B&W Egret

[Second Hand Pat]

I played around in the Nik collection with this egret. Almost has a "fine art" feel to it.

DSC_9385-Edit

[SMB2]

Well done.
Good whites and blacks, and nothing blown out. Like it.

[Second Hand Pat]

Well done.
Good whites and blacks, and nothing blown out. Like it.

Thanks Stan, I actually printed it and decided to ease the contrast a bit with the chest feathers to help soften it and this is the result. It looks better on the printed version.

DSC_9385-Edit-3

[SMB2]

Did you back off the contrast on the whole image?
I would brush some back on the wood base and feet, beak and eye.

[Second Hand Pat]

Did you back off the contrast on the whole image?
I would brush some back on the wood base and feet, beak and eye.

I did. So restored the contrast and applied some local edits to the chest feathers and after nine attempts hopefully this works.

DSC_9385-Edit

[Discus-n00b]

Nice image Pat! Works well B&W!!

[SMB2]

I liked the feathers in the second image!
It's just that when you made a global change you lost some of the definition in the head and feet and wood. Again it is all about one's "taste", but I would just selectively add contrast back to those areas and leave the feathers alone.

[Second Hand Pat]

Nice image Pat! Works well B&W!!

Thanks Matt, I have been playing with this bird on and off most of the day. I think I have the right balance now.
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

I liked the feathers in the second image!
It's just that when you made a global change you lost some of the definition in the head and feet and wood. Again it is all about one's "taste", but I would just selectively add contrast back to those areas and leave the feathers alone.

What do you think Stan

DSC_9385-Edit-11

[SMB2]

Nice.
I am sure you have had a camera club judge say in critiquing B&W images, that a good image needs good Blacks and good Whites.
Gray doesn't cut it. You don't want the image to be monotone. Adding to much contrast globally can turn things towards the gray side. But the trick of course with a white bird is to have strong whites without blowing out the definition in the feathers. So you have to be careful with the highlight/exposure/clarity/shadow sliders.
Sometimes I will use a separate brush for each, just to control each element.

I think it is a great B&W Snowy.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Stan, as always I appreciate the mentorship. I'm very happy with it also.
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

Decided to give this bird a little bit of room.

DSC_9385-Edit-2-3

[SMB2]