A Hooded Vulture (called Baldrick) stares purposefully at me - as I stare back at him, thinking that I'm glad to be alive!
Shot through the cage wire using my 28-105mm zoom at 78mm and focused on the ruff of his neck in order to get the whole head in focus. His handler Mandy loves him dearly and he is exercised frequently in huge, open space.
Shortly after I took this Mandy came into his enclosure and fed him dead chicks, which he tore to shreds with consumate ease. Nice.
I hope you agree though, that he does look a rather special character.
The moment I took it I knew his pose was exactly what I wanted, but the high ISO (low light) and background were not. So this is one shot I knew I'd have to edit more than usual to get it looking the way it deserved.
Edits:
> crop
> soften background + clone out prominences
> levels to deepen background and bring Baldrick forward
> dodge + burn on feathers and face
> convert to lab colour for sharpen on Lightness channel
> increase saturation around face and some feathers
> reduce some subtle noise on colour channels (result of high ISO)
> save for web
Statistics
Place: 1 out of 507 Avg (all users): 8.0729 Avg (commenters): 8.9577 Avg (participants): 8.0677 Avg (non-participants): 8.0909 Views since voting: 1910199 Views during voting: 491 Votes: 247 Comments: 185 Favorites: 219 (view)
I must say that my appreciation for this type of shot has grown exponentially over the years (I'm a bird lover from way back). I only gave this a 6 in my naivete of the expertise it took to capture something so graceful. Today, it would have easily garnered a 10.
I'm very sorry to hear of demise; however, I'm sure that he has been appreciated the world over because of your essentially flawless capture. Congratulations on your achievement (and his) - I hope that it is some comfort in your grief. [213 favorites is certainly nothing to sneeze at!]
He'll live on through your love for both the subject and photography. Thank you for the privilege of sharing him with us.
I cannot express in words the feelings I felt when I first looked at this photograph. And the second time I looked. And the third. Spectacular Mr. Simon !
I am an amateur wildlife/nature photographer--with an obsession for photographing birds--and take some excellent photos with my Leica. However, my editing skills on the computer are poor and I have not yet even mastered my camera. I spend much time on each photograph and am never satisfied. I am using PSP XI--probably too amateur for the work you accomplish. I do own Photoshop but have much difficulty with the program. So frustating.
Computers, within the rules of this website at least, cannot alter composition save by cropping. The balance, poise and urgency of this image are very much real, and I believe are the reason this obtained a well deserved average of over 8. To avoid taking this shot or press the delete button would have been greater affronts to photography, not reducing unavoidable noise and background disturbances. If a "great image with terrfic impact" posted on a digital photography website with strict editing rules leaves you "kind of sick to [your] stomach", may I suggest that you're in the wrong place.
This is a great image with teriffic impact. The computer manipulation is outstanding. The original image however is mediocre. I am still using film and have to take good images to start with. True photography seems to be a lost art and computer manipulation the present and future. Great computer manipulations like this one leave me kind of sick to my stomach.
this type of comment makes me wish i could catch up with lowell in a few years, after he's caught up with the rest of the world and understands how little he knew when he made this comment. this image would have been impossible, had it not been perfectly captured to begin with.
Lowell - I agree that digital editing is sometimes very disappointing when it's abused. However, in defence of this particular shot it was one (as acknowledged above) which was a victim of very poor light. This photo is all about the subject, his stance and character. This was the basis of my shot and the element which I wished to capture above all else. In this instance, despite an equally purist stance on most editing (which helps me take better pictures), I accepted that the out-of-camera shot would need my help in post-processing to achieve my vision.
This is a great image with teriffic impact. The computer manipulation is outstanding. The original image however is mediocre. I am still using film and have to take good images to start with. True photography
seems to be a lost art and computer manipulation the present and future. Great computer manipulations like this one leave me kind of sick to my stomach.
I've come back to this photo again and again, - and each time I just see more and more in it. It really is one of the very best photos I've seen in my whole life.
No problem Digitalknight - the original is here for anyone who is interested in seeing the out-of-camera shot.
I could have used fill-flash for subject like this, but it would have destroyed the subtlety of the light. On checking the histogram I knew that I had all the data I needed, but it just needed to be brought out with some help in post-processing.
Thanks again for some kind words - and spending the time to view and consider the photo.
- Peterish, the shot was softly backlit with natural light and there was a lot of shadow on his front side. All I have done is lift some of that gloom with curves and levels. I also deepened the background (which was linear plank panels) to knock them right back and leave him to loom out of the darkness.
That is how I wanted him to look - and how it felt at the time.
Wow, what a captivating photo...that bird scares me. The textures and reflections on the wing feathers look almost surreal; how did you make it like that?
I can't believe that I didn't comment on this during the voting, I probably took it for granted that I already did since I gave it a 10. This is excellent! Good work at capturing the soul of such a creature. You somehow made an eerie icon look beautiful! The detail, the lighting, the composition... everything is superb! Congrats on the blue.
I have been meaning to comment for a while on this one - I can't believe how perfectly you captured this carrion-eater. He looks absolutely haunting. Best dramatic photo of a vulture that I have ever seen.
Congratulations on your Blue with a well deserved high score for this technically and aesthetically wonderful image! A great capture of an intriguing subject!
