First Image
Second Image
While we were at Bosque del Apache, the cranes were congregating regularly at one field near an observation deck on the north loop. I spent a couple of sessions there trying to capture behavioral shots of interactions within the group. These two image represent one of them.
Specific Feedback Requested
Do the interacting cranes stand out enough from the crowd without looking overdone?
Technical Details
Sony A1, FE200-600 @ 600 mm, monopod, f/6.3, 1/1600, iso 640, manual exposure. Processed in LR & PS CC.
Hi @Dennis_Plank
I can visualize precisely where you were for these images. That field was pretty busy each day.
To answer your specific question “ Do the interacting cranes stand out enough from the crowd without looking overdone?”. - No, I don’t think they do. Just too many other cranes and the angle from the viewing deck didn’t help provide the separation that would make this really work.
I can certainly see where @Keith_Bauer is coming from, there is an awful lot of action going on. However, the second photo is a bit easier to read, for me, because the two dueling cranes stand out just slightly better. Must have been fun to watch for sure.
Hi Dennis, from someone who has no sandhill crane photos, this would be a keeper for me. I did have to look for the action to stand out but not very hard 
Hi Dennis. These are so cool. I love the interaction. I can see your work in highlighting the subjects, but only because I was looking for it. I think the real challenge is the light. It causes everything to be a bit bright…it might be interesting to reverse what you did in highlighting the subject, by burning (darkening the rest of the birds some)…not too much but it might work.
Actually, I downloaded the first image and did a simple darkening of the whole image with a curves adjustment…it seemed to bring out the two birds quite a bit.
Just a suggestion…hope you don’t mind…
1 Like
I like it, @David_Bostock. It makes a big difference. I was worried about making the background too dark, but this seems to work.
Good interaction shot. I like the change David made, though in the original the red heads did draw me into the action.
These are great photos, Dennis. The 2 birds show up very well in both images. I do like the darkening that David did. I do that a lot myself when there is a single subject and never tried it with a group.
