[Leica] IMG: Great Blue Heron

[Wilbur Norman]

Well, proving that we humans are a fickle bunch and difficult to satisfy, I thought I would like a version where at least the yellowed cattail was either toned down or removed, but…..

The new version is certainly fine, in and of itself, expecially if one has not seen the first iteration.

Looking at the first version, with fresh eyes, I now have to say I like it better!!!  Why?

One of the things about nature photography, as much as so-called 'street photography', is environment. While the cloned version has great 3-dimensionality and would be excellent in an identificatuon guide, it (for me) lacks some of the imediacy inherent in a photo that contains clues to the environment of the shot. Yes, there is the bokeh-ed background but those 3 cattail leaves, darn it all, really seem to add something for me.

The cloned version, on second look, now appears too much like one of those View-Master photographs.

For me these photographs really bring home the phrase, "you don't know what you got 'til it's gone!"


Many Thanks for your effort in this study of two fine photos that I was able to closely view side-by-side.

Wilbur



************

On Dec 27, 2014, at 8:21 AM, Doug Herr wrote:

> Ted Grant wrote:
> 
>> Hi Doug,
>> Very nice fog mood type bird image. 
>> 
>>>>> What say ye about the bright yellow to the left of the bird's tail?
>> Clone it out?  Leave it in?  Tone it down?
>> 
>> Yes without hesitation get rid of it! WHY? Quite simply because it's an
>> unnecessary visual distraction as small as it is!!
>> As soon as the scene opened on screen my instant re-action? A quick over all
>> look and comment to self out loud?
>> 
>> " Another fine............. OH crap why didn't he take that yellow leaf
>> out???????" " It's merely fine tuning the image and kind of "cleaning it up
>> to perfection!" You tidy it up and keep your mouth shut that you did it!
> 
> Thanks to the many comments on- and off-list.  I've taken the cattail reeds out and I toned down the bright spot in the water.  I tried a version where I took the bright spot out along with the cattails and the water looked like it had been sanitized, so I left a hint of the spot in.
> 
> The original:
> 
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/ardeidae/ardea/gbhero05a.jpg
> 
> the final:
> 
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/ardeidae/ardea/gbhero05c.jpg
> 
> All comments welcome.
> 
> 
> Doug Herr
> Birdman of Sacramento
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com
> http://doug-herr.fineartamerica.com
> 
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