Bomber with fighter escort?

[BCcanuck]

I would welcome some input on this shot please. I like it but feel it could be better though I'm not sure how.

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[DRwyoming]

Very cool moment you captured there. I've never seen Cranes and Ducks fly together like that.

My first impression is that the birds have sort of a cardboard cutout look to them which is most likely over sharpening. Either that or perhaps too much opening up of shadow detail as the undersides of the wings look as bright or brighter than the topsides which seems like unusual lighting on a blue sky day. Did you do a sky replacement or otherwise mask or select the birds vs the background?

 

[BCcanuck]

Very cool moment you captured there. I've never seen Cranes and Ducks fly together like that.

My first impression is that the birds have sort of a cardboard cutout look to them which is most likely over sharpening. Either that or perhaps too much opening up of shadow detail as the undersides of the wings look as bright or brighter than the topsides which seems like unusual lighting on a blue sky day. Did you do a sky replacement or otherwise mask or select the birds vs the background?

No, no "cutting and pasteing" done, just highlights, shadows, clarity and lens correction in Lightroom. I sharpened and sized them in PS using Steves actions. Don't ask what that entails, I just press the button and it works to my satisfaction.

 

[Callie]

Maybe - tone down the blue a bit to a lighter blue. Remove halos around top two ducks and consider a slight slant to the flight path?

 

[bajadreamer]

"Very cool moment you captured there. I've never seen Cranes and Ducks fly together like that.

My first impression is that the birds have sort of a cardboard cutout look to them which is most likely over sharpening. Either that or perhaps too much opening up of shadow detail as the undersides of the wings look as bright or brighter than the topsides which seems like unusual lighting on a blue sky day. Did you do a sky replacement or otherwise mask or select the birds vs the background? "

I would agree with this. Great moment, technically very good, but does not look "real". Looks like the ducks were "photoshoped" into the image. Less sharpening might help, less contrast and like Callie noted, maybe bringing down the blue in the sky might make the ducks look more like they belong there.
Unique image in any case.

 

[Lindsay]

Great photo, and I love your title for it.

 

[BCcanuck]

Another try.

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[Whiskeyman]

Nice shot! To me, it looks more like an aerial refueling tanker dragging three fighters, like they do when crossing an ocean.

W

 

[gordon_g]

Very cool moment you captured there. I've never seen Cranes and Ducks fly together like that.

My first impression is that the birds have sort of a cardboard cutout look to them which is most likely over sharpening. Either that or perhaps too much opening up of shadow detail as the undersides of the wings look as bright or brighter than the topsides which seems like unusual lighting on a blue sky day. Did you do a sky replacement or otherwise mask or select the birds vs the background?

I 2nd what Dave is saying here.. it a great shot but the bird's just don't look real. The lighting is wrong, there should be shadows and the crane and ducks are lit the same top and bottom. It has the feel of a really well done drawing vs a photo.
I do love the Title you choose!

 

[BCcanuck]

I 2nd what Dave is saying here.. it a great shot but the bird's just don't look real. The lighting is wrong, there should be shadows and the crane and ducks are lit the same top and bottom. It has the feel of a really well done drawing vs a photo.
I do love the Title you choose!

I appreciate your point about the lighting. I can't figure out why it should be this way, the whole series of shots taken in that session are the same. I can only assume that it is a balance ( for want of a better word) between the bright sky and the snow covered ground.

Here is another shot taken at the same time. RAW file saved as a .jpg SOOC. The lighting looks the same to me? Of course, there is the remote possibility that I have done something wrong.

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[gordon_g]

These at least have some shadows though... Abit not a lot... This photo looks more natural than the other one, I would say you are most likely correct about the snow. This one I like..

 

[Harry.G]

I gotta say i agree with DRwyoming and bajadreamer ....

At first glance when i opened the page my thoughts were ""No Way"" is that a photo its a painting and someone has taken a photo of it - i am still of that opinion even after looking at the second photo down ..

The photo of the two birds is "Marginally" better but it too looks like a painting ,,it has that sort of look to it that says its not real ,,i cant quite describe it- i think something has gone wrong somewhere .......Dont get me wrong they`re great captures but something is definitely not quite right......


Harry.G

 

[BCcanuck]

These were all taken on a very special (photographically) day, huge numbers of birds in a small clear area surrounded by deep snow. Here are three more fom the same time & place.

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[KCPhoto]

Seems to me that the snow-covered ground you mentioned is simply acting like a gigantic portrait lighting reflector. Great pics, just not the usual lighting scenario possibly.

 

[DRwyoming]

Seems to me that the snow-covered ground you mentioned is simply acting like a gigantic portrait lighting reflector. Great pics, just not the usual lighting scenario possibly.

That was my thought exactly when snow on the ground was mentioned. If this was shot later in the morning or near mid day that sort of strong reflection off the snow would be a definite possibility.

That might have been the realistic lighting on the scene with ground bounce but I'd be tempted to burn down the undersides of the wings and bellies a bit to more closely match how our high dynamic range eyes might actually have seen it.