Morning shots second attempt. C&C please!

joe123 · Sep 28, 2009

I went out this time with the advice from my previous post. I think I walked away with more keepers than last time. Here are the ones worth posting. Thank you for looking!

1. Sunrise.
the clouds in the background seem lighter than they should be. should I change that?

2. Seagull

3. heron in flight. i see the noise in the background. how can I remove it without ruining the clarity of the bird?

4. awesome Sunset. ok I took this one last night when I went outside to poison my lungs.(trying to quit.) I shot it hand held at 1/60 ish..I think there is some shake in there. Should I keep this one?

Randall Ellis · Sep 28, 2009

Wow, good stuff! All of these are a lot stronger than the last set (I still like that crab shot). I like #1 the way it is, but you're the one you should be working to please. I'd suggest trying to edit it and then looking at the before and after side by side to see which you like better. Both of the bird shots are good, although I think that the gull is stronger because it is moving toward the viewer rather than away. Just the same, that reddish egret is solid - great detail in the wings (the background doesn't bother me, but again, you need to go with what you like). #4 is good as well - lots of interesting texture in the clouds and the trees are in full silhouette.

- Randy

jnm · Sep 28, 2009

i like #3 and #4 the best, something about #2 seems off. looks almost like the bird is pasted into the background or the sky is too blue, but those may be a monitor resolution issue. i get the same sense with #3 a bit but not as much as with #2. nice captures of the birds though!

i agree that #4 has some great clouds that makes for a very nice texture.

Randall Ellis · Sep 28, 2009

That happens whenever you've got a solid background like that sky. There's not a lot you can do about it except to make sure that you don't over-sharpen the edges and increase that effect...

- Randy

DennyCrane · Sep 28, 2009

They're all good, but #2 is astounding. As far as the noise, have you tried a before and after with a chrominance and/or luminance digital filter?

GoGoGators · Sep 28, 2009

I really didn't look at your profile before looking at your pics and right when I saw the last shot of the sunset I KNEW you were in Jacksonville! I saw the sunset yesterday and was angry I didn't have my camera to shoot that shot from on top of the Dames Point Bridge.

Nice shot!

foned · Sep 28, 2009

first one is heavenly, i love it.

joe123 · Sep 29, 2009

Thank you for the great comments.

I was working with the clarity in the raw processing, would that bring out the noise more?

I have not tried to use chrominance and/or luminance digital filters before, but I will look into that tonight to see if it helps.

I always wanted to take a pic or two from the Dames Point Bridge. Is there a walkway or something on there? That would be awesome! oh and Go Gators! :headbang: