Richard Matheny  


Roseate Spoonbill by Richard Matheny

November 2024 - Roseate Spoonbill

November 2024 - Richard Matheny

Original

About the Image(s)

I took this photo last summer at the Donnelly WMA in South Carolina. I passed over this image when I first considered it unacceptable. I have a practice of not deleting images until they have spent some time percolating on my computer. I am glad I kept it because I really like the image now. My issue with the shot was the balance between the Spoonbill and all that green grass. The grass and the bird were each struggling for attention. The solution was to decrease the attention given to the grass. I decreased the texture, clarity, and sharpness of the grass. By reducing those 3 values I was able to remove a lot of detail and cause the grass to have a softer appearance and not be in competition with the Spoonbill for attention. Let me know what you think.
Nikon D500 and a Nikon 300mm lens at F11.


4 comments posted




Michael Weatherford   Michael Weatherford
Beautiful bird and pose. I think your treatment of the grass background was just right. But the color wheel, oh that color wheel, the green and pink don't match up perfectly. But I'm going to let you slide on this one. Kidding - great shot.   Posted: 11/12/2024 16:14:27



Larry Treadwell   Larry Treadwell
I feel this image has left the world of reality and entered the world of painterly, fine art. It just seems like it belongs in a gallery. Because of that feeling I would not do anything to the image. Just put a gilded frame around it and hang it.   Posted: 11/16/2024 20:47:47



Bud Ralston   Bud Ralston
Wow, Richard! This highlights the importance of retaining images on the hard drive. Great picture-put it on the wall!   Posted: 11/20/2024 16:18:15



Susan Cifaldi   Susan Cifaldi
You can hang that image on one of my walls, Richard! :-)

I like how you sort of created your own bokeh with the tweaks that you did to the background. Not outlandishly blurry bokeh, but enough to lessen its effect on that lovely spoonbill.

My problem is that when I keep my yucky shots around to percolate. . . they don't. Must be my computer :-)   Posted: 11/20/2024 16:59:27



 

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