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An Essence of Speed
An Essence of Speed
dsidwell


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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Best of 2004 (Advanced Editing III*)
Collection: Macros & Other
Camera: Sony DSC-F707
Location: San Francisco, California USA
Date: Mar 26, 2004
Aperture: f 4.0
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/160
Galleries: Emotive, Animals
Date Uploaded: Jan 3, 2005

 This is a Harris' Hawk. I know some folks won't like my border use, but my family liked it better, so I kept the border behind the hawk for this one. Is this really my best shot in 2004? Probably not (some of my challenge photos are probably 'better'), but I do like it a lot, and my kids liked it best, so I'll go with their advice.

PP: I put the hawk and background on different layers, selecting it with the polygonal lasso with a 2 pixel feather and smoothing it by 10 pixels. I did autocolor on both layers separately, which added some yellow to both.

On the background, I augmented the motion blur (I was panning for the shot) to make the movement more visible as I remembered it and to visually increase the speed of the bird.

I applied a median filter at 2 pixels to the hawk for digital cleaning, then faded it to about 30%. I increased saturation of the background by about 15%. I added the border (white at 50%) to the background layer, and noticed that I should have flattened the image before doing so, but my wife commanded me to keep the border behind the bird, so I did, even though I'll probably get slammed for it. I don't know, maybe it's subtle enough....I like it better, so I'm keeping it!

I then flattened, resized for print, sharpened it, and then made a new size for the web, which I also sharpened again.

Statistics
Place: 8 out of 530
Avg (all users): 6.9324
Avg (commenters): 8.0741
Avg (participants): 6.9506
Avg (non-participants): 6.8701
Views since voting: 3489
Views during voting: 539
Votes: 340
Comments: 36
Favorites: 15 (view)

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AuthorThread
 02/04/2005 07:55:22 PM
Lovely image, David. Congrats.
 02/03/2005 10:53:09 AM
David: another amazing image with great swift movement. Congratulations on your 8th placing.
 02/02/2005 06:55:27 PM
Thanks for the comments, and the votes. I'm sure the border put off as many folks as it pleased, but I liked it, so I kept it. I haven't done borders in a while!

I've been really busy with university work, so I haven't been able to participate on DPC for a while, but I hope to make time soon.

Thanks again!
 02/01/2005 08:50:42 PM
With the frame done that way and the angle of the head/shoulder, it looks like he's flying into the frame, definitely a different approach (sorry, pun intended).

No argument with your technique, but I'd be curious to see the original to see how/how much the motion blur added. I've tried using that filter myself, but only found it effective applied very sparingly.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2005 08:03:39 PM
this was one of my favorites
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2005 07:16:40 PM
quite a great shot - good work
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2005 10:30:17 AM
This is just another one of your incredible works of art. Fantastic David and congrats on your top 10 finish!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2005 12:23:38 AM
One of my top three choices to ribbon in this challenge. Just a great, great shot.

Hey, I just realized this is yours David. Well, it is about time I finally placed ahead of you. Heck, I'm so pleased I don't even care that your picture is a lot better than mine. :)

Message edited by author 2005-02-01 00:57:31.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
01/30/2005 01:00:41 PM
GREAT SHOT!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/30/2005 03:07:08 AM
Well, this one stopped me cold and I had to check to make sure I wasn't moving... outstanding job...espcecialy the neat frame....tenarooni
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/29/2005 02:36:03 PM
nice shot but the gimmicky border doesn't help
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2005 11:52:03 PM
Essence of 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/26/2005 01:55:39 AM
Very cool!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/25/2005 11:19:15 PM
Great sense of motion captured here with good detail/lighting. Nicely done ((8))
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/25/2005 05:37:49 AM
Awesome! Excellent! Outstanding! 10!!!!! All the way!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/22/2005 09:49:31 PM
Not fussed about the border, but you've captured what you set out to (the essence of speed) brilliantly.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/22/2005 02:06:41 PM
this almost makes me dizzy, just looking at it! good luck! i know this will do well for you.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/21/2005 06:20:05 PM
WOW. Incredible. I could do without the border, but that doesn't stop it from being a ten.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/21/2005 12:32:31 PM
Very sharp head, the background is so good it`s almost distracting. Gives a great sense of speed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/20/2005 06:24:22 PM
Amazing how you landed your focus dead-on! Not sure how you did that...or maybe it was part luck? Fantastic image.

I'm not entirely sure about the noncontinuous border, though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/20/2005 08:59:04 AM
If this is not photoshopped, but panned, then this is excellent work!

The crop also gives a sensation of speed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/19/2005 02:13:42 AM
Great capture! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/18/2005 07:15:03 AM
Yet another that has me scratching my head asking how this was done. Frame effect works really well too. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2005 12:50:16 PM
I find the border effect a bit cheesy here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2005 11:15:38 AM
What a marvelous capture! Soft background is perfect. There is no noise. The bird is captured with crystal clarity. Composition and framing flawless. An amazing picture worthy of anyone's best of 2004 collection. Kudos to you!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2005 11:04:10 AM
I can recall seeing this before and being amazed at the quality of the shot given the conditions.
Superbly done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2005 07:13:25 AM
Great shot. The feeling of motion makes one feel as if he/she is riding the wing of the bird. Excellent sharpeness and detail on the face.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2005 10:58:13 PM
WOW...Great title and result...The focus is bang on and your "bokeh" is perfect. Curious to know how you captured this (i.e. actually in flight or smudge tool-lol). Regardless, one of my top images I've voted on so far. Good Luck.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2005 07:24:39 PM
The sharpness of the bird is dead-on. Love it! Good luck in the challenge!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2005 03:54:14 PM
This is a really great shot, with nice detail. As far as the motion blur goes, I'm not sure if it was a well timed capture, or VERY skilled editing. Either way you have done a fantastic job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2005 02:00:42 PM
Wow! Superb!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2005 12:55:34 PM
Really relays the motion. Great capture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2005 12:03:28 PM
I really get the sense of speed here. Great image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2005 08:52:43 AM
Awsome shot! You have captured the sence of motion perfectly.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2005 01:42:51 AM
I would crop it so the bird's head isn't centered to make it more dramatic.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2005 12:52:05 AM
Holy crap! That's unbelieavable!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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