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The Hunter's Rest
The Hunter's Rest
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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Soft Focus IV (Basic Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-20D
Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
Location: Studio, kind of
Date: May 13, 2008
Aperture: f/1.5
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/1000
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: May 13, 2008

 Shot with the 85mm f/1.5 wide open in basically a huge light tent. The softness of the lens was augmented with a software soft focus effect achieved as follows: gaussian blur with radius 9 pixels, fade last command to 50% (this is using Photopaint X3, it's basically a nonselective partial undo function, not sure if photoshop has an equivalent) then gaussian blur with radius 18 pixels, fade last command again, also 50%. Please note, this is similar to the method discussed in the forums in terms of results, but involves no duplicate layers or anything like that, so this is fully legal in basic editing.

Full editing steps: contrast and gamma adjustment, the gaussian steps, resize and sharpen.

Wish i could have cloned out that annoying bit of food above his beak. Did so for the print version.

Outtakes:

Statistics
Place: 44 out of 203
Avg (all users): 5.8444
Avg (commenters): 7.6667
Avg (participants): 5.6545
Avg (non-participants): 5.9280
Views since voting: 772
Views during voting: 296
Votes: 180
Comments: 12
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 05/21/2008 03:55:22 AM
Originally posted by PhilXT350:
I would want a shot like this in sharp focus
still a nice shot for the theme
where and how did you locate a Barn Owl? plbillings@charter.net


This is a wildlife sanctuary owl, shot indoors in a large white marquee with the sun to backlight it.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
05/20/2008 03:21:46 PM
The detail and small feathers is great!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/19/2008 06:12:12 PM
Amazing capture. Well composed and cropped - the square format works very well.

You have the soft focus there with the correct exposure - the white feathers still retain the detail.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/18/2008 06:14:57 PM
Very cool!!
 05/16/2008 05:41:21 PM
It's an owl, right? Owls and eagles ribbon at DPC. Seriously, I hope this does well. It's beautifully captured and processed. A seven for you.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/15/2008 08:42:31 PM
dont like the white background
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/15/2008 03:29:47 PM
Brilliant shot, I like the close crop, excellent subject & colors suit the soft focus applied. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/15/2008 02:53:09 PM
This is an amazingly beautiful picture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2008 09:49:12 PM
Fantastic image and a subject that suits this challenge well. Well captured!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2008 06:50:03 PM
So so soft......
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2008 04:56:08 AM
Cool character. The softness works well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2008 03:10:06 AM
I would want a shot like this in sharp focus
still a nice shot for the theme
where and how did you locate a Barn Owl? plbillings@charter.net
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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