Before and after of a Great White Egret in mating plumage.

[AndyS]

Before:

This image is direct from the camera. I never thought much of it as it's a little flat. I took it to my editing software and did some manipulation of the tonal range.


My software has a Brightness and Contrast control. Within the dropdown menu is Highlight/Midtone/Shadow that lets me manipulate selected tonal ranges. I darkened shadow to the max, then dropped the midtone values but left the highlights the same. The bird in Before and the one after are virtually the same, just the background changed. I also burned some of the background birds to diminish their distraction.

It's not the best picture I've ever taken but it's at least usable I think.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. It's more than just usable, Andy! It's gorgeous.

What you did in the second image reminds me of the vignetting that I use sometimes, where you darken the outer edges of a photo to make the center stand out.

This is a much larger area, of course, but that's what I thought when I compared the two.

Nicely done!

[AndyS]

4. Thank you Peggy.

It's not bad but it could be stronger with a better pose on something more colorful like green leaves. This was taken in a rookery in a metropolitan area. Behind it is an apartment complex, to the north is a shopping center. It's located in a small pond (about half the size of a community swimming pool, with the usual alligator) and after years of bird poop the pond went sour and the trees died. I shot some really nice pics the year before.

[Srkdqltr]

2. Beautiful .

[hermetic]

3. They are beautiful

[George McGovern]

5. Glad you chose to post your Egret! Nice!