Would you edit this Bengal tiger any different?

[RaffScallion]

This is quite a crop, so please also let me know if you'd crop any different.

PS. I know it's not technically the best shot but I couldn't throw out my first sighting of a wild tiger!

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[ajrmd]

Hi Raff, congratulations on seeing and photographing your first tiger in the wild. When I look at this photograph, it makes sense that it has more sentimental or documentary value than as art/WL image. As the subject is integrated in a busy background, there isn't all that much you can do to separate the two other than experimenting with eliminating (cropping) most of the extraneous vegetation on the right (when viewing the image). I like how you processed the tiger and suggest that you could make him pop more by desaturing the greens and throwing some light on the beast with a vignette (which will further darken the background) , etc.

 

[jeffnles1]

first off, congrats on the wild tiger. It is something most of us will never see. Nature is messy and creatures do not always do what we want them to do so we take what nature delivers to us. I agree with ajrmd above to make it a little brighter. You may try a masking layer and adding some blur to the background and see if that does anything. Also, while you're at it, try to brighten the tiger just a touch to add more pop.

Over all, you got a shot of a wild tiger and that is special in and of itself. Well done.

 

[Winston Churchill (Sir)]

yoh you lucky thing. How awesome that sighting must have been
I have a feeling you might have cropped too much - but difficult to say without seeing the original. It's a busy image - and always will be - but there are things one may possibly do to move focus. Are you able to post the original?

 

[JP Onstwedder]

I’ll echo Sir Winston’s comment: if you could post or link to the original there might be some benefit from a different edit. It’s already a vey nice shot and seeing one of these big cats is such a great experience!

 

[MrFotoFool]

Looks good and great sighting! It looks like you have bumped up the contrast and saturation a bit and there is nothing wrong with the way it is. If it was mine, I would probably go to Levels and increase the whites as it still looks just a tad dark and muddy, but that's just my personal preference. I might also add a slight vignette around the animal (my favorite for this is in Nik ColorEfex the preset called Darken/Lighten Center).

 

[RaffScallion]

Thanks a lot everyone for your great feedback! I'll have another little play around and link the final photo in here when done

Hi Raff, congratulations on seeing and photographing your first tiger in the wild. When I look at this photograph, it makes sense that it has more sentimental or documentary value than as art/WL image. As the subject is integrated in a busy background, there isn't all that much you can do to separate the two other than experimenting with eliminating (cropping) most of the extraneous vegetation on the right (when viewing the image). I like how you processed the tiger and suggest that you could make him pop more by desaturing the greens and throwing some light on the beast with a vignette (which will further darken the background) , etc.

Great idea, I'll desaturate the green channel a bit and see what that looks like. I had added an inverted radial mask around the tiger but will try dropping the exposure a tad more

first off, congrats on the wild tiger. It is something most of us will never see. Nature is messy and creatures do not always do what we want them to do so we take what nature delivers to us. I agree with ajrmd above to make it a little brighter. You may try a masking layer and adding some blur to the background and see if that does anything. Also, while you're at it, try to brighten the tiger just a touch to add more pop.

Over all, you got a shot of a wild tiger and that is special in and of itself. Well done.

Thanks Jeff - I'll try reducing the Sharpness on the bg and see how that is

Looks good and great sighting! It looks like you have bumped up the contrast and saturation a bit and there is nothing wrong with the way it is. If it was mine, I would probably go to Levels and increase the whites as it still looks just a tad dark and muddy, but that's just my personal preference. I might also add a slight vignette around the animal (my favorite for this is in Nik ColorEfex the preset called Darken/Lighten Center).

Cheers Fred, yes I agree the Whites could use a little more punch - I'll try that out

 

[RaffScallion]

yoh you lucky thing. How awesome that sighting must have been
I have a feeling you might have cropped too much - but difficult to say without seeing the original. It's a busy image - and always will be - but there are things one may possibly do to move focus. Are you able to post the original?

It was great! Though I was not happy with the 'Ferrari safari' tour guide hustling us along! Those that stayed longer got some excellent shots, but this is the best I could do with the 30s he gave us

Here's the full original photo (just Lens Corrections + Denoise applied) - feedback on capture settings also welcome

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[RaffScallion]

And the edit with feedback actioned:

• - Green Saturation
• + Orange Hue
• - background Sharpness
• + global and tiger Whites
• - background Exposure
  
  
  
  
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[jeffnles1]

And the edit with feedback actioned:

• - Green Saturation
• + Orange Hue
• - background Sharpness
• + global and tiger Whites
• - background Exposure
  
  
  View attachment 67108

I like your edits

 

[Butlerkid]

FWIW - I had a quick play in PS....

Added about 1 stop exposure
Cropped
Increase green and red saturation
Decrease green tint under his belly from OOF greenery
Used dodge and burn on head to bring out the face
Applied light blur loosely around the tiger
Applied a slight dark vignette around the tiger while lightening the body just a bit
High pass sharpening to face and front shoulder

 

[RaffScallion]

FWIW - I had a quick play in PS....

Added about 1 stop exposure
Cropped
Increase green and red saturation
Decrease green tint under his belly from OOF greenery
Used dodge and burn on head to bring out the face
Applied light blur loosely around the tiger
Applied a slight dark vignette around the tiger while lightening the body just a bit
High pass sharpening to face and front shoulder

Thanks for taking the effort! The tiger certainly does pop a bit more. I might up the exposure on mine based on this

 

[Butlerkid]

Thanks for taking the effort! The tiger certainly does pop a bit more. I might up the exposure on mine based on this

Also, the vignette makes a BIG difference..... directing the viewer's eye toward the animal..... What editing software are you using?

 

[RaffScallion]

Also, the vignette makes a BIG difference..... directing the viewer's eye toward the animal..... What editing software are you using?

Added global and local vignettes already! Increasing it anymore made it look quite unnatural in my opinion.
I'm on the latest version of LrC

 

[Butlerkid]

Added global and local vignettes already! Increasing it anymore made it look quite unnatural in my opinion.
I'm on the latest version of LrC

I use Nik Color Efex Pro in PS as a separate layer. There is a filter, Darken/Lighten center which I use on almost every image. I can place and size the "center" wherever I want. Then lighten the subject a bit ( i.e. about 10) and darken the edges (ie. about - 15- to -20). Very effective.

Also, are you using a calibrated monitor? Out of the box, most monitors are set way too bright. That may be why many of us think the image is under exposed and it seems bright to you.

 

[Winston Churchill (Sir)]

You got some good advise - and let me add my 3c
I wouldnt crop it

Your image is underexposed - see screenshot with the histogram. It makes an immediate improvement to correct the exposure

I also did some masks in ACR to lighten behind the animal and a slight vignette to place the focus on him
you will not make this image UN-busy - but it is what it is - and it is your keeper

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[Butlerkid]

Added global and local vignettes already! Increasing it anymore made it look quite unnatural in my opinion.
I'm on the latest version of LrC

That's probably because you added it to the image that was at least 1 stop underexposed. With a correct exposure, a slight vignette like I and/or Elsa added looks just fine......IMHO.

 

[RaffScallion]

That's probably because you added it to the image that was at least 1 stop underexposed. With a correct exposure, a slight vignette like I and/or Elsa added looks just fine......IMHO.

Got it, the settings I used are below - which setting(s) would you have recommended tweaking? It was very low light unfortunately!
Perhaps I could've got away with a lower shutter, but she was mostly walking.

• Camera: NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D7500
  Lens: 200.0-500.0 mm f/5.6
  Focal Length: 500mm
  Shutter Speed: 1/1000
  F/Stop: F/5.6
  ISO: 6400
  Exposure Bias: 0

 

[Butlerkid]

Got it, the settings I used are below - which setting(s) would you have recommended tweaking? It was very low light unfortunately!
Perhaps I could've got away with a lower shutter, but she was mostly walking.

• Camera: NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D7500
  Lens: 200.0-500.0 mm f/5.6
  Focal Length: 500mm
  Shutter Speed: 1/1000
  F/Stop: F/5.6
  ISO: 6400
  Exposure Bias: 0

I would raise the exposure in post....like I and Elsa did.

 

[Winston Churchill (Sir)]

Not being there - and in your boots - Shoot manual - I would start with those settings and put the ISO on AUTO - take a good few shots, then lower the Shutter speed, take a couple more, rinse, and repeat.
The idea is to get a couple at higher shutter speed (1/1000) as these are more guaranteed to be sharp, and a couple with lower ISO (and lower s/s) and between those you can choose the better ones - hoping it's ones with lower ISO.
In my own experience, I found the 200-500 lens needed a high shutter speed for guaranteed keepers. For birds, I never would go below 1/2000 if I could help it.
As Karen said - raising exposure in post could work too

 

[RaffScallion]

Thanks both, I do indeed shoot Manual + Auto ISO - need to remember to tweak settings between firing off series of shots to get a range of usable photos!