Puffin

[ktuli]

Does this image work?

I know it has the unfortunate issue of the water splashed on the window, which is about the only think I don't like with it.

Normally I would hate the waterline being tilted, but I think in this case with it being such a dramatic angle, and the puffin being level in the frame, I think it really works for me.



Does this work for anyone else, or is this just a vacation snapshot that really has little merit?

Thanks!

- Bill

[Donald]

That's an amazing shot.

The only thing I don't like about it is that dark spot above the water line to the left of the bird as we look at it. If there was some means to reduce the impact of that (removal seems a big ask, but if you're using the latest Photoshop I understand it can work all sorts of miracles).

[ktuli]

Donald,

Would you believe that I hadn't noticed that black spot until you mentioned it. Now it bugs the heck out of me!!! I'll see what I can do about removing it when I get home (yes - I have PS CS5, so hopefully it can help me out).

In the meantime, here is another one (plus original) that I feel doesn't work as well. In this case, the slant of the water wasn't as dramatic, so it did seem wrong, but even after leveling, this one just doesn't have the same impact....





And there's that same annoying dark spot!

- Bill

[Donald]

In the meantime, here is another one (plus original) that I feel doesn't work as well.

Oh, I don't know. But just to have captured not one, but two (at least) of a Puffin in that 'above and below' the waterline is, I think spectacular.

The more I look the more I think this 'new' one you've posted is a remarkable image.

[ktuli]

Oh, I don't know. But just to have captured not one, but two (at least) of a Puffin in that 'above and below' the waterline is, I think spectacular.

Oh - I know I'm probably shooting myself in the foot here and ruining a lot of the 'spectacular'ness of these photos, but they were taken in the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California... so the encounter wasn't necessarily unrepeatable...

[stardelta]

Bill these shots are fantastic, as Donald as already pointed out the 2nd shot where the puffin is looking under the waterline is nothing short of brilliant.
I think you are under estimating how good your images are.
now go back and take some more

[ktuli]

Glenn,

Thank you much! Did you happen to see the one I posted in my P52 thread?

I certainly wish I could go back and take more, but it is on the other side of the country from me. It will be some time before I can get back there... instead, I'll go diving next month and take other/more awesome shots!

- Bill

[ktuli]

And... as promised, here's the photo with that dark spot edited out...



- Bill

[Donald]

And... as promised, here's the photo with that dark spot edited out...

Much better.

[geoz]

Bill,

I like them both. Whenever I see waterline pics I wonder how they were taken. In the first the big water blob on the right, the drips, and the sharpness of the drops against the blurred background is a give away of glass. Maybe removing the blob, drips, and blurring the drops would make it look more natural. It does look like a very good action shot.

For the second raising the waterline brings you underwater with the bird. Also mirroring it makes the puffin looks a bit more aggressive to me. What do you think? Hope you don't mind my editing it. I'm new to posting and replying.

George

[jeeperman]

Nicely done Bill. I think I like the first best but they all work for me.

[ktuli]

Bill,

I like them both. Whenever I see waterline pics I wonder how they were taken. In the first the big water blob on the right, the drips, and the sharpness of the drops against the blurred background is a give away of glass. Maybe removing the blob, drips, and blurring the drops would make it look more natural. It does look like a very good action shot.

For the second raising the waterline brings you underwater with the bird. Also mirroring it makes the puffin looks a bit more aggressive to me. What do you think? Hope you don't mind my editing it. I'm new to posting and replying.

George

George,

I like that crop - thanks for sharing!

And yes, these were taken behind acrylic at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. However, next month I am going on a scuba diving trip and one of the shots I am trying to remind myself to get is a half/half shot of our vessel (I usually get so wrapped up with shooting the reefs that I forget that when I get back to the boat - I think I need to ditch my gear after a dive and jump back in with just a snorkle and make sure to get some shots like that). So for those, the camera will be in the water in the dive housing, and hopefully will produce different results (I'll have to be careful about how much water splashes on the dome port).

- Bill

[ktuli]

Nicely done Bill. I think I like the first best but they all work for me.

Thanks Paul! I wish I could get some of those naturally in the wild though...

- Bill

[ggt]

I love the angled shot! It has a lot of merit. getting rid of the dark spot was great, now work on some of the water droplets by his face and I think you'll be done!

I love that both the above and below water parts are clear. How did you manage it with no reflections or double images in the glass?