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Ptarmigan portrait + mushless repost

Discussion

15 replies
Posted by jack chapman on October 3, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Ptarmigan portrait + mushless repost
from the cairngorms this summer, because of the nature of the surroundings it was quite hard to isolate the ptarmigan with more distant shots so i chose to go in close for a head shot, have this in landscape too

40D + 300mm F4L + 1.4 extender
F5.6
full frame
Posted by Robert Lawrence on October 3, 2009 at 1:01 PM
Hmmm, can't quite make my mind up about this one Jack. Normlly I'm quite fond of a bit of mush but in this instance I think it detracts a bit from what is a very strong headshot. Perhaps the landscape with some of the more extreme mush at bottom taken off would work better.
Robert
Posted by PhilH on October 3, 2009 at 1:10 PM
Hi Jack,

Nomrally I am a fan of mush but here I think it is the undoing of this image, possibly because the appearance is of looking slightly down at the bird, had the diffuse fg been lower down then I think it would have worked better....

:toast: :wavey: :toast:
Posted by Duncan Armour on October 3, 2009 at 1:10 PM
I think the mush would work better if the head was poking out of it isolation so to speak. For me the back of the bird is to well defined especially at the LHS edge of the image. It's definitely different and one I'd want to see a print of as I never feel you can judge BW images on a screen.
Posted by Justin on October 3, 2009 at 1:21 PM
This works for me, particularly the muted colour pallette.
:toast:
Posted by jack chapman on October 3, 2009 at 1:25 PM
thanks for the comments all, won't post the landscape as if anything it has more mush, here's a similar shot without the mush, though with grass stems in :rolleyes:
Posted by PhilH on October 3, 2009 at 1:58 PM
Hi Jack,

Your repost looks great... the small splash of red within an almost monochrome surround is fantastic, the grass adds to the enviro and is not a problem at all.

:toast: :toast: :wavey: :toast: :toast:
Posted by Liam Pauling on October 3, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Love the repost, the red eye is great.

:toast:
Posted by Craig Churchill on October 3, 2009 at 2:25 PM
Both great shots,the first one works because of the lack of red the 2nd one works because of it !!!

Nicely done Jack

Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk
Posted by Mark Davies on October 3, 2009 at 2:58 PM
A tadge off the top for me on the first would help rebalance the mush . Both are fine images for me .
Posted by Robert Lawrence on October 3, 2009 at 3:48 PM
I like the second a lot better Jack.
Robert
Posted by Maggie Campbell on October 3, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Second image for me too. Very nice indeed. :wavey:
Posted by Edwin kats on October 3, 2009 at 4:55 PM
I like the first one but I love the second one. I'm hoping of seeing them myself some time.
Well done.

Edwin Kats
Posted by Paul Inglis on October 4, 2009 at 7:20 AM
Hi Jack,

I like both images! As for the first one I would crop a little off the bottom as I believe it would increase the impact!
Posted by Ian Mason on October 4, 2009 at 4:17 PM
For me, the second is a clear winner! More for the composition really - I don't mind the mush.
Posted by Fran French on October 6, 2009 at 1:58 AM
Two super images Jack, however I feel the second has a lot more appeal for me. Nice work.

Fran :toast: