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Lethal Beauty
Lethal Beauty
trevytrev


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Best of 2007 (Advanced Editing VII*)
Camera: Canon EOS-20D
Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM
Location: St Louis
Date: Aug 23, 2007
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 800
Shutter: 1/640
Galleries: Portraiture, Animals
Date Uploaded: Jan 17, 2008

Taken in August at the World Bird Sanctuary in St Louis. I've edited this shot a couple of times as I have learned new techniques. This version was done after the challenge was announced. I really like how this turned out and hope for a decent score but realize that their will be some monster shots to be compared to so you never know. I'll add the editing steps after the challenge.

Post challenge:
Wow, Top 25 and in this field, I'm honored. Thanks for all the comments and suggestionsa and to the four who Faved it. I really wanted the eye to pop more but it just didn't look right no matter what I did.

editing
Raw
noise reduction
Levels
curves
hue/saturtion levels for multiple parts of the image
dup layer set to overlay and low opactiy
USM for contrast
Dodge&Burn on feathers and bill
hue/sat level to take out all the red execpt the beak and eyes
blur background a bit
gradient for vignette
sharpen
border
resize
resharpen
noise reduction on background and beak

There you have it. I do like this shot and how it turned out but it is not my favorite pic from the year, just one I thought would score well.

Statistics
Place: 25 out of 484
Avg (all users): 6.7325
Avg (commenters): 7.7619
Avg (participants): 6.6491
Avg (non-participants): 6.9306
Views since voting: 2166
Views during voting: 409
Votes: 243
Comments: 28
Favorites: 6 (view)


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AuthorThread
05/20/2008 08:49:00 AM
you are the BIRD MASTER!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/28/2008 07:04:05 PM
Beautiful head shot of eagle. I like the excellent details.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/28/2008 09:09:45 AM
YAY- not too shabby my friend !!! Right up there with the best of the best- stunning image of this proud ,majestic bird of prey !!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
01/27/2008 08:16:53 PM
This is a beautiful bird, how powerful and majestic. The feathers are a bit dirty but I realize you can't really clean up your "subject" without some serious PP. Great photo, -BB

P.S. Is this trevytrev?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/27/2008 04:52:50 PM
Pretty nicely done, but nothing that really makes it "pop" for me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/27/2008 03:23:59 PM
great sharpness, and the selective desat works well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/27/2008 02:11:05 PM
Very nice detail. I think my eyes would like the image slightly lighter in general but that may be my monitor. So clean & beautiful. Back to bump you up to 9.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/27/2008 11:49:19 AM
Nice detail in the eye and feathers. Very good DOF. I like the amount of saturation you've used in this photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/26/2008 01:33:09 PM
truly impressive
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/26/2008 01:17:17 PM
I just signed up for an eagle photo workshop with CC Lockwood. After seminar we are to photograph eagles on a lake in the Atchafalaya Basin.

You have a very good photo here
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/26/2008 11:39:19 AM
Superb, fantastic capture. The detail is splendid and the quality of the textures, lighting, and tones is fabulous. ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/26/2008 12:22:38 AM
I love eagles!!! Great focuse and detail. Wish the lighting was a little better to make the yellow in the beak and eye pop out. Still a good job. Good Luck. 7.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/25/2008 11:11:03 PM
Wow. What an incredible amount of detail you managed to fit into this!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/25/2008 09:56:09 PM
Nice detail; appreciate seeing these guys from a distance but would NOT want to get this close to a wild one. Desat does make him look less warm (in the friendly sense).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/24/2008 10:11:31 PM
Catching Title Eagles are both beautiful and lethal.. Wouldn't ever want one to attack..
I like the way u did this mostly in b/w. Presented well..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/24/2008 08:11:14 PM
Love the closeness, and sharpness on the face. Vignetting is great also. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/24/2008 08:48:25 AM
Love it. The detail is magnificant. Great DOF here, I love these birds, they are so beautiful, and very lethal. They will take your tiny dog. lol 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/24/2008 12:30:18 AM
this is amazing ... the texture and details you've captured are perfect ... adding to faves ... good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/23/2008 06:26:39 PM
Excellent animal portrait. Great composition/crop and remarkable detail visible throughout. The photo really would have popped if it was just a bit brighter and if the eye was a little more "pimped." Excellent job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/23/2008 11:44:22 AM
Beautiful shot. Amazing detail and great colors...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/22/2008 03:18:19 PM
I love the details in this picture. Great choice of background as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/22/2008 03:10:21 PM
Wow this is probably on of the coolest eagle photos I've seen.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/22/2008 02:56:29 PM
Very nice shot - perhaps his (her?) eye could have been brightened just a little . . ?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/22/2008 01:07:22 PM
Very sharp, very detailed, especially in the feathers. Did you blur the background? The eagle certainly stands out against it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/22/2008 12:34:49 PM
nice shot. I like the composition and the sharpness seems good without going to far.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/22/2008 01:21:13 AM
Excellent
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/21/2008 05:56:01 PM
Gorgeous, the detail and softness of the feathers is fantastic and the colours in the background really make him look regal. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/21/2008 11:37:19 AM
Great details, great photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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