I didn't have time to vote on this challenge but I did have a quick glance through the thumbnails during voting. One image caught my eye above all others, and it, fine sir, was yours.
Congratulations on your entry into the rarefied air of the 8+ club :).
In case my opinion wasn't clear. This is a ridiculously cool photo.
Though I do have to say... sheesh - that's one ugly animal! Looks like a turkey with a sharp beak and a hunch-back.
i owe you an apology....i rated this photo middle of the road....the other day i got a new computer and when i saw this photo won i didnt ever remember seeing it....it turns out my monitor was set too dark probably a child of mine....anyway i was unable to see the details that i now can...wonderful job ...beautiful model
I'm so glad this got first!!! This was the most awesome picture I thought!!! It's soooo sharp....but most of all...the eyes....they are scary as hell and you caught it! Congratulations and great job!!! :)
Awesome picture and congrats on the win. I gave it a 10! I had to stand between a few of these and my horse that had passed while I was waiting on the guy to bury her. SCARY! This picture brings back bad memories. So that means you did an excellent job... Looks like he is looking at me. Eeeewwwwww
What a haunting, slightly unnerving connection you have captured here. Unusually strong composition for a bird portrait too and I like the darkness of it... CONGRATS on the ribbon (again)!
Quite a masterful image. There is no dof shortchange here. A great and impressive image because the body contribute to the framing of the head. Well, the tones and textures are just breathtaking and once again the talent of Imagineer rises to the top to claim this Blue prize.
Thanks indeed for the compliments from a great many people I respect here - you're all too kind. It'll take me a month of Sunbdays to respond individually but I'll try to do some profile vists later !
... and Gordon I'm used to drinking Guinness so I'm no stranger to patience. Lucky? Hmmm - looking at some of the images in this challenge I think you're right Mike...
: )
An amazing photograph. What an awesome expression. Esp. considering how hard it is to get a nice shot of a caged bird without wires and other structure in the background.
Wow, John. Top stuff indeed. That background was what disturbed me, I think, looking at it - and I was convinced this had to be a stuffed bird - surely, I thought, in this kind of light, you just couldn't get this detail on this bird without really being some kind of monster-full time wildlife photographer. Really outstanding. And an 8 ...
Thanks so much for all these heartwarmingly exciting comments! They're what makes it all worth it - honestly. This was a lovely surprise to wake up to - especially since I genuinely believed there'd be a few above mine.
I'm really quite fond of Bladrick now, and after seeing his face so much recently I factually find him quite handsome!
I had to come back a second time Jon.
I am simply astounded at the pose and 3D feel this shot has.
It defies a 2-dimensional plane and has so much depth to it. I doubt this could be reproduced in the best of studios or controlled environments.
Congratulations on your ribbon.
I didn't expect anything less then that.
It is... WOW... I just don't have any words for this shot.
The most amazing one I have ever seen!!!
This sure is an amazing shot, you can almost touch the feathers , and the eyes seems to be evaluating how long will it take for them to eat you. Thanks for sharing it with us :))
I am without words... never seen something like this before... Just have to say WOW!!! I have seen such a good picture for sometime know... this will go directly to my favorites... it's really hard to get me so WOWED but this picture is just wonderful... gos to my favorites and i hope you will do a print of this... i usually don't buy other peoples work but this one i'll buy for sure... Congratulations on a VERY well deserved ribbon... WONDERFUL.
Great shot! Two word comments suck, but I cant think of anything else to say. There is nothing I would change about this. It has quite a presence about it.
Holy Schniekies. Someone's using a good lens here. Not much to say except this is excellent. Zoo shot or out in the wild? Either way, the lighting and pose are absolutely spot-on. 10 from me.
Ok, I'm starting to feel like I am on the menue here.... Excellent composition, DOF, clarity and sharpness, nice job not losing the focus on the beak. Perfect shot to my view. 10
Photography doesn't get much better than this! This is spectacular, ominous, and powerful..congratulations on an awesome picture..the darkness in background and on subject, the position of head make a formidable portrait....10. I keep coming back to look at this picture: and it is perfect.
Just incredible, and made me make an awestruck noise out loud when I saw it! It's the colours/ saturation that really makes this special. Very effective deep dof. Wonderful light. A winner.
Wow! Amazing!
It looks like it has "thinking lines" on it's forehead.
So sharp and clear, beautiful colors and light.
The best bird shot I have ever seen! 10
Don't know what to make of this at all. The light seems terribly false (looking at reflections in eyes. A hell of an image though. No idea what score to give you.
W O W!!! When did Art Morris join DPC? I have nothing constructive for you - this image is perfect in every conceivable way. I'm jealous of this shot in a big way!!!
A W E S O M E shot, my only 10 in the challenge and just WOW. Added it to my favorites and while I don´t want to jinx you, hope to see you on the front page in a week. Love everything about it, great job especially on the lighting and capturing that killer expression.
Now I know my nightmares have a real-life counterpart!! This guy looks as if he is going to eat all the duck photos in this challenge. Briliant capture of the essence of this bird.
Very good photograph of a very ugly bird. Title fits. Like the dark colors and I am really impressed with the excellent focus you obtained. Fantastic feather, eye, beak, detail. Excellent composition. One of my favorites in this challenge.
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