Tear Um Apart or Fix Um Up

[buglinbilly]

Below are a few antleope photos I took late last summer.

Please be tough on them and feel free edit, crop etc so I can see how they should really look. Thanks in advance. BB

P.S. They were all shot hand held. If I were to put my camera on a tripod and use a cable release, would that make them a lot better"



Photo # 1



Photo #2



Photos # 3



Photo # 4

[LeeIs]

I think #4 works best for me. I like the way to go above the horizon a little. that adds a nice separation from the background. don't get me wrong. I think they're all nice. especially the ones where the deer are looking at you. #2 is also good
.

[ksbryan0]

BB, I know firsthand how flighty pronghorn can be, so the simple fact you got these images as well as you did is a job well done. In the first three shots, only one of the antelope is in sharp focus, which is the reality we deal with when using super-tele lenses and the subjects are on different planes in the distance. While it is a reality, it can also be distracting to view and often detract from the image. With both antelope on nearly the same plane in number 4, your focus is nice and sharp on both, making the better image IMO.

From overall composition critique, I'd like to see a little more space under the feet in numbers 1, 3 and 4. I'm not sure why, but it just feels more comfortable when there is a little room between the subject and the edge of the frame. On number 1, both animals are heading in directions that are generally away from you, which isn't the best angle for wildlife. Also, the overlap of the head of the near antelope framing the rump of the second makes it an odd capture. Numbers 2 & 3 do a good job of capturing the antelope and the environment, which I think is important, particularly for viewers who haven't seen the animals in their native habitat. To me, they show not only the antelope, but where they live. On number 2, I'd crop halfway between the feet and bottom of the frame, then halfway between the right frame and the first antelope, then I'd crop out about 1/3 of the space to the left of the antelope - ending up with a square image. Because the near antelope in number 3 largely obscures the head of the second, I'd probably trash that image.

Number 4, the best of the bunch, could have been a better with more space under the feet, and then a little more space on the left, where the second antelope is looking toward. Your lighting on this shot is pretty good, and the catchlights in the eyes really enhance the capture. I'd spend a little time in PP to warm the colors up a bit and add a touch of brightness to bring out some features in the darker areas of the animals.

Overall a nice series.

[jetrim]

Agree that #4 is "the keeper" here. #2 is the next best, but the closer antelope seems out of focus (like he moved). "Smart sharpen" in Cs5 may get him back to within acceptable parameters. If it did, I'd consider desaurating the background slightly to add some separation between it and the subjects.

#3 needs more work, but it's probably worth it. Played w/ this one a bit and came up w/ the attached. Here's what I did:
1 Lowered exposure on sky only to bring some color & drama back
2.Put front Antelope on his own layer.
3. Cloned out back antelope using random sources to try not to show any patterns
4.Added saturation adjustment layer between front Antelope layer and background layer. Dropped saturation of background by 33%
5. added slight vignette (darker at bottom than top & sides)
6. resize to 800px and sharpened

Took @ 15-20 minutes...

[EDIT] ...and screwed up because I didn't even out background leading to his right eye, but that would be a quick fix

[OldClicker]

I love to see pronghorns. Thanks. - Terry

[buglinbilly]

Thanks for all the input and suggestions.

I am good at getting close to critters, but I am basically new at this photography stuff and I really want to learn. I know one mistake I make over and over again is cutting off the feet or the lower part of a critter when I am close. I really need to work on that and thanks to suggestions made on this forum, I plan to do just that.

Below are three antelope photos. The first in each series of photos is the original photo as it came from my camera (Olympus E-3) with the exception that I have reduced the size for posting on this forum. Each or the three originals will be posted first, and then followed by the same photo after I cropped it and enhanced the photo a bit.

I would appreciate for those that would like to help, to take the original photo in each case and due your magic on enhancing and cropping so I can see what I really should be doing.

Again thanks to each of you for your help. It is truly appreciated.

Photo A


My fixed copy of Photo A


Photo B


My fixed and cropped copy of Photo B


Photo C


My fixed copy of Photo C


Thanks for your help and have a good one. BB

[buglinbilly]

Anyone want to edit the photos on my previous post?

I would sure like to see what some of you would do. Thanks. BB

[LeeIs]

Photo A


My fixed copy of Photo A

I took a crack at this one.

first thing i did was levels, just auto levels pops it out. then i generated a black white with a good grey tone range and nice highlights and shadows. then put the colour layer on top of the black and white and change the layer to 'colour' for the colour layer. oh and i sharpened it. using unsharp mask.
also, i think your edited version was a tad bit too blue. you can tell from his nose that you were picking up some blues in there.

[buglinbilly]

Leels, that is great. Could you post the a copy of the black and white you did. I am so knew to this that I did not know you could combine layers like that. What does the bw do to help in the final photo?

Thanks again, Bill