Description: This bug-like sculpture is actually a small (2 -3 feet long) dinosaur fossil at the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven. It was positioned way up along the top of a 2-storey vertical wall, like a giant insect.
Intent: I wanted to catch this strange creature in a way that emphasized its strange, almost creepy positioning, crawling up the wall. This was shot in available light, so was fairly dark out of camera. I also took it from a 2nd story balcony overlooking an atrium…it was some 75 feet away across the atrium open from me. I took it with the full zoom of my lens (105mm) but expected it to require a good crop.
Edit: Done in Capture One 16. Main global adjustments were to increase exposure about 3 stops, but then to add back some shadow to preserve detail. On the Levels tool I also moved the black and white point in slightly. I then masked just the critter, moved the white point in a bit to brighten the subject, recovered some shadow, boosted saturation. To improve contrast and detail, I decreased clarity and added some structure. I did a separate mask for the background and darkened it so the critter would pop (decreased saturation, contrast, exposure and brightness, boosted the blacks). I wanted the block wall to be visible as a wall the critter is climbing, but not to interfere with appreciating said critter. I also played with orientation, tried flipping it various ways, but ended up leaving it just as it came out of the camera.
Tech details: Camera: Sony A7RiiiA Lens: Sony 24-105mm F4 G zoom. Focal length: 105 mm. ISO: 1600; f/7.1, 1/100 sec. Shot in manual mode, hand-held (but leaning against a pillar).
6 comments posted
Lori Azevedo
Hi Rick, your photo interested me so much I played with it a little to bring out the background from the subject. Oddity is right. I love museums and old churches. Posted: 04/08/2025 20:34:40
Rick Taft
Lori, Thanks for the comment and your edit. Interesting that you decided to lighten the background as a way to bring out the shadow, while I had deliberately darkened it to make the actual critter pop. You have a point about the shadow...I will have to play with it some more and see if I can find a compromise. Posted: 04/20/2025 02:14:23
Sandra Michaelis
Such an interesting subject. Rick, I like your edits and thought it was well done, but when I saw Lori's edits I suddenly noticed the shadow which added another dimension of interest to the picture. You achieved your goal of capturing a strange creature and giving us an interesting angle on it all. Posted: 04/11/2025 15:05:51
Carol Heffernan
Rick, I like the idea of trying new things and this is a fun one. You saw something and then executed what you wanted it to be. I like it darker and more mysterious (creepy?),but like the way the shadow shows when it's lightened. Glad you described how you took it, as it's even more interesting. Posted: 04/15/2025 00:25:20
Alec Chester
Rick, You definitely captured this very creepy dinosaur. Initially I thought is was an insect, so the surprise that it was a dinosaur adds to the ingenuity of the image. I like the way Lori's rendition shows it as a lively gold creature, but prefer your dark background. Great that you found something so interesting. Posted: 04/19/2025 15:09:07
Rick Taft
Alec, Thanks for the comment. I like the darker background also, but Lori has me thinking if there is a way to bring out the shadow a little more while also keeping the overall background dark. But if I have to choose, I want the focus on the critter and not on the shadow. Posted: 04/20/2025 02:17:03
