Mary Ann Carrasco
February 2025 - Mule Deer Resting
Original
About the Image(s)
We went to the coast in late November and one morning while in the kitchen of our rental, I spotted this buck in the brush. I grabbed my camera and went out to take the photograph. The deer let me get very close, almost posing for me. I spent quite a bit of time editing as there was quite a bit of shadow on the head. I used the Nikon Z9 and settings were ISO 500, f/8, 1/125 at 200mm.
I look forward to your suggestions and comments.
10 comments posted
Hi Mary Ann,
How nice that your subject was cooperative! Not always the case with wildlife. It's a nice portrait of this buck in repose and you were on the right track with your edits...but I think you needed to go a bit farther.
In my visual feedback I brought up the exposure on the buck and then chose the background and reduced clarity, texture, sharpness and exposure. I added a diagonal linear gradient from upper left down to the animal and repeated those same adjustments. Finally, I did an inverted radial gradient over the animal and repeated those same adjustments once again. What do you think? Posted: 02/04/2025 18:23:52
How nice that your subject was cooperative! Not always the case with wildlife. It's a nice portrait of this buck in repose and you were on the right track with your edits...but I think you needed to go a bit farther.
In my visual feedback I brought up the exposure on the buck and then chose the background and reduced clarity, texture, sharpness and exposure. I added a diagonal linear gradient from upper left down to the animal and repeated those same adjustments. Finally, I did an inverted radial gradient over the animal and repeated those same adjustments once again. What do you think? Posted: 02/04/2025 18:23:52
Michael, thank you so much for taking the time to edit and advise. Yes, I like your version very much and will give it a try. I like how your version highlights the deer and brings out his eyes. Posted: 02/17/2025 00:41:51
Mary Ann, great shot and good for you that the buck stayed still. Good job in processing, both in cropping and removing shadows and highlights. Posted: 02/06/2025 02:17:24
Mary Ann, how fortunate that the deer is "posing" so nicely with his head turned towards you. The lighting is challenging due to the deep shadows across part of the buck. You've done a good job of bringing up the shadows for more even light. An example is how much more even the light is on the deer's ears. I agree with Michael that selecting the background and making adjustments on it separate from the deer allows further focus on the buck. Kudos for your work on post processing. Posted: 02/06/2025 16:55:27
Ruth, thank you. Yes, I like Michael's edited version and will give it a try. Posted: 02/17/2025 00:45:00
I agree. I think that he was posing for you. Nice job. You've reminded me to get out a try to capture some more photos of the herd here in the suburbs. Posted: 02/10/2025 20:25:01
Robert, yes, it was quite the moment! Posted: 02/17/2025 00:44:14
Hi Mary Ann,
The deer's face and its antlers are sharp. The lighting on the deer's body and its right ear is a bit harsh, and your post processing has fairly corrected it.
I'd prefer to darken one high grass stem that crossed the hump of the deer. Nice shot! Posted: 02/16/2025 14:37:29
The deer's face and its antlers are sharp. The lighting on the deer's body and its right ear is a bit harsh, and your post processing has fairly corrected it.
I'd prefer to darken one high grass stem that crossed the hump of the deer. Nice shot! Posted: 02/16/2025 14:37:29
Thank you for your comments and suggestion re the grass stem. It's funny how we don't notice the obvious! Posted: 02/17/2025 00:43:47
Mary Ann,
What an wonderful opportunity. Thank you, Mr. Deer. The original lighting was horrible, very bright in parts of the image and dark in other parts. That made it quite difficult to get any kink of lighting that really brought out the animal's best features.
I think you did a good job on trying to achieve this, but the final product was a bit washed out. Michael's work was difficult and not all of us could do that kind of manipulating in Photoshop. If you try his net hods, it would be a good attempt to learn new ways to work I Photoshop. So, worth a try. Posted: 02/19/2025 23:37:49
What an wonderful opportunity. Thank you, Mr. Deer. The original lighting was horrible, very bright in parts of the image and dark in other parts. That made it quite difficult to get any kink of lighting that really brought out the animal's best features.
I think you did a good job on trying to achieve this, but the final product was a bit washed out. Michael's work was difficult and not all of us could do that kind of manipulating in Photoshop. If you try his net hods, it would be a good attempt to learn new ways to work I Photoshop. So, worth a try. Posted: 02/19/2025 23:37:49