Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 21

Thread: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

  1. #1
    terrib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Colorado & Texas, USA
    Posts
    2,031
    Real Name
    Terri

    A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Spent an afternoon at Hagerman Wildlife Refuge near Sherman, TX and got these shots. All were taken handheld out the open car window. I was sometimes able to rest the lens on the window, sometimes not.

    Any comments, edits or suggestions (especially using Lightroom) are most welcome.

    #1 Not sure what kind of duck this is.

    A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    #2 Great Blue Heron. I didn't quite nail the focus on the head. Auto Focus through all the grass was iffy so I was manually tweaking the focus but he was moving and I was handholding. Excuses, excuses...

    A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    #3 Nine Banded Armadillo (official State mammal of Texas )

    A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    #4 Very proud of this one. I did have to take it back to Aperture to clone an out of focus twig that was sticking into the frame below the bird because I just couldn't get it in Lightroom. I find the Aperture cloning brush to be much more versatile but need to find a tutorial on the Lightroom brush. Maybe I'm just not using it right.

    A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

  2. #2
    jprzybyla's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Lakeland, Florida
    Posts
    3,073
    Real Name
    Joe

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Good work Terri, lovely images. The American Kestral is beautiful, I have yet to get a image as good as that one. I did a quick edit to show a couple things I would have done differently. The image is posted below so you can see. In Lightroom I lightened the blue of the sky using the Luminance slider in Hue, Saturation and Luminance. In the Basic Panel of the Develop module I opened the shadows a touch. I trust you do not mind my edit, if so I will remove it.

    A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Ontario (mostly)
    Posts
    6,667
    Real Name
    Bobo

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Wonderful outing it must have been.

    #1 should be a coot. Kestrel shot is best I have seen for a long while. Joe's edit brings out the "missing" bits.

    A close up of the armadillo would have been awesome.

    As for the GBH, nice shot but typically difficult to get them in a "clean" environment. But in this case the upright plants do make the pic pretty "artsy". Might even be a great candidate for a b/w. Nice.

  4. #4
    kdoc856's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio, USA
    Posts
    1,960
    Real Name
    Kevin

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    "I find the Aperture cloning brush to be much more versatile but need to find a tutorial on the Lightroom brush. Maybe I'm just not using it right. "

    Terri,

    My favorite set of LR tutorials ever, by George Jardine. It's a 13 part DVD, beautifully explained and demonstrated. Well worth it modest price on Amazon: The Develop Module

    PS The kestrel shot should be in your portfolio

  5. #5
    davidedric's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Cheshire, England
    Posts
    3,668
    Real Name
    Dave

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    My favorite set of LR tutorials ever, by George Jardine. It's a 13 part DVD, beautifully explained and demonstrated. Well worth it modest price on Amazon: The Develop Module
    Kevin has recommended these several times, and I've been very frustrated because they don't seem to be available in the UK, and I don't really want to pay the US to UK shipping costs.

    One I followed through properly to George's web site (duh!) I find that they are available as on-line tutorials, and for less than the Amazon price: they are $24.95. Anyway, I've decided to give them a go. I'll post this info on the PP forum.

    Dave

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    South Devon, UK
    Posts
    14,401

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    I think I would crop the first 3 very slightly tighter, Terri.

    #1 (Possibly a form of Coot) is rather central (vertically) with little of interest above it. So I suspect that a slight crop from the top and right side would concentrate the scene a little better. The water 'below' the bird has good ripples.

    #2 Heron is looking a little 'lost' amongst the background so a slight crop of the top and right side would reduce the background.

    #3 Armadillo is basically fine but there is a wide strip of out of focus grass at the bottom which serves no purpose and just adds distraction. So a little crop from the bottom and left side.

    #4 is perfect. I suppose you could just about force it into a 5 x 4 ratio crop if you had to create a 'standard size print' but otherwise, I would leave it as it is now.

  7. #7
    terrib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Colorado & Texas, USA
    Posts
    2,031
    Real Name
    Terri

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Quote Originally Posted by jprzybyla View Post
    Good work Terri, lovely images. The American Kestral is beautiful, I have yet to get a image as good as that one. I did a quick edit to show a couple things I would have done differently. The image is posted below so you can see. In Lightroom I lightened the blue of the sky using the Luminance slider in Hue, Saturation and Luminance. In the Basic Panel of the Develop module I opened the shadows a touch. I trust you do not mind my edit, if so I will remove it.

    A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas
    Thank you Joe for taking the time to show your suggested edits. Funny how being so happy to get the Kestrel in good position and sharp totally blinded me to the underexposure. Here's my edit based on your suggestions. I did exactly what you said, except brought up overall shadows a little less and used the brush to paint in the shadow adjustment on the back, tail and the tree. After looking at a couple online vids, I also attempted the cloning with Lightroom. (Still think Aperture is much easier on that particular tool)

    A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

  8. #8
    terrib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Colorado & Texas, USA
    Posts
    2,031
    Real Name
    Terri

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Quote Originally Posted by Bobobird View Post
    Wonderful outing it must have been.

    #1 should be a coot. Kestrel shot is best I have seen for a long while. Joe's edit brings out the "missing" bits.

    A close up of the armadillo would have been awesome.

    As for the GBH, nice shot but typically difficult to get them in a "clean" environment. But in this case the upright plants do make the pic pretty "artsy". Might even be a great candidate for a b/w. Nice.
    Thanks, Bobo, for the compliments and the ID on the duck. I also saw that heron pic as a possible artsy print. Might try out some painterly edits or something.

  9. #9
    terrib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Colorado & Texas, USA
    Posts
    2,031
    Real Name
    Terri

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Thanks Kevin and David. I will definitely look up those tutorials. I did find the ones at Adobe TV by Julianne Kost pretty good - as far as they went.

  10. #10
    terrib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Colorado & Texas, USA
    Posts
    2,031
    Real Name
    Terri

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Thanks Geoff for the feedback. Here are a couple of crops based on your suggestions. Also takes care of Bobo's request for a closer view of the armadillo - sort of.

    A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

  11. #11
    terrib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Colorado & Texas, USA
    Posts
    2,031
    Real Name
    Terri

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Quote Originally Posted by Bobobird View Post
    Wonderful outing it must have been.

    #1 should be a coot.
    Just looked up Coot and the info says it is not a duck. That would explain why I couldn't find it under "ducks" in my Audobon App. Wonder how many other birds I've been trying to find under ducks that aren't.....

  12. #12
    Moderator Dave Humphries's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Windsor, Berks, UK
    Posts
    16,737
    Real Name
    Dave Humphries :)

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Hi Terri,

    That is an American Coot in #1, as Bobo and Geoff suggest. The UK ones are very common here, although I have shot them many times, it looks like the only published shot I have is rather over exposed, unlike yours.

    I prefer your second edit (big one in post #7) of the beautiful Kestrel, a shot to be proud of and no mistake.

    Well done,

  13. #13
    jprzybyla's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Lakeland, Florida
    Posts
    3,073
    Real Name
    Joe

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Good job on your edit of the Kestrel. Regarding the healing/clone brush in Lightroom I only use it to clean up dust bunnies, any serious healing or cloning I go to Photoshop and the brushes there. So much more control.

  14. #14

    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    northern Virginia suburb of Washington, DC
    Posts
    19,064

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Great kestrel, Terri!

  15. #15
    Shadowman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    36,717
    Real Name
    John

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Very nice.

  16. #16

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    2,342
    Real Name
    Steve

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Great job terri, the kestrel is awesome!!!! Well done on all!!

  17. #17
    terrib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Colorado & Texas, USA
    Posts
    2,031
    Real Name
    Terri

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Humphries View Post
    Hi Terri,

    That is an American Coot in #1, as Bobo and Geoff suggest. The UK ones are very common here, although I have shot them many times, it looks like the only published shot I have is rather over exposed, unlike yours.

    I prefer your second edit (big one in post #7) of the beautiful Kestrel, a shot to be proud of and no mistake.

    Well done,
    Thanks, Dave for your comments and including the information on the UK Coot. I like that your Coot image shows the funny looking feet.

  18. #18
    terrib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Colorado & Texas, USA
    Posts
    2,031
    Real Name
    Terri

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Mike, John and Steve - I appreciate you taking the time to comment! It helps keep me motivated to improve and get the good ones.

  19. #19
    Aforns's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Miami, Fl
    Posts
    181
    Real Name
    Alfred Forns

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    The first is a cool for certain !! Nice getting detail on the eye and good plumage colors. Sure had nice light for this bird. Like the heron in its environment and like the looking away into the frame !

    Good detail on the armadillo .. they remind me of road bumps

    Like how Joe lighten the left side of the bird, light coming from the right ... do like the original colors and contrast of the original post !!

  20. #20
    jeeperman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Seattle Washington
    Posts
    3,550
    Real Name
    Paul

    Re: A few shots from Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, Texas

    Great job, Terri! The Kestrel is very nice. If you ever have ID questions, you can always ask. There are several of us here that can likely steer you in the right direction at least.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •