have lost any detail in the gulls head.
To remedy this situation I have called the image into Nic Software’s HDR Efex Pro software and added an effect called Night on Earth (#14). The filter has the effect of adding some more colour and contrast into the sea while at the same time darkening the gull’s head.
In the same effect I have also added a vignette to keep the corners dark.
I am happy with this new image. And all we had to do to it was adjust the tones. Simple!
If you have photographed this image in RAW then chances are you can go back to the original file and recreate a similar look.
Cheers,
Anthony.
Image Doctor's edited version
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Your edit looks over done.The gull now looks like you photoshopped it in.The background is now noisy and messy.Sometimes things are better left alone.
lindsay carroll on 16-Oct-12 01:03 AM
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