One wildlife shot - C&C Please

[ecnal]

I've had this a while. Worked on it on and off. Finally found it in a folder and finished it, I think. People I've asked either love it or think it's too 'over the top'.

C&C?

Also, please let me know, if you don't mind, of any photoshopping that's obvious. I'm not exactly a pro in PS, but I can get around. I don't use the most efficient methods of doing stuff, so needless to say I miss alot of stuff around edges of objects, etc.

Thanks!

 

[leighthal]

I like it. I don't think it is over the top for the "vibe" of the photo. What an interesting angle. It makes the photo. I also can't figure out what has been shopped...... so success! How did you get the shot from above? Were you hiding out in a tree? Invisibly hovering? LOL

 

[ecnal]

I wish I had a cool story behind it. It was at a zoo, I was on a bridge. :\

But yeah, I'll go with the hovering thing!

Here's the original from the camera:

You can see that there was a reflection at the bottom of the frame of a tree above me. I turned that, after color burning, into the reflection/shadow of the deer. It looked really confusing as is after burning, you couldn't tell what it was a reflection of.

I actually didn't even run this through Photomatix or anything. I just color burnt it, more or less. And alot of spot healing. I love the result.

 

[Missdaisy]

I love, love, love your final product. Of course it looks photoshopped but in a really cool way!

 

[Overread]

I Agree with the others - yes it looks processed, but the effect is certainly pleasing to my eye and I like the far more original angle that shooting from the bridge has let you get. Whilst looking up is often encouraged and desirable when shooting wildlife shooting from way above in this case has given a very different look and feel to the animal. I would have liked to see more of his antlers but other than that a sold bit of processing and shooting

Also - nominated: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/tpf-photo-month/180062-photo-month-october-09-nominations.html

 

[Missdaisy]

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/tpf-photo-month/180062-photo-month-october-09-nominations.html[/URL]

 

[Provo]

I like the photo just a smidge too blue but I agree it works great job

 

[citjet]

This one looks interresting with nice colors. You must have been quick with the camera exposure settings having an animal as your subject.

 

[CCarsonPhoto]

I like it much better than the original, however, I wouldn't mind seeing the colors lightened/brightened a bit. Just me though. Good job!

 

[Shutter_to_think]

Over the top!

LOL, I just got it

 

[Derrel]

Halfway in between the original and the final PS'd work would be about right. It's an interesting angle of view,and the buck in the last stages of velvet looks pretty cool. It is not an everyday kind of shot.

 

[Inst!nct]

im enjoying it, especially how at first you have to step back a little and kind of examine the photo to understand it all, so gj, how long did this take you to pp?

and for the future:

you had been camping in the wild after being dropped out of a plane for 3 days without food, before finally finishing off the deer, as you were ready to pounce, you took a quick snapshot, before killing it, where it was interrupted, as a helicopter came and saved you

better story?

 

[ecnal]

Thanks for the kind words!

It took me about 2 hours total of processing before I was happy with it. I'm still not 100% satisfied, but that's just the perfectionist in me.

 

[Bynx]

I took your original post then overlayed that with your original shot as a layer in Photoshop. By playing with the opacity slider you can easily select a middle ground between the two.

 

[McNugget801]

So is this HDR or just tone mapped?