For Argar

Shootin1st

Two recent images using the Canon 70-200:

1.






2.

lifeinfocus

Great capture on fireworks, which I have not been able to do yet.

#1 grabs my attention. However, I think I would like see a little more pop to it - not sure exactly what it is. Perhaps use of levels in PS, which what I often do. That one tool can do wonders for an image. A little more separation from the background.

I hope you don't mind that I copied the first image and worked with it using Levels in PS. Here is what it looks like after using Levels - black, white and gray.

Angelo

I love #1 in its original form

black mamba

I, too, prefer the original. In the adjusted version, the heightened highlights in the animal's fur and in the wood perch begin to fight for attention with that stunning white " beard ". Well done.

Tom

lifeinfocus

Tom and Angelo, looking back I can see you points. I did reedit the image and use Levels for only the head and I like the results. I hesitate to include the recent edit in this posting, because it is not my photo and not sure if it would be proper to do that.

Phil

Shootin1st

Thanks for the feedback guys. Neither of these were the final prints that were made. As Phil suggested on the fireworks I did brighten up the image and darken the blacks to get more pop. But, the monkey was left closer to number 1. The reason was that it was more interesting to people who saw the actual proof prints. Every single person who saw my proofs ended up spending way more time looking at the less bright image than the brighter image. For whatever reason, the less bright image made them spend a lot of time just admiring the details. Perhaps it is as Tom said, with a brighter image there would also have needed to be some burning of the non beard highlights.

It is always interesting to get the feedback, as those that are more experienced can bring out a lot of options that us rookies might not have even considered